Post by nickinthegarden on Aug 23, 2018 12:24:12 GMT -8
Even though it was still smoky out I made a trip over to Brydon Lagoon in Langley City. I had been at Brydon Lagoon a couple weeks back and today it was much quieter. I do not know if it was due to the smoky air or being later in the season. I heard a Belted Kingfisher laughing as it flew over the marsh and landed in a tree that had 4 Eurasian Collared-doves in it. As I stepped on to the trail along side the lagoon the ever present Mallards checked me out to see if I had food for them. Lots of Mallards there and around the lagoon, I did not see any other waterfowl although I was told that there were Pied-billed Grebes there. I spotted a smaller Great Blue Heron who was searching for prey under the nearby by bushes that were overhanging the water.
I could hear crows making a fuss and when I went around the east end of the lagoon I spotted a Cooper's Hawk. It dashed from one set of bushes into a tall evergreen with the crows following it. Eventually the crows moved onto another target; not sure what and the Cooper's Hawk came out to perch of this tall snag.
Cooper's Hawk by Nick, on Flickr
The last time I was to Brydon I had seen a Cooper's Hawk pursuing the House Sparrows, I suspect it was the same one.
I turned around to head back down the south side of the lagoon and I just spotted a small Green Heron taking off from the area where people feed the Mallards. Later I would see two Green Heron flying over the marsh area.
Walking along the trail I spotted another slightly larger Great Blue Heron on the shore under the trees. The foliage is very full around the lagoon making it a challenge to see much.
I stopped on the western end of the lagoon hoping that the Green herons might be around but they must have moved into the marsh at that point. I did see an Annas Hummingbird. I crossed over the hydro road and hit the trail in the marsh towards the Bald Eagle nest. It was very quiet, almost no bird sound. A short ways down the trail I spotted an area where there had been a bush fire. The fire had been contained in the bush and did not cross over to the marsh, but a number of trees had been scorched and a lot of brush was gone. I later spoke to some dog walkers and they said it had happened a few days ago. It was completely out and a little smelly but it was a distance from the Bald Eagle's nesting tree so hopefully it will not effect future nestlings.
It remained pretty quiet the rest of the walk around and back to the Lagoon. There were some Black-capped Chickadees working the bushes and there were a pair of Steller's Jays raiding the hazel nut trees along the edge of the lagoon. Back at the entrance to the lagoon a large flock of House Sparrows were feeding on something in the gravel path. Pretty difficult to get an accurate count of them as they kept landing and taking off back to the bushes.
I had not been able to go out birding much with the smoky air but hopefully that will clear up soon. I am concerned about the birds, I wonder if this is effecting them severely.
I could hear crows making a fuss and when I went around the east end of the lagoon I spotted a Cooper's Hawk. It dashed from one set of bushes into a tall evergreen with the crows following it. Eventually the crows moved onto another target; not sure what and the Cooper's Hawk came out to perch of this tall snag.
Cooper's Hawk by Nick, on FlickrThe last time I was to Brydon I had seen a Cooper's Hawk pursuing the House Sparrows, I suspect it was the same one.
I turned around to head back down the south side of the lagoon and I just spotted a small Green Heron taking off from the area where people feed the Mallards. Later I would see two Green Heron flying over the marsh area.
Walking along the trail I spotted another slightly larger Great Blue Heron on the shore under the trees. The foliage is very full around the lagoon making it a challenge to see much.
I stopped on the western end of the lagoon hoping that the Green herons might be around but they must have moved into the marsh at that point. I did see an Annas Hummingbird. I crossed over the hydro road and hit the trail in the marsh towards the Bald Eagle nest. It was very quiet, almost no bird sound. A short ways down the trail I spotted an area where there had been a bush fire. The fire had been contained in the bush and did not cross over to the marsh, but a number of trees had been scorched and a lot of brush was gone. I later spoke to some dog walkers and they said it had happened a few days ago. It was completely out and a little smelly but it was a distance from the Bald Eagle's nesting tree so hopefully it will not effect future nestlings.
It remained pretty quiet the rest of the walk around and back to the Lagoon. There were some Black-capped Chickadees working the bushes and there were a pair of Steller's Jays raiding the hazel nut trees along the edge of the lagoon. Back at the entrance to the lagoon a large flock of House Sparrows were feeding on something in the gravel path. Pretty difficult to get an accurate count of them as they kept landing and taking off back to the bushes.
I had not been able to go out birding much with the smoky air but hopefully that will clear up soon. I am concerned about the birds, I wonder if this is effecting them severely.
