Post by Gord on Dec 16, 2023 22:08:48 GMT -8
This count is certainly a highlight of the year and a fun family event I've been doing for over 30 years now. We count a bit of east end of Abbotsford, west end of Yarrow and Chilliwack west of Lickman Road.
The day started a bit foggy but happily it did burn off.
A good start to the morning was an adult Harris's Sparrow on Lickman Road just north of the tracks in a nice weedy field that had good numbers of White-crowned Sparrows along with pretty much any other sparrow one would expect at this time of year including a Lincoln's and some Savannah Sparrows.
_0233158 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr
Barrowtown was a great stop. A Barrow's Goldeneye seemed to be the right bird to find here.
_0233161 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr
A Bald Eagle was feeding on a fish up on top of a piling
_0233165 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr
Common Goldeneye, in the winter, outnumber the Barrow's Goldeneye typically but we did find a small flock of Barrow's in the canal as well.
_0233185 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr
The South Rotary Trail in Yarrow had two Orange-crowned Warbler.
_0233191 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr
A Bewick's Wren from the same trail
_0233201 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr
At Pioneer Park in Yarrow we saw a pale American Crow. I have heard that one has been seen here. I'm not sure if the same bird as Sardis Pond or not but seems doubtful the Sardis Pond bird would move on from a place it's been dedicated to for years? As it flew by, to my eye anyway, it seemed a bit darker than Sardis Pond. Worth checking the pond to see if he's still there.
Another neat find was a young Golden Eagle on Yale Road at Hopedale Road. Managed a photo before it flew.
_0233273 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr
Cooper's and Sharp-shinned Hawks were tough to come by today, just like the Harrison Count where we didn't get one until the end of the day. At the Chilliwack Corn Maze, after finding our second warbler species of the day with an Audubon's Yellow-rumped Warbler, we heard some raptorish sounds. It was two Cooper's Hawk juveniles sitting together on the phone line. One then the other flew into another tree as we approached. We could hear another and saw an adult bird on a post. I got a photo mid-cry. Maybe a family although I've never seen such this late in the year when by now all are on their own.
_0233265 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr
The warbler
_0233264 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr
On Hopedale Road in a parsnip field there has been good numbers of Wilson's Snipe seen. They're hard to spot against the dirt but we've had as many as 13 there. We managed to find four today
_0233278 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr
This was a good count species-wise encountering 76 species. Some years right place at the right time and some it's the opposite. A beautiful day as well which isn't always what we get. We've had to postpone some counts due to snow some years.
Merry Christmas to all
The day started a bit foggy but happily it did burn off.
A good start to the morning was an adult Harris's Sparrow on Lickman Road just north of the tracks in a nice weedy field that had good numbers of White-crowned Sparrows along with pretty much any other sparrow one would expect at this time of year including a Lincoln's and some Savannah Sparrows.
_0233158 by Geordie LaForge, on FlickrBarrowtown was a great stop. A Barrow's Goldeneye seemed to be the right bird to find here.
_0233161 by Geordie LaForge, on FlickrA Bald Eagle was feeding on a fish up on top of a piling
_0233165 by Geordie LaForge, on FlickrCommon Goldeneye, in the winter, outnumber the Barrow's Goldeneye typically but we did find a small flock of Barrow's in the canal as well.
_0233185 by Geordie LaForge, on FlickrThe South Rotary Trail in Yarrow had two Orange-crowned Warbler.
_0233191 by Geordie LaForge, on FlickrA Bewick's Wren from the same trail
_0233201 by Geordie LaForge, on FlickrAt Pioneer Park in Yarrow we saw a pale American Crow. I have heard that one has been seen here. I'm not sure if the same bird as Sardis Pond or not but seems doubtful the Sardis Pond bird would move on from a place it's been dedicated to for years? As it flew by, to my eye anyway, it seemed a bit darker than Sardis Pond. Worth checking the pond to see if he's still there.
Another neat find was a young Golden Eagle on Yale Road at Hopedale Road. Managed a photo before it flew.
_0233273 by Geordie LaForge, on FlickrCooper's and Sharp-shinned Hawks were tough to come by today, just like the Harrison Count where we didn't get one until the end of the day. At the Chilliwack Corn Maze, after finding our second warbler species of the day with an Audubon's Yellow-rumped Warbler, we heard some raptorish sounds. It was two Cooper's Hawk juveniles sitting together on the phone line. One then the other flew into another tree as we approached. We could hear another and saw an adult bird on a post. I got a photo mid-cry. Maybe a family although I've never seen such this late in the year when by now all are on their own.
_0233265 by Geordie LaForge, on FlickrThe warbler
_0233264 by Geordie LaForge, on FlickrOn Hopedale Road in a parsnip field there has been good numbers of Wilson's Snipe seen. They're hard to spot against the dirt but we've had as many as 13 there. We managed to find four today
_0233278 by Geordie LaForge, on FlickrThis was a good count species-wise encountering 76 species. Some years right place at the right time and some it's the opposite. A beautiful day as well which isn't always what we get. We've had to postpone some counts due to snow some years.
Merry Christmas to all
