Post by Gord on Jan 4, 2024 22:08:38 GMT -8
We had a day available so decided to take it and go towards the coast for some birding.
A quick stop at White Rock Pier was first off as the birds are often close. The wind was really strong here but it was dry happily. We enjoyed seeing some of the birds we don't see too much including some up close Surf and White-winged Scoter. We saw a few Long-tailed Duck including several males. Most of the ones we see out here, usually at Harrison Lake, appear to be mostly female. Not sure if others agree with that too or not.
Quite a few Red-breasted Mergansers
_0233554 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr
Lesser Scaup
_0233483 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr
Greater Scaup
_0233482 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr
Reifel was next on our list of places to go after we had our fill of White Rock. On the way, we paused to see the Mute Swans at Canoe Pass
_0233589 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr
It was raining lightly at Reifel but happily dried out fairly soon. I thought ahead and brought a few large ziplock bags in the backpack for if things got really wet. Our cameras can fit in them to keep dry. We didn't need them.
It was active at the start with plenty of greedy ducks looking for handouts. A treat was a pair of Sandhill Crane also snagging some grains. They're almost as tall as Benny and I worried a little that if they don't find his offering pleasing, that he'd be short an eye!
Red-winged Blackbirds seem to have learned about the handouts and we were mobbed by them. Black-crowned Night Heron was also here and a lone Ruddy Duck was a neat find.
The tide was high and this seemed to bring the Virginia Rails in closer on the outer dyke. We heard several and caught glimpses of a couple. Marsh Wrens, while really uncommon out our way, were fairly plentiful here too. An Orange-crowned Warbler popped up briefly here too. With the high tide, we were able to scope out to the west into the ocean and get some Black-bellied Plovers and Dunlin and many thousands of Snow Geese. We were pleased to see American Avocet, four in all, in the west ponds.
_0233627 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr
A small flock of Cedar Waxwings were with a bunch of robins in hawthorn trees. It was nice to hear their calls given it's been a couple months since we last heard them.
Benny photographing a mallard below me while I'm in the viewing tower. His photos of that mallard can be seen in the trip report link I'll share at the end.
IMG_6027 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr
Along the north trail on our way back we enjoyed finding a Barred Owl and a nice mixed flock of chickadees and kinglets. Hidden among them was a Hutton's Vireo that had just found a ladybug. I guess the bad smell of the ladybug doesn't bother the birds?
_0233630 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr
Northern Shovelers were very plentiful
_0233638 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr
We finished up mid afternoon and enjoyed ourselves immensely. Here's our trip report ebird.org/canada/tripreport/191876
A quick stop at White Rock Pier was first off as the birds are often close. The wind was really strong here but it was dry happily. We enjoyed seeing some of the birds we don't see too much including some up close Surf and White-winged Scoter. We saw a few Long-tailed Duck including several males. Most of the ones we see out here, usually at Harrison Lake, appear to be mostly female. Not sure if others agree with that too or not.
Quite a few Red-breasted Mergansers
_0233554 by Geordie LaForge, on FlickrLesser Scaup
_0233483 by Geordie LaForge, on FlickrGreater Scaup
_0233482 by Geordie LaForge, on FlickrReifel was next on our list of places to go after we had our fill of White Rock. On the way, we paused to see the Mute Swans at Canoe Pass
_0233589 by Geordie LaForge, on FlickrIt was raining lightly at Reifel but happily dried out fairly soon. I thought ahead and brought a few large ziplock bags in the backpack for if things got really wet. Our cameras can fit in them to keep dry. We didn't need them.
It was active at the start with plenty of greedy ducks looking for handouts. A treat was a pair of Sandhill Crane also snagging some grains. They're almost as tall as Benny and I worried a little that if they don't find his offering pleasing, that he'd be short an eye!
Red-winged Blackbirds seem to have learned about the handouts and we were mobbed by them. Black-crowned Night Heron was also here and a lone Ruddy Duck was a neat find. The tide was high and this seemed to bring the Virginia Rails in closer on the outer dyke. We heard several and caught glimpses of a couple. Marsh Wrens, while really uncommon out our way, were fairly plentiful here too. An Orange-crowned Warbler popped up briefly here too. With the high tide, we were able to scope out to the west into the ocean and get some Black-bellied Plovers and Dunlin and many thousands of Snow Geese. We were pleased to see American Avocet, four in all, in the west ponds.
_0233627 by Geordie LaForge, on FlickrA small flock of Cedar Waxwings were with a bunch of robins in hawthorn trees. It was nice to hear their calls given it's been a couple months since we last heard them.
Benny photographing a mallard below me while I'm in the viewing tower. His photos of that mallard can be seen in the trip report link I'll share at the end.
IMG_6027 by Geordie LaForge, on FlickrAlong the north trail on our way back we enjoyed finding a Barred Owl and a nice mixed flock of chickadees and kinglets. Hidden among them was a Hutton's Vireo that had just found a ladybug. I guess the bad smell of the ladybug doesn't bother the birds?
_0233630 by Geordie LaForge, on FlickrNorthern Shovelers were very plentiful
_0233638 by Geordie LaForge, on FlickrWe finished up mid afternoon and enjoyed ourselves immensely. Here's our trip report ebird.org/canada/tripreport/191876