Cheam Lake and Harrison Lagoon October 3rd

[Chris]

After seeing Gord's report on the Longspurs I decided to give it another try to see if I could see them. When I got out there it was very windy and cold. In the lagoon was about 40-50 American Wigeons, ten Coots, 8 Canada Geese and one Redhead.

On the north side of the lagoon was 8 Horned Larks and I saw two small birds in a small patch of grass and they turned out to be Lapland Longspurs. I saw a total of eight of them and a lifer for me. I didn't see anything on the lake as it was choppy and hard to see anything.

Here's a picture of one of them.



While driving to the Wetlands I saw two Turkey Vultures just before the Agassiz-Rosedale bridge.

I wasn't there long but did mange to se tons of Geese on the lake probably at least 100. Ten Wood Ducks, about 20 Ring-necked Ducks, one Lesser Scaup a few Pied-billed Grebes, four Shovelers and of course Mallards.

Coming back I saw one Orange-crowned Warbler, about ten Ruby-crowned Kinglets. I also saw this little guy. Is he a mouse of some sort?

[ziff]

some sort shrew , ?

[Wetlander]

Congrats on getting the Longspurs! Janne tipped me off a couple of years ago... since then I've noticed that the Larks and Longspurs have been reliable Fall visitors to the beach.

I went out at lunch today Oct. 5, beautiful but quiet. Only a few Savannah Sparrows and the usual ducks, plus a Western Grebe out on the lake. Also the Am. Dipper is back by the Art Gallery.

[Gord]

Chris, looks like a vole of some kind, possibly a Meadow Vole. Like a shrew, the ears are very small unlike mice where the ears are more distinct.

Glad you got the longspurs! Nice work on the new species of late!

Kev, keep an eye on that area! Huge potential for a wagtail, Palm Warbler or something like that to pop on by. ;D ;D

[bandj]

I must confess I wondered if it wasn't a mole of some kind.... Maybe a Shrew Mole (Neurotrichus gibbsii)? I'm looking at the Lone Pine Mammals of BC according to which this is the mole one is most likely to see above ground. The snout seems like it might be longer than a vole.

Just a thought....


Bryan

[Gord]

Bryan, Im pretty sure it isnt a shrew mole based on the visible eyes and how it is eating. I dug up a photo of a dead shrew mole I found this spring. Neat creatures! Looks sort of like a miniature mole from the angle shown in the photo.