Post by Randy on Jan 17, 2020 14:48:14 GMT -8
A couple weeks ago I managed to make it to White Rock Pier. It was very windy but still a great excursion.
This black turnstone was very cooperative on the pier:
A single brant was hanging out on the breakwater with some turnstones:
Gulls of course were present as always! Lots of mew gulls and GW gulls. Here are some GW gulls:
Some Olympic gulls of course as well. I was hoping this was a Thayer's but this species continues to be my nemesis!
I had ID'd this as a western gull and Gord agreed. However, Melissa who is the metro Vancouver eBird reviewer felt this was an Olympic gull as well due to the mantle not being dark enough:
Of course there were some large rafts of scoters. I found a couple of the photos interesting how you can see how the water runs off their backs due to the waterproofing!
White-winged scoters:
And here is one surf scoter:
Multiple other species were present including buffleheads:
I stopped at Boundary Bay on my way back. It was VERY windy and quite quiet although I did find this Eurasian Wigeon:
Here's my list from White Rock Pier:
Brant 1
Greater Scaup 10
Surf Scoter 60
White-winged Scoter 80
Bufflehead 14
Common Goldeneye 6
Common Merganser 55
Horned Grebe 3
Red-necked Grebe 2
Western Grebe 1
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 20
Black Turnstone 9
Mew Gull 50
Glaucous-winged Gull 35
Red-throated Loon 1
Pelagic Cormorant 15
Double-crested Cormorant 25
This black turnstone was very cooperative on the pier:
A single brant was hanging out on the breakwater with some turnstones:
Gulls of course were present as always! Lots of mew gulls and GW gulls. Here are some GW gulls:
Some Olympic gulls of course as well. I was hoping this was a Thayer's but this species continues to be my nemesis!
I had ID'd this as a western gull and Gord agreed. However, Melissa who is the metro Vancouver eBird reviewer felt this was an Olympic gull as well due to the mantle not being dark enough:
Of course there were some large rafts of scoters. I found a couple of the photos interesting how you can see how the water runs off their backs due to the waterproofing!
White-winged scoters:
And here is one surf scoter:
Multiple other species were present including buffleheads:
I stopped at Boundary Bay on my way back. It was VERY windy and quite quiet although I did find this Eurasian Wigeon:
Here's my list from White Rock Pier:
Brant 1
Greater Scaup 10
Surf Scoter 60
White-winged Scoter 80
Bufflehead 14
Common Goldeneye 6
Common Merganser 55
Horned Grebe 3
Red-necked Grebe 2
Western Grebe 1
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 20
Black Turnstone 9
Mew Gull 50
Glaucous-winged Gull 35
Red-throated Loon 1
Pelagic Cormorant 15
Double-crested Cormorant 25