Post by Gord on Oct 14, 2021 21:43:07 GMT -8
Today, ahead of the big rain, were some good birds. Thacker Marsh in Hope had a Swamp Sparrow up at the NE end right before the road goes up the hill. There's a little pull out here where it was calling and popping in and out of the reeds and weeds. It was good for sparrows here today. I saw a Lincoln's; I don't think I've seen many here before. White-throated Sparrow I'm pretty sure I've never seen here and that fact was made up for by there being two. Overhead, I heard a Lapland Longspur go over. I was able to spot it and it was a lone bird. At first when it was still far away, I thought it was a cricket as their flight call has some similarity at least at a distance.
Kawkawa Lake was also busy and also had some noteworthy sights. I checked twice to make sure my count of 49 Horned Grebe was correct (and it was). That was pretty amazing and by far the most I've ever seen at one place in the Fraser Valley. Western, Pied-billed and Red-necked Grebe were also there in good numbers. Must be a migrating flock of grebes that stalled. There were seven Surf Scoter as well.
Speaking of Surf Scoter, an early-morning visit to Harrison Lake yesterday produced another record for me with 132 Surf Scoter counted. There were two large rafts accounting for most of the count, and a smattering of small groups elsewhere. There were also several White-winged and a lone female Black Scoter. A single Lapland Longspur was feeding at the edge of the lagoon. A flock of 14 Bonaparte's Gull were flying off the lake when I arrived. Perhaps they spent the night on the lake and left at first light?
In Hope, I came across my fall's first Northern Shrike by way of a couple juveniles and a Short-eared Owl was a nice surprise at the Hope Airport.
Kawkawa Lake was also busy and also had some noteworthy sights. I checked twice to make sure my count of 49 Horned Grebe was correct (and it was). That was pretty amazing and by far the most I've ever seen at one place in the Fraser Valley. Western, Pied-billed and Red-necked Grebe were also there in good numbers. Must be a migrating flock of grebes that stalled. There were seven Surf Scoter as well.
Speaking of Surf Scoter, an early-morning visit to Harrison Lake yesterday produced another record for me with 132 Surf Scoter counted. There were two large rafts accounting for most of the count, and a smattering of small groups elsewhere. There were also several White-winged and a lone female Black Scoter. A single Lapland Longspur was feeding at the edge of the lagoon. A flock of 14 Bonaparte's Gull were flying off the lake when I arrived. Perhaps they spent the night on the lake and left at first light?
In Hope, I came across my fall's first Northern Shrike by way of a couple juveniles and a Short-eared Owl was a nice surprise at the Hope Airport.
