A very birdy day Oct 29

[Gord]

Not just the people get active after poor weather it seems.

Midday at Kawkawa Lake made this very evident. The poor weather slowed down the migration and there were lots of ducks resting out on the lake. Over 150 Bufflehead, good numbers of scaup and Ring-necked Duck. Not as many grebes as a couple weeks ago but all the expected grebe species were seen. I saw the largest number of coots that I've seen lately, just over 120.

_0217293 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr

Another treat was an American Tree Sparrow.

_0217295 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr

_0217313 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr

Overhead, a flock of Cackling Geese went over quite high up heading west. This would be a trend for most of the day. More Cackling Geese to come for us out west it seems!


Mid-afternoon at Hope Airport it was very good. I didn't have much time but if there was ever a day to have spent time out birding, today would be the day. Saw my first swans of the fall finally flying over. By the end, I had tallied almost 100 of them. Most flying quite high and I was not able to say Trumpeter or Tundra. One flock was vocal and I heard both species in there. Here, the smaller Tundras did stick out. And cackling geese by the hundreds also flying high. One flock had three Snow Geese accompanying them.

Swans and Cackling Geese.

_0217376 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr


Also lots of raptors going over. Almost all flying quite high up. A late Osprey, Golden Eagle and a real surprise, a Short-eared Owl. I managed a photo of the Osprey and owl.

_0217369 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr

I always figured the owl, even though one often seen in the day, wouldn't migrate like that. Maybe they do. First for me.

_0217380 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr


Closer to the ground, a Western Meadlowlark posed nicely.

_0217272 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr

A Cassin's Vireo was another late find at the east end of the airport. Also here was a Swamp Sparrow who also did not cooperate for a picture like the last two I ran into this fall. This is the second time I've seen one here. The first was quite a few years ago and as I recall, quite photogenic. I settled for a photo of a Lincoln's Sparrow.

_0217364 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr

Four Wilson's Snipe flushed from the grass; likely also slowed up by the poor weather yesterday.

At home while carving pumpkins, we had two small flocks of Trumpeter Swans fly over. These were also quite high up. In the dark at the Superstore parking lot I heard more Trumpeter Swans (a birder is always 'on' it seems ) and reflected in the lights I counted nine.

Tomorrow might be good too. Weather will be even nicer!

[kenneth2019]

Yesterday afternoon I took a quick trip over to check the Fraser at Silver Hope Creek, below the gravel bar there was a large raft of birds. About 100 bufflehead, a couple of Surf Scoter and hundreds of brown ducks I could not identify.
while walking out to the end of the rock point a Merlin made a few sweeps chasing birds, I was not sure of identification, but then it perched on the tallest rock about 20 feet from me! It sat for a long time before dashing off after some birds.
Went back this morning with My scope, no birds, all gone.

Drove down to the boat launch at Kawkawa Park this afternoon, counted 170 Coots in one pass, so the ones diving were not counted. Only about 7 other birds seen.

[neal]

Nice variety of birds. Cheers.

[canadianwarbler]

A fantastic selection of photos. Great stuff.