Swamp Sparrows etc Oct 12

[Gord]

At Cheam Lake off the viewing platform at the picnic area was a Swamp Sparrow. Very vocal it could be heard in the parking lot as well. Out on the lake almost 5,000 Cackling Geese, seven Snow Geese and four Ruddy Duck. A male Eurasian Wigeon, still in molt, was my earliest fall sighting for the species. I took a photo to commemorate the event.

_0225074 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr

Also in molt was a young male Wood Duck looking a tad smug.

_0225090 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr

East Sector Park in Harrison at the McPherson Road trail head was another Swamp Sparrow.

_0225092 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr

[Gord]

We went for a visit to Cheam Lake this afternoon. Disturbing our meal of Timbits in the picnic area was the call notes of a Swamp Sparrow just to the east of the viewing platform at the picnic area. From a few meters down the Loop Trail we got the usual Swamp Sparrow view of a skulky sparrow in the cattails and grass. A lifer for Benny. Part way into looking at this one, another started calling further to the east on the other side of the Loop Trail. It's looking to be a good fall for Swamp Sparrows. Also here was a Marsh Wren, notable as Chris mentioned earlier given that they're not at all common in the park like they used to be.
Out on the lake among almost 4,000 Cackling Geese was a lone White-fronted Goose and 23 Snow Geese. We also saw our first Bufflehead of the fall; a male.

[Gord]

Krissi and I had two again there this morning at the same location.