Post by Gord on Dec 27, 2022 22:32:10 GMT -8
A little share to share, but realized with prepping for tomorrow's Abbotsford Christmas Bird Count if I'm going to make a post, best get to it.
The weather was a bit damp and drizzly, but hardly like what tomorrow would look like. Little did I know that 8:00 in cool but not cold morning on the phone about a Black Phoebe the boys found on their route would have me 27 hours or so later standing in a blizzard in -12c windchill looking at poor said phoebe. It was a bit quiet again compared to past years we felt. But it was a little apples to oranges as last year it was -17c and resulted in 60 species tallied. This year, we would get 66.
A Ring-necked Pheasant was a first for our route. Two Bohemian Waxwings were fun to find in a hawthorn tree.
_0226670 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr
A young or late molting (same thing in the end...?) Common Goldeneye
_0226697 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr
A Great Blue Heron contemplates things. I suspect he knows the weather that is coming the following day.
_0226696 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr
A pair of Tundra Swans all by themselves out in Greendale
_0226699 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr
In a flock of starlings we found five Brown-headed Cowbirds. Not a guaranteed find in the winter around here. We paused at the Blue Heron Reserve and found five White-throated Sparrows. The most I've seen in one place. We counted four all together. Would have been a great photo had all birds not scattered. They returned more spread out as we were leaving and in the parking lot, saw one more with a small flock of juncos. Very unlikely one of the four suddenly flew past us so we went with five. Cooper's Hawks were abundant. At one stop one then a second flew over us. One had a huge crop. We ended up with seven for the day. Our last new bird of the day that late afternoon in the fading light was an Eurasian Wigeon in a large flock of American Wigeon. Happily it was a male as I don't think we could honestly pick out a female in the low light conditions.
Time to finish up for tomorrow with a brave face given the rain hitting the window thanks to a wind that's suddenly come up! Good luck to all who are going out counting CBC or just enjoying a day birding tomorrow.
The weather was a bit damp and drizzly, but hardly like what tomorrow would look like. Little did I know that 8:00 in cool but not cold morning on the phone about a Black Phoebe the boys found on their route would have me 27 hours or so later standing in a blizzard in -12c windchill looking at poor said phoebe. It was a bit quiet again compared to past years we felt. But it was a little apples to oranges as last year it was -17c and resulted in 60 species tallied. This year, we would get 66.
A Ring-necked Pheasant was a first for our route. Two Bohemian Waxwings were fun to find in a hawthorn tree.
_0226670 by Geordie LaForge, on FlickrA young or late molting (same thing in the end...?) Common Goldeneye
_0226697 by Geordie LaForge, on FlickrA Great Blue Heron contemplates things. I suspect he knows the weather that is coming the following day.
_0226696 by Geordie LaForge, on FlickrA pair of Tundra Swans all by themselves out in Greendale
_0226699 by Geordie LaForge, on FlickrIn a flock of starlings we found five Brown-headed Cowbirds. Not a guaranteed find in the winter around here. We paused at the Blue Heron Reserve and found five White-throated Sparrows. The most I've seen in one place. We counted four all together. Would have been a great photo had all birds not scattered. They returned more spread out as we were leaving and in the parking lot, saw one more with a small flock of juncos. Very unlikely one of the four suddenly flew past us so we went with five. Cooper's Hawks were abundant. At one stop one then a second flew over us. One had a huge crop. We ended up with seven for the day. Our last new bird of the day that late afternoon in the fading light was an Eurasian Wigeon in a large flock of American Wigeon. Happily it was a male as I don't think we could honestly pick out a female in the low light conditions.
Time to finish up for tomorrow with a brave face given the rain hitting the window thanks to a wind that's suddenly come up! Good luck to all who are going out counting CBC or just enjoying a day birding tomorrow.
