Post by Gord on Dec 14, 2023 23:10:12 GMT -8
Jason, Benny and I braved the rain and did the Christmas Bird Count for Agassiz/Harrison in Area E which is an area from Mount Woodside east. The rain stopped by late morning happily and we enjoyed tracking down 50 species. We felt, overall, that it was a bit quiet this year. Several places had few or even no birds. Ducks were way down. Along Limbert Road there were next to nothing except for a lone Pied-billed Grebe. A species we don't often get in our area, but all the same we all agreed a Mallard or two would have made sense.
We did get both swan species. A fun photo of a Tundra and Trumpeter Swan looking up from behind a dip in a grass field.
_0233139 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr
One of a few Golden-crowned Sparrows we found
_0233134 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr
The most fun find of the day was a leucistic American Wigeon. It was a bit far out for a nice photo but through the scope faint pattern could be seen still.
_0233145 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr
Other favourites was an adult Northern Shrike and a nice mixed flock of small birds including four Brown Creepers keeping close company with kinglets, chickadees and Red-breasted Nuthatch. We were watching for the aforementioned birds and funny enough Jason pointed to a patch of upcoming trees and said "maybe there?" as we were getting close to the end of our day. Good call!
Thanks for a good day, guys! Hope others who did the count had a nice day as well. We're looking forward to the Chilliwack count on Saturday.
We did get both swan species. A fun photo of a Tundra and Trumpeter Swan looking up from behind a dip in a grass field.
_0233139 by Geordie LaForge, on FlickrOne of a few Golden-crowned Sparrows we found
_0233134 by Geordie LaForge, on FlickrThe most fun find of the day was a leucistic American Wigeon. It was a bit far out for a nice photo but through the scope faint pattern could be seen still.
_0233145 by Geordie LaForge, on FlickrOther favourites was an adult Northern Shrike and a nice mixed flock of small birds including four Brown Creepers keeping close company with kinglets, chickadees and Red-breasted Nuthatch. We were watching for the aforementioned birds and funny enough Jason pointed to a patch of upcoming trees and said "maybe there?" as we were getting close to the end of our day. Good call!
Thanks for a good day, guys! Hope others who did the count had a nice day as well. We're looking forward to the Chilliwack count on Saturday.