Post by Wetlander on Dec 26, 2009 21:28:09 GMT -8
Spent Christmas this year with Marion's Grandaughter in Victoria and were able to get some birding in on Christmas Eve.
We started at Ogden Point at 9am. as you can see by the 9 O'Clock Pigeon.
It was brisk, frosty and windy. Along the breakwater we spotted a small group of sanderlings. (Lifer) A little further out, were a couple of Alcids. After checking the guide, decided they must be Marbled Murrelets. I saw a brown summer plumage marbled in August, the last time we were in Victoria.
We continued out to the end of the breakwater and met and elderly gentlemen who was tossing some carnations out onto the water for his wife. He had scattered her ashes her to the sea. Oh course Marion and I got all weepy.
We had been to Ogden and Clover Point in August so we then popped over to Clover Point. A photographer was right down in the water by low rocks photographing Black Turnstones. Skittering along the rocks were also Surfbirds (lifer) and a couple of Oyster catchers.
Lots of gulls, all Glaucious-winged with only 1 Herring hanging around. Lots of people walked there dogs so we decided to move on to Cattle Point.
We had stopped for the first time at Cattle Point briefly on the way into town on the 23rd. and had seen a single Black-bellied Plover (lifer).
Returning on the 24th. We spotted a batch of them with some Dunlin and a single Turnstone. There were also small groups of beautiful Harlequins.
Was surprised to see groups of Hooded Mergansers. I'm so used to them being out my window on the slough at home, they seemed odd out on the ocean. There were a few mallards, C. Mergansers and a couple of Am. Widgeon. Lots of Gulls, but all look Glaucious-winged.
It was a beautiful day of fresh salt air and ocean views. Marion packed home about 20 pounds of interesting rocks and seashells.
We started at Ogden Point at 9am. as you can see by the 9 O'Clock Pigeon.
It was brisk, frosty and windy. Along the breakwater we spotted a small group of sanderlings. (Lifer) A little further out, were a couple of Alcids. After checking the guide, decided they must be Marbled Murrelets. I saw a brown summer plumage marbled in August, the last time we were in Victoria.
We continued out to the end of the breakwater and met and elderly gentlemen who was tossing some carnations out onto the water for his wife. He had scattered her ashes her to the sea. Oh course Marion and I got all weepy.
We had been to Ogden and Clover Point in August so we then popped over to Clover Point. A photographer was right down in the water by low rocks photographing Black Turnstones. Skittering along the rocks were also Surfbirds (lifer) and a couple of Oyster catchers.
Lots of gulls, all Glaucious-winged with only 1 Herring hanging around. Lots of people walked there dogs so we decided to move on to Cattle Point.
We had stopped for the first time at Cattle Point briefly on the way into town on the 23rd. and had seen a single Black-bellied Plover (lifer).
Returning on the 24th. We spotted a batch of them with some Dunlin and a single Turnstone. There were also small groups of beautiful Harlequins.
Was surprised to see groups of Hooded Mergansers. I'm so used to them being out my window on the slough at home, they seemed odd out on the ocean. There were a few mallards, C. Mergansers and a couple of Am. Widgeon. Lots of Gulls, but all look Glaucious-winged.
It was a beautiful day of fresh salt air and ocean views. Marion packed home about 20 pounds of interesting rocks and seashells.
