Post by Gord on Nov 14, 2006 20:43:24 GMT -8
Jamie and I made a quick detour through east Chilliwack to check on my Christmas count area and see what gulls were around.
Down Bailey Rd just before Elk View, a juvenile northern shrike was in a shrub scanning for food.
On Banford Rd at the south end, an adult merlin was eating something on top of a telephone pole. Just further along right before McGuire, a female Am. Kestrel was on the wires. I looked for a peregrine or even an early gyrfalcon to have three falcons in a .5 km stretch but no luck. The big field on the corner of Banford and Prairie Central had a male Northern harrier.
So far, no gulls.
Halfway down Prairie Central, a large flock of Brewer's blackbirds, red-winged blackbirds and starlings stopped us for a look. A lone female brown-headed cowbird was the only of note bird in the noisy bunch.
Further along, a few small flocks of gulls, but nothing of note in them. Hmmm. Still eating salmon I guess. Does seem to pick up and be more consistant later in the year when the salmon are done. Perhaps the last big push of gulls was during the high water where the carcasses would have been washed away, but the recent dropping of the river would have exposed lots of dead or trapped fish. Theories theories!
We headed back into town via Chilliwack Central. Not much of note aside from a sharp-shinned hawk on the wires just west of Prest Rd. Also three red-tailed hawks in the area. In our drive, we saw seven red-tails!
Not a bad little birding trip in 30 minutes and sitting in the car.
Down Bailey Rd just before Elk View, a juvenile northern shrike was in a shrub scanning for food.
On Banford Rd at the south end, an adult merlin was eating something on top of a telephone pole. Just further along right before McGuire, a female Am. Kestrel was on the wires. I looked for a peregrine or even an early gyrfalcon to have three falcons in a .5 km stretch but no luck. The big field on the corner of Banford and Prairie Central had a male Northern harrier.
So far, no gulls.
Halfway down Prairie Central, a large flock of Brewer's blackbirds, red-winged blackbirds and starlings stopped us for a look. A lone female brown-headed cowbird was the only of note bird in the noisy bunch.
Further along, a few small flocks of gulls, but nothing of note in them. Hmmm. Still eating salmon I guess. Does seem to pick up and be more consistant later in the year when the salmon are done. Perhaps the last big push of gulls was during the high water where the carcasses would have been washed away, but the recent dropping of the river would have exposed lots of dead or trapped fish. Theories theories!
We headed back into town via Chilliwack Central. Not much of note aside from a sharp-shinned hawk on the wires just west of Prest Rd. Also three red-tailed hawks in the area. In our drive, we saw seven red-tails!
Not a bad little birding trip in 30 minutes and sitting in the car.