Post by Gord on Aug 15, 2007 10:58:28 GMT -8
For some reason, I found myself birding Cheam Lake quite a bit recently... 
Over the three days I was interested to note the variety. There were always the daily species but each time I was there there were two or three that Id see once briefly and not again. For example, a large noisy flock of bushtits went by on the 10th. They were not detected 30 minutes earlier nor the day before or after. I guess it's no surprise that being in the right place at the right time is key for birding, especially for rare species. Makes one wonder what bird is hanging out right now for a few minutes at your favourite park or even worse, what you just passed a few minutes ago on the trail. If that tanager (the reason for all my attention to Cheam...) had not vocalized, it would have passed within 50 feet of me unnoticed. 
Can make someone crazy if you think about it too much!
Anyway, it's been pretty busy for birds out there lately. Dave's sightings makes it look like migration is coming along.
Here are some random pictures from those days to share.
Solitary Sandpiper (another lucky sighting as it flew to the log for a few minutes then disappeared)
Red-eyed Vireo. After seeing the picture's Al got of one at the Heron Reserve, I finally got one as well. This guy looked wet like he just had a bath. Probably why he/she was sitting still and not up high in a tree.
MacGillvray's warbler
Brown-headed Cowbird juv. This guy was not very scared of people.
Bewick's wren
Black swift. A flock of about 20 were at the park near dark.
Over the three days I was interested to note the variety. There were always the daily species but each time I was there there were two or three that Id see once briefly and not again. For example, a large noisy flock of bushtits went by on the 10th. They were not detected 30 minutes earlier nor the day before or after. I guess it's no surprise that being in the right place at the right time is key for birding, especially for rare species. Makes one wonder what bird is hanging out right now for a few minutes at your favourite park or even worse, what you just passed a few minutes ago on the trail. If that tanager (the reason for all my attention to Cheam...) had not vocalized, it would have passed within 50 feet of me unnoticed. 
Can make someone crazy if you think about it too much!
Anyway, it's been pretty busy for birds out there lately. Dave's sightings makes it look like migration is coming along.
Here are some random pictures from those days to share.
Solitary Sandpiper (another lucky sighting as it flew to the log for a few minutes then disappeared)
Red-eyed Vireo. After seeing the picture's Al got of one at the Heron Reserve, I finally got one as well. This guy looked wet like he just had a bath. Probably why he/she was sitting still and not up high in a tree.
MacGillvray's warbler
Brown-headed Cowbird juv. This guy was not very scared of people.
Bewick's wren
Black swift. A flock of about 20 were at the park near dark.