Post by Gord on Sept 8, 2013 22:57:19 GMT -8
On Saturday I was there in the morning after a decent storm overnight. Lots of birds were to be seen in the trees and ground around the boat launches parking lot. Orange-crowned and Yellow Warbler were the most common warbler seen but a couple Warbling Vireos were also in the small patch of trees.
Vesper Sparrows were very apparent flying back and forth and feeding on the ground. I counted eight but I think I was being conservative. Looking out on the trail around the lagoon I could see some sparrows flying about there too. They very well could have been Vespers too although there were a good many Savannah Sparrows around.
Savannah Sparrow
A small flock of Horned Larks flew in.
I then spotted a Clay-coloured Sparrow in mostly nonbreeding colours. Unfortunately I did not get a photo. A new bird for me in the Fraser Valley and a very sharp looking bird.
Another neat bird was what I'm comfortable to call a Dusky Flycatcher in the same small grove of trees. Ill post more pictures as well as my rationale for the ID in the identification section.
Other birds noted was a flyby Merlin, more sparrow diversity via Song, White-crowned and Lincoln's Sparrows, Common Yellowthroat, and some Red-necked Grebes out from the boat launch dock. A couple Herring Gulls flew past as well.
Over lunch stopped to see Jack up in Hope. On my way there I saw another three Vesper Sparrows and a female American Kestrel. At Jack's were a further two more Vesper Sparrows. Obviously last night's storm coincided with a big movement of them. His place was very busy with American Goldfinches as well. Jack reported a Yellow-headed Blackbird at his feeders recently.
Today at Harrison it was a little quieter but then the boat launch and parking lot was quite a bit more busy. I did notice about five Vesper Sparrows and some more Horned Larks flying about. A small sparrow caught my eye and upon closer inspection, figured it to be a Brewer's Sparrow. I will post some more photos in the Identification section to open it up to any comments others may have on it. If the identification stands, it will be another new species in the Fraser Valley for me.
There were also three Chipping Sparrows in the trees. One had an odd dark patch on it's face.
Eagle Point Community Park was not overly busy but two Rufous Hummingbirds, one, a young male, was quite entertaining as it was mixing it up with a Black-throated Grey Warbler. The warbler was most unimpressed. The little hummer buzzed back and forth at the warbler and even did its dive display at it. Interestingly as a side note, I observed at Cheam Lake in late August a similar act but this time against a Song Sparrow and then again the last two days with another in our backyard that does battle with the Anna's Hummingbirds. Speaking of Anna's, there was a young male at Eagle Point. I dont know if Kathy or Brent have seen one there yet. Another possible new bird for the area was a fly by Red-necked Phalarope.
Lots of birds around! Sure makes the day (and a bit of a lack of sleep) a bit better.
Vesper Sparrows were very apparent flying back and forth and feeding on the ground. I counted eight but I think I was being conservative. Looking out on the trail around the lagoon I could see some sparrows flying about there too. They very well could have been Vespers too although there were a good many Savannah Sparrows around.
Savannah Sparrow
A small flock of Horned Larks flew in.
I then spotted a Clay-coloured Sparrow in mostly nonbreeding colours. Unfortunately I did not get a photo. A new bird for me in the Fraser Valley and a very sharp looking bird.
Another neat bird was what I'm comfortable to call a Dusky Flycatcher in the same small grove of trees. Ill post more pictures as well as my rationale for the ID in the identification section.
Other birds noted was a flyby Merlin, more sparrow diversity via Song, White-crowned and Lincoln's Sparrows, Common Yellowthroat, and some Red-necked Grebes out from the boat launch dock. A couple Herring Gulls flew past as well.
Over lunch stopped to see Jack up in Hope. On my way there I saw another three Vesper Sparrows and a female American Kestrel. At Jack's were a further two more Vesper Sparrows. Obviously last night's storm coincided with a big movement of them. His place was very busy with American Goldfinches as well. Jack reported a Yellow-headed Blackbird at his feeders recently.
Today at Harrison it was a little quieter but then the boat launch and parking lot was quite a bit more busy. I did notice about five Vesper Sparrows and some more Horned Larks flying about. A small sparrow caught my eye and upon closer inspection, figured it to be a Brewer's Sparrow. I will post some more photos in the Identification section to open it up to any comments others may have on it. If the identification stands, it will be another new species in the Fraser Valley for me.
There were also three Chipping Sparrows in the trees. One had an odd dark patch on it's face.
Eagle Point Community Park was not overly busy but two Rufous Hummingbirds, one, a young male, was quite entertaining as it was mixing it up with a Black-throated Grey Warbler. The warbler was most unimpressed. The little hummer buzzed back and forth at the warbler and even did its dive display at it. Interestingly as a side note, I observed at Cheam Lake in late August a similar act but this time against a Song Sparrow and then again the last two days with another in our backyard that does battle with the Anna's Hummingbirds. Speaking of Anna's, there was a young male at Eagle Point. I dont know if Kathy or Brent have seen one there yet. Another possible new bird for the area was a fly by Red-necked Phalarope.
Lots of birds around! Sure makes the day (and a bit of a lack of sleep) a bit better.
