Ambleside Park is just a pond (and I like ponds – you can almost swim with the ducks), but among the predominant Mallards and American Wigeons there were two Eurasian Wigeons, a male and a female. I noticed anybody who gets to see an Eurasian Wigeon tells about it with a rusty glare in his eyes.

Also in the pond I noticed 7 Buffleheads, 3 Hooded Mergansers, 3 Lesser Scaups and a domesticated black Swedish Duck who I met there a month and a bit ago. A bench near the pond invited an adult White-crowned Sparrow and two young Golden-crowned Sparrows, and next to another bench a Pacific Wren called and granted me a look.

My bonus bird was a Red-breasted Sapsucker in the small tree stand east of the pond.

After Ambleside I decided to explore the trail west of the Capilano River, which, according to Translink’s Metro Vancouver Cycling Map, started just north of Hwy #1. The map seem to think you can cross the river eastward at the north end of the trail. This point on the map is actually Capilano suspension bridge – but I didn’t realize it at the time. Of course, no access there. Somehow I ended up at Rabbit road. Take this map with a grain of salt.

Cycling trail west of Capilano river crosses it - really?

The trail is a place to visit again when there are more daylight hours – surrounded by tall conifers, with some side trails going down the Capilano river. It reminded me the days when I was hiking aimlessly instead of chasing birds.

Suddenly I run into an ambush of Kinglets – I noticed Rudy-crowned, Golden-crowned – if there were only two of them I could have handled it, but they were hiding behind the bushes and I couldn’t estimate their numbers. The situation was intense, and you know how these things usually end up. Luckily a Hermit Thrush passed by. I recognized him, and the Kinglets backed down.