Month: January 2011

Burnaby Lake

The welcoming committee of Burnaby Lake Park consisted of Canada Geese.

Canada Geese

A formal delegation of Canada Geese

I enjoyed the bike ride there, it was 11°C with patches of blue skies, and birds! Happiness.

The bird of the day was a Townsend’s Warbler, a fairly rare bird here in winter, perched high on a leafless tree in the private yard in front of the nature house (viewed from outside the yard). It was sallying for flies.

Wood Ducks

A couple of Wood Ducks

Pat’s bird feeder

Dear Pat,

I passed by your yard today and I noticed that you keep your grains and suet hanging outside.

Not a very well thought out idea, I would say. It was quiet as a graveyard when I came, but I had a suspicion so I waited. Just as I thought – 8 minutes passed and a band of little bushtits appeared and clung all over your suet like it’s theirs. There were maybe 20 of them, it was scary to watch.

Once they came, all other critters showed up from nowhere, I tell you, and they were after your food. Chickadees (Black-capped and Chestnut-backed), Song Sparrows, Juncos – even a bloody Downy Woodpecker, female, thought she had business there. There were some more fowls flying around, two young Eagles and a Hawk, this city has too many birds, too bad city council doesn’t do something about it, like trimming more of those trees and bushes, drying out the ponds.

There was also a small one with a metal-green shiny back, what was it, an Anna’s Hummingbird? This critter wouldn’t even be here this time of year if people like you wouldn’t leave their sugar water outside!

Just thought you should be aware,

Respectfully,

Sigal

Just birds

Today’s highlights: there’s an Eurasian Wigeon at Hastings Park, a single Snow Goose still hangs out with the Canada Geese at the Racecourse track, and 11 Oystercatchers on the rocks at Second beach, Stanley Park.

Yesterday I became the BC Bird Alert regional coordinator for the Vancouver and Lower Mainland area. The birds below will never make the cut, but they were the only ones who consented to have their picture taken.

Mute Swan

Mute Swan at Lost Lagoon, Stanley Park

Lesser Scaup

Lesser Scaup

Westham Island

40% chance of showers was the best I could get, so I headed out to Ladner again. This time I made a detour in an attempt to have a look at a single Northern Mockingbird who was visiting the area. Nothing! Coyotes were roaming the distant fields. Like every frustrated bird watcher, I made a call to the bird complaint department. “I told you I’m coming. Way to treat a client.” The public relations representative twittered. She asked for my location and my destination, and said she’ll try to arrange something.

Within a short while I noticed a Peregrine Falcon perched on a tree, and nearby 5 Eurasian Collared-Doves. I was still on River Road. I was pleased. I entered Westham Island, and a male Northern Harrier performed an air show together with a Rough-legged Hawk. The bird department was making an effort to keep their clients happy.

In a yard at the intersection of Westham Island Road and Kirkland Road there were 6 male Ring-necked Pheasants. Reportedly these were introduced from Alberta by a different kind of bird watchers who enjoy, ahmm…, shooting their birds.

In Reifel nothing new. At 2pm the promised showers had arrived and by 4pm the showers were turning into rain, and I was heading back on my bike, binoculars packed, no more birding today, and getting soaking wet. Guess no Hawk Owl today. The Hawk Owl has appeared in all the local newspapers and gained the status of a celebrity by now.

At 2 minutes past 4pm I passed the first bend on Westham Island Road. Through my raindrop covered glasses, perched on a 2 meter high signpost right in front of me, there he was! I wasn’t used to see the Northern Hawk Owl without all the crews and cameras. The few cars passing by didn’t stop, and for 10 minutes it was only me and him! He flew from the signpost to an adjacent powerline, dived down and caught a rodent in front of me. Then he flew to some tree and bid me a safe ride. What a dude!

Hollyburn Mountain

Gray Jay

Gray Jay (Photographer: Amy Hou)

A flock of at least seven Gray Jays waited for us on the summit, and demanded nuts. A couple of Ravens were keeping a watchful eyes on the snowshoers along the path.

Scrub-Jay @ Strathcona Park

Friday afternoon, the rain, which lasted several days, finally subsided, so I headed to Strathcona Park in a second attempt to meet the Western Scrub-Jay.

A bird of brushy areas, oak woods and bird feeders, common in western Washington and south but an uncommon visitor in BC, was reported a few times in my home range within the last month; two birds were seen in Strathcona Park community garden, on the west side of the park. But will it still be in this 0.8 hectare garden today’s afternoon?

It was. “Wow, you have a nice long tail. I was here for only 7 minutes, and here you are. You must really like this garden”. “7 minutes?!” The Scrub-Jay was concerned that I’m going to take him for granted, so he flew to another tree and then out of sight. Another human approached.

Before I got to say “You have a rare bird here!”, the human said: “Were you looking at the Scrub-Jay?” He was one of us. So we talked about birds for an hour, and he gave me a sweet bun.

Surrey – White Rock Christmas Bird Count

I still have a lot to learn. Some bird watchers can recognize birds by their shadows… Cumulatively about 70 bird species were counted in our sub-area and I gained two lifers – a group of 7 Mourning Doves, an American Kestrel – and maybe a birding pal!

Other notable species: a Pileated Woodpecker in flight, another evasive Wilson’s Snipe, a Hermit Thrush who decided wintering here is ok, Red-tailed Hawks in every corner and two triads of River Otters.

What a grand day. Doug, thank you for the ride.

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