Tag: Ambleside Park

Eurasian Wigeons at Ambleside Park

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.

One day, three parks

Up and out by 8:15am, a bicycle ride to Ambleside Park, West Vancouver (3 hours birding); then to Harbourside Park (2 hours) and from there to Maplewood Flats (2 hours). Returned home by the Second Narrows bridge.

Amleside Park: ducks kingdom, and a female Brewer’s Blackbird on the grass near the parking lot. Read more about birding Amleside Park here.

Harbourside Park: 13 Black Turnstones, in the company of 23 Harbour Seals. On an abandoned field (that sounds wrong, allow me to rephrase: In an undisturbed habitat) east of Fell Avenue: 3 Western Meadowlarks!
Notable on the West side of the Park were 4 killdeers and a Horned Grebe.
For a more detailed description of Harbourside Park birding look here.

Maplewood Flats: a Bewick’s Wren! This cutie was on my wish list for a while!

Lifers total: 6! woo-hoo!

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