After two days taking cover indoors and checking the weather forecast every half an hour, I figured clouds and drizzles is the best I’m going to get, so I ventured outside in 9oc for a test run, and birded Maplewood flats.
I arrived at high tide. There were three good spots:
1) The east-most viewpoint of Maplewood Flats looking over the mudflats and the Burrard Inlet (you can’t get there from the trails going from the Nature House, you have to continue east along Dollarton Hwy. That was the first point I visited with my bicycle, then I headed back and parked near the nature house).
At this viewpoint I had 5 Common Mergansers, 2 Hooded Mergansers, a Greater Yellowleg, 20+ Mew Gulls and some other Gull who didn’t identify themselves.
2) The Nature House window, where I was warming up. I had 12 species just looking out the closed window, including a Belted Kingfisher and a Varied Thrush.
3) The inner pond. I was delighted to see a variety of ducks there, the few dabbling ducks I saw on the mudflats were too far for me to identify. Three male bachelor Ring-necked Ducks were among them (I point that out for the benefit of all bachelorettes Ring-necked Ducks who may be reading this blog).
Other pleasing sights were a couple of Pine Siskins visiting the bird feeders and a flock of about 200 Canada Geese flying south in two arrowheads.
I was wearing 6 layers that would keep me roasting on any sunny day… but thankfully there was a kind volunteer at the Nature House who provided me with hot tea and cookies when I stepped inside shivering. Looks like I should adjust my attire in future birding trips. I’m just not sure how at the moment.
The Conservation Area at Maplewood Flats is preserved thanks to the Wild Bird Trust of British Columbia. Free birding trips happen every second Saturday of the month. Here are the list of reported birds and a site guide for Maplewood Flats.
