Tag: Northern Harrier

72nd Ave – Boundary Bay

Northern Harrier female

Northern Harrier on her toe-tips

Yellow-headed Blackbird male

Yellow-headed Blackbird (male)

Two male Yellow-headed Blackbirds were in a flock of 15 Brown-headed Cowbirds and 2 Red-winged Blackbirds females. They landed on a bush along the golf course, at the base of 72nd St. Is there an appropriate habitat inside the golf course, or were they just passing by?

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!

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