Delta Naturalists Society

Sixteen DNCBers enjoyed a long but fun Monday on our ferry outing to Victoria.  Check out the photo and video evidence on our DNCB Flickr site.

We took the 7:00 am ferry (Free) to Swartz Bay and the 5:00 pm back to Tsawwassen.  In between we had double-decker bus rides to and from Victoria (5 buck Day Pass), on top for neat views.  We met Vancouver Island residents “founding” DNCBers Rick & Marg and newbies Tom & Isabelle at the Parliament Buildings and they were instrumental in helping us find birds this day.  They also fit in nicely with the DNCB Chatfest.

Under Terry’s guidance, we walked through Beacon Hill Park. Hilites were: an Orange-crowned Warbler, a pair of Great-horned Owls, Cooper’s Hawk, several Bewick’s Wrens, several modeling male Peacocks, several Great Blues at their Heronry, and lots of gorgeous flowers (Camas Lilies, Rhodos, etc.).  Glen’s eBird List below shows we had 26 species at the park.

Roger walked to Clover Point and got a neat video of a River Otter.  Others walked to Ogden’s Point, saw nothing, and took the bus to the Sticky Wicket pub.  Tom, Isabelle, Gerhard and I got tired at Mile 0, around 1:00 pm, and walked to the pub, a bit early but so good.  The Beef Burger soup was delicious along with three pints of Budweiser (on Special).  We caught the 3:40 bus back to Swartz Bay; I tried to sleep but PB Lorna kept laughing at Roger.

We saw lots of Pigeon Guillemots and Cormorants on the ferries, but no Bonaparte Gulls (I saw hundreds last Sunday).  The whole day was nice and sunny, but the wind on the ferry deck was cool.  We took a couple of Group Photos, on the ferry and in front of the Parliament Buildings.  It’s a very long day, lots of yawning and napping on the home ferry, but it’s a super fun DNCB outing.

We sixteen were: Organizer Terry C, ‘Vagrant” Roger M, newbies Tom & Isabelle, Old Faithful’s Rick & Marg, Gerhard, PB Lorna, Mike B, welcome back Jonathan & Lorraine, Vancity Lidia, photog & eBirder Glen B, Richmond Donna, Margaretha (we lost her at Noon), and me.

Wednesday May 15, we leave Petra’s at 7:30 am for a new destination, Jackman Wetlands in Langley, I think.

Next Wednesday, May 22, our destination is Minnekhada Regional Park in Coquitlam.

For info on these outings, and other reports and photos see our website.  If you’re finally sick and tired of receiving these gossipy, uninteresting missives, let me know and I’ll take you off my email list.  Cheers: Tom

Tom Bearss, President, Delta Naturalists Society

Glen Bodie’s eBird Lists
3 Locations are included: Ferry trip (over and back), Clover Point (just Roger), and Beacon Hill Park (group)
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Ferry Trip List (5 species)
Pelagic Cormorant   X
Double-crested Cormorant   X
Pigeon Guillemot   X
Surf Scoter   X
Pacific Loon   X
———————————————-
Clover Point List (2 species)
Black Oystercatchers   6
Harlequin ducks   7
River Otter   1
———————————————-
Beacon Hill Park List (26 species)
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S56242530
Canada Goose  10
American Wigeon  1
Mallard  X
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  X
Anna’s Hummingbird  6
Glaucous-winged Gull  X
Great Blue Heron  7
Cooper’s Hawk  1
Bald Eagle  2
Great Horned Owl  2
Downy Woodpecker  1
Common Peafowl   15
Northwestern Crow  X
Tree Swallow  3
Violet-green Swallow  X
Chestnut-backed Chickadee  X
Bushtit  5
Bewick’s Wren  5
American Robin  2
European Starling  X
Dark-eyed Junco  5
White-crowned Sparrow  1
Savannah Sparrow  1
Song Sparrow  1
Spotted Towhee  5
Orange-crowned Warbler  1