Delta Naturalists Society

Jim and Chris left Delta in the pouring rain. Determined to not be wimps, we sped down Hwy 99 convinced that no one would show. Were we ever wrong! 12 people had signed up, one for sure didn’t show, and somehow we ended up with 12 at the Pier. There were quite a few newer faces, and so we did a brief introduction, and there was an explanation that the DNCB was casual with approx. 20% being expert birders, 75% varying degrees of expertise often needing confirmation, and 5% who we had no idea why they were there. Our Tuesday outing was short on the 20%, but we managed to ID most birds after some discussion. At Elgin Park Colin joined us, so we had more confidence in our sightings.

At the Pier the group was Glen, Jim, Chris, Pat, Lidia, Lindley, Jacquie, Lee, newcomers Dottie and Robert, with Lori and Hasan joining us later.

The Pier was drizzly and foggy at first, but we were so pleased to be out talking to people that the weather did not seem to bother us. There were a large number of White-winged and Surf Scoters (no Black Scoters seen) as we walked onto the pier, with Mallards and Canada Geese on the shore. As we walked down the pier, more species started to show themselves: Bufflehead, Barrow’s and Common Goldeneye, Common and Red-breasted Merganser, Red-necked and Horned Grebe, Pelagic Cormorant, Common Loon, Glaucous-winged Gull, Greater Scaup, and probably a Lesser Scaup. 

The best sighting was a Long-tailed Duck on the other side of the breakwater.

The usual Rock Pigeons were waiting to be fed at the end of the Pier. The Black Turnstones were nowhere to be found.

Glen managed to herd the group into a group photo. Chris got a call from his doctor so the group organized themselves (again) and disappeared to the Stewart Farmhouse at Elgin Park. At Elgin Park Colin joined us. Our numbers were now 13.

Elgin Park started off quiet with a few early species being spotted. House Sparrow, Northern Flicker, Anna’s Hummingbird, American Crow and Bald Eagle. In the water by the wharf Greater Scaup and Common Goldeneye were spotted. As we walked east on the path, we spotted a Sharp-shinned Hawk which was hard to ID at first as it was wet and in poor light. In the undergrowth we heard a Pacific Wren. Chris wandered off the path, to be recovered by Lindley, who told him the group was going the other way back to the park. They spotted a Kinglet (probably Ruby-crowned) as we tried to catch the mob.

The walk in the main park was quiet at first but heated up as we hit the shoreline with many small birds spotted: Black-capped Chickadee, Red-winged Blackbird, House Finch, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Song Sparrow, American Robin, Nuthatch and Spotted Towhee were all in evidence. In the slough there were a number of Mallard, American Wigeon, Great Blue Heron and Greater Yellowlegs. A little further on in the river we spotted Common Loon, Common Merganser, Horned Grebe, Greater Scaup, and Common Goldeneye.

The walk back to the cars proved uneventful, apart from Snow Geese being heard by some of the group. Most of us were in a major gabfest. We did manage to solve a few of the world’s issues. At 12:15 we sadly departed for our respective homes.

It was a very pleasant outing. Felt good to get out again after a Christmas break for many of us.
Chris McVittie

photos on Flickr

Chris’s eBird lists
White Rock Pier
Elgin Heritage Park