Thirteen DNCBers met at Iona Beach Regional Park in Richmond on a cool, foggy morning: Richard, Kirsten, Jacquie, Lee, Bob, Dottie, Glen, Chris, Jim, Peter, Joe, Lori Y, Terry. There were sieges of herons, but no ducks, in the pond by the parking lot. A single Red-winged Blackbird was giving his song on the edge of the pond.
The tide was quite high, and there were no birds along the beach. We had seen large numbers of Snow Geese on the beach on the other side of the jetty. And they were there when we drove out as well. During the morning, we heard and saw large flocks flying overhead.
The other outer pond was also duck-less. The other birds seemed to be asleep somewhere else on this foggy morning as well. But all four inner ponds were full of ducks. There were hundreds of Northern Pintail. Mixed in were Scaup, Ring-necked Ducks, Northern Shovelers, Mallards, Gadwall, Green-winged Teal, American Wigeon and Coots. Shorebirds were represented by four Dunlin and two Dowitchers. There was a Red-tailed Hawk in a tree across the road. Some saw a Peregrine fly by, and we all got a good look at a Northern Shrike sitting in a tree on the edge of a pond. A Bald Eagle was in the tree near its nest.
Back outside the fence and walking along the river, we were entertained by Anna’s Hummingbirds and Northern Harriers. On the far side of the river we could make out three Trumpeter Swans, Double-crested Cormorants, and loons. We tried to identify a bird busy eating berries. Photos showed a white eyebrow. So it was a female Purple Finch.
When we returned to the parking lot, a few Scaup and a Pied-billed Grebe were in the pond.
Terry Carr
Photos are on Flickr
Delta Naturalists Society 
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