Delta Naturalists Society

Thirteen DNCBers walked Boundary Bay Dyke from 64^th St to 72^nd St – Jacquie, Lee, Anne, Glen, Dottie, Bob, Margaret, Lindly, Bryan, John, Colin, Stephanie and Terry. Although the forecast was for rain, we were pleasantly surprised to wake up to sunshine in Tsawwassen. But there was a bitterly cold wind which kept many of the birds hidden away.

When we were gathering, we watched a Northern Harrier cruising back and forth and a coyote walking along the marsh. The shore is quite far from the dyke here but we could see large flocks of ducks and shorebirds moving and landing along the edge of the water, along with two Caspian Terns.

Along the way, we heard and saw several Savannah Sparrows, Robins, Song Sparrows, Barn Swallows, Crows, Herons, Chickadees, Starlings, Gulls, Eagles, Red-winged Blackbirds, Yellow-rumped Warblers and House Finches. A Cooper’s Hawk appeared briefly, and two Yellowlegs flew out toward the shore.

In the ponds were Northern Shovelers, Green-winged Teal, American and one Eurasian Wigeon, Gadwall, Mallards, Coots and a female Hooded Merganser. On the fields were flocks of Black-bellied Plovers and Dunlin. Through the scope we could see that both had the prominent black bellies of their breeding plumage.

Near 72^nd we heard and briefly saw a Common Yellowthroat. And there was a Crow that had something white on one wing. Even in the photos we could not determine whether it was a wingtag, white feathers or something else.

A few of us decided to drive to Beach Grove Park in Tsawwassen to look for the Great Horned Owls that nest there each year. Although for several weeks there have been two adults, two owlets and about a dozen photographers, we could not see them today. After the rest of us left, Anne did see part of the back of an adult at the nest hole. It is a lovely park, and we did see Anna’s Hummingbird, Downy Woodpecker, Song Sparrows, Towhees, Starlings, Chickadees, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Ruby-crowned Kinglet and a Bushtit nest.
Terry Carr

Photos on Flickr

Anne’s Ebird Checklists

Boundary Bay – 64th-72nd Sts., Delta
Apr 19, 2022
4.67 km
163 Minutes
Comments: Cold wind from south force 4. Coyote in marsh.

2 Canada Goose
50 Northern Shoveler
6 Gadwall
1 Eurasian Wigeon
30 American Wigeon
5 Mallard
18 Green-winged Teal
1 Hooded Merganser
18 American Coot
100 Black-bellied Plover — Flock on field – more out on mudflats
200 Dunlin — Flock on field, more out on tidal flats
50 Western Sandpiper — Flock distant on mud flats
2 Greater Yellowlegs
4 Glaucous-winged Gull
2 Caspian Tern
10 Great Blue Heron
3 Northern Harrier
1 Cooper’s Hawk
12 Bald Eagle
8 American Crow
1 Black-capped Chickadee
3 Barn Swallow
12 European Starling
2 House Finch
16 Savannah Sparrow
1 Song Sparrow
5 Red-winged Blackbird
7 Yellow-rumped Warbler

Number of Taxa: 28

Beach Grove Park

Apr 19, 2022
11:20 AM
Traveling
0.56 km
35 Minutes
3 Anna’s Hummingbird
1 Bald Eagle
1 Downy Woodpecker (Pacific)
2 American Crow
2 Black-capped Chickadee
1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet
10 European Starling
5 American Robin
2 Song Sparrow
3 Spotted Towhee

Number of Taxa: 10