Delta Naturalists Society

Five birders met at Second Beach at 9am just as the rain stopped – Lorna, Margaret, Lidia, Susan and Terry. In the swimming pool were Bufflehead, Mallards and American Wigeon. In English Bay were Common and Barrow’s Goldeneye, Bufflehead, Horned Grebes and Pelagic Cormorants.

Barrow’s Goldeneye & Surf Scoters by Terry Carr

We walked along the seawall toward Third Beach where we could see hundreds of Barrow’s Goldeneye and Surf Scoters close to the shore. Something under the water seemed to be disturbing them, and groups would separate and re-form and separate again. It was an amazing sight! It was especially entertaining to watch the Scoters come in for a landing.

Surf Scoters by Terry Carr

Barrow’s Goldeneye by Terry Carr

As we headed toward Lost Lagoon, we were mobbed by a bunch of noisy American Crows. They may have been reacting to Ravens that were vocalizing. There was a nice clump of mushrooms near the wooden bridge. Beside the bridge was a recently constructed beaver dam. In the stream were Wood Ducks, Mallards, American Wigeon and two Pied-billed Grebes.

Pied-billed Grebe by Terry Carr

Bryan DeB joined us at Lost Lagoon. The lagoon had a nice collection ducks – Wood Ducks, Mallards, Bufflehead, Hooded Mergansers, Scaup, a continuing female Redhead, and American Coots. Along the shore were Robins, Spotted Towhees, Black-capped Chickadees, Song Sparrows, Dark-eyed Juncos, Bushtits and Anna’s Hummingbirds. Although there was recent beaver activity, we did not see beavers or the river otters that we often see here.

Female Redhead by Terry Carr

Four of us then drove from Second Beach to Beaver Lake where we made a circuit of the lake. Here we saw more Wood Ducks, and added Steller’s Jays and Chestnut-backed Chickadees to our list.

We saw some neat birds, and had a very enjoyable walk on what turned into a warm sunny morning.
Terry Carr

Photos on flickr

ebird checklists
Second Beach to Lost Lagoon

Beaver Lake