Delta Naturalists Society

Five birders met at the Tsawwassen Ferry Causeway on a cold, sunny morning that was forecast to be rainy – Herb, Roger, Mike, Lorna and Terry. The tide was high and the water was rough. On the north spit were Double-crested Cormorants, Gulls, Brant Geese and Black Oystercatchers. In the water were Mallards, American Wigeon, Bufflhead, Gadwall and Scaup. In the water on the other side of the causeway were Surf and White-winged Scoters, Common Goldeneye, Common Loons and Horned Grebes. We did not see the Snow Buntings that were reported the previous day, but Roger saw a flock of Black Turnstones.

Our next stop was the TFN pond which you can only approach from the north. Red-winged Blackbirds were very active here and we had close flyovers by 2 Northern Harriers. In the distance a large flock of Dunlin was flying back and forth.

At Reifel four more people joined us – Dottie, Bob, Ken and Anne A. – making a group of nine. We were told that there were 2 Great Horned Owls in a cedar tree on the driveway. Sure enough, they were sitting on the same branch, but it was very hard to see them through the branches.

Hummingbirds were buzzing around the feeders near the entrance. Red-winged Blackbirds were also at feeders and were willing to land on hands for seed. We had unusually clear views of 2 Black-crowned Night-Herons in their usual spot. Roger took a video of one preening. Black-Crowned Night-Herons visit the Sanctuary from late August to late April. The small group here is often the only flock of this species found in mid-winter across Canada. They sleep during the day and hunt for small aquatic prey at night.

At the edge of the slough was the usual seige of about a dozen Great Blue Herons. After Lorna organized the group photo, we started our usual route along the east dyke trail. Along the way were Black-capped Chickadees, Golden-crowned & White-crowned Sparrows, Song Sparrows, Fox Sparrows, American Robins, Northern Flickers, Spottted Towhees, Juncos, and Golden-crowned Kinglets. In the eastern farm fields were Canada Geese. Barn Swallows were zipping above the fields.

Unusually, we saw only one pair of Wood Ducks. But there were Mallards, American Wigeon, Northern Shovelers, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Gadwall, Scaup, Hooded Mergansers, Bufflehead, Ring-necked Ducks, American Coots and a Pied-billed Grebe. There were Trumpeter Swans in the ocean marshes. Back near the entrance, House Sparrows were having dust baths and the Red-winged Blackbirds were again looking for handouts.

We got warmed up in the warming hut before heading for home after a lovely outing on a gorgeous morning.
Terry Carr

Photos on Flickr.