Another cold, windy, rainy day at Point Roberts for our intrepid group.
Brian, Louise and Lindley were the only ones to stop at Kiniski’s Reef Tavern and saw Surf Scoters, Horned Grebe, Glaucous winged Gulls, Common Loon, Double Crested Cormorants, Mallards, Bald Eagles, Crows and Starlings.
They were soon joined at Lighthouse Marine Park by Jacquie, Bob and Dottie, and Lee. At the start of the trail close to shore, two male Harlequins were trying to get the attention of a female while two immature Bald Eagles and several cormorants were standing on the pilings. A pair of Red-necked Grebes braved the waves, and several squadrons of Pelagic Cormorants flew south. A flock of dark shorebirds was seen coming in towards shore, but the logs gave them perfect camouflage, so none were positively identified.
As we approached the lighthouse, we saw a large raft of Red-breasted Mergansers with their head feathers blown forward in the wind into points and several Horned Grebes with full golden crests. Brian and Louise went back to the parking lot to ditch the scope and returned with Colin and Stephanie looking tanned from Arizona. The wind was so strong, the rest of us trailed Brian toward the parking lot, and were treated to a pair of noisy Oystercatchers in action. One briefly hopped onto the other’s back, either an attempt at mating or it was trying to get a better view. After feeling seasick watching rafts of Surf Scoters and two White Winged Scoters just past the lighthouse, we were conquered by the wind and waves, and hurried back to the cars for the next leg.
Next stop was the Marina. We saw several Horned Grebes, a Common Loon, a Common Goldeneye and a female Common Merganser among the boat docks, and a pair of noisy Belted Kingfishers on a railing (for Lorna). A White-crowned Sparrow and Anna’s Hummingbird in the trees, more crows, Eagles and Starlings were spotted before leaving for the other side of the Marina. Only Mallards were seen in the ditch, and no Ruddy ducks (sorry Anne). The shore was non-existent, piled high with logs, and two gulls hovered in the air like kites on a string. More Horned Grebes and Harlequins and many rafts of Surf Scoters were seen. A raft or flock of small dark birds were seen just along the shore in the active surf, but no one was certain of what we were seeing. A pair of Killdeer and a Northern Harrier were also seen.
Finally out of the wind at Seabright Farms, we were treated to a pair of American Kestrels in the large trees not far from the path. The male appeared to be bringing food to the female, so we searched in vain for a nest. The bright flowering currant and the mahonia were filled with buzzing rufous hummingbirds, and several rocketed up and dive bombed each other and us. A flock of Brants was seen, along with clouds of starlings, and more crows and eagles. A Spotted Towhee was heard along the path, but no woodpeckers were seen in the hollow tree this year.
We were all relieved to see that the Canadian border didn’t appear to be affected by the strike.
Lee Wright
Delta Naturalists Society 
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