Delta Naturalists Society

Eight of us met at Ladner Harbour Park at 8am: Brian and Louise, Marion, Lindly, Lorna, Glen, Colin and Stephanie. It’s that time of year when you can hear things in the trees – and if you’re good you can recognize them – but the leaves make viewing a real challenge. I don’t think anyone actually saw any of the 3 flycatchers that we heard (and Merlin confirmed) near the parking lot. 

We headed out for Shirley’s Walk. It seemed like there wasn’t much to see. But when we were patient – standing on each of the bridges – we had a lot more luck. Some highlights were Anna’s Hummingbird, Cedar Waxwing, Marsh Wren, Finches, Swallows and a Downy Woodpecker. We were frustrated by a Yellow Warbler which we recognized by the call but which never stuck its head out from behind a leaf. As we got to the end of Shirley’s Walk, we realized we had taken rather a long time just getting that far, so instead of retracing our steps we did the rest of the park in reverse: walking down the road to the point, then back to the cars through the woods.

Along the road was fairly quiet and we wished we could see better in to the lagoon area. There was nothing in the slough until we got to the main dock where we finally saw Mallard and Canada Geese. A great racket of crows chased a hawk (Cooper’s is a good guess) through the trees. A House Sparrow had built a nest inside a pulley housing on the dock and the adult standing guard was being annoyed by a juvenile Starling. Finally we started seeing more Swallows – Tree and Barn for sure, maybe others. Colin made a brief foray into the brush looking for the Snipe out on the point.

The walk back through the woods was quiet, with most of us scanning the branches above to try to find Jonathan’s Barred Owl, but no luck there. Suddenly, Marion said “Creeper”! The sound was distinctive, and many of us heard it before Merlin deigned to agree. Some were briefly confused by the other high-pitched sound all around us – Bushtits. I said it was quiet, but really we were constantly being serenaded by Robins who were in fine voice this morning.

We paused at the covered picnic benches to make plans. It was only 11am, so we decided that we had time for Ferry Road, just past Windjammer Road, where the trail runs along the slough till you get to the bridge over to The Links at Hampton Court. It was nice and cool on this shaded path. Mallard and Wood Duck chicks were paddling around under the watchful eyes of their Moms. Not too much in the trees above – a quick look at a Downy Woodpecker before it disappeared, and brilliant House Finch in full voice sitting out in the open. The most interesting thing was an odd set of bones on a log at the shore – fish or mammal or rodent? – a very odd shaped skull.

Brian’s combined eBird list from (1) Shirley’s Walk, (2) Ladner Harbour Park, and (3) Ferry Road contains 43 species. So maybe not all that quiet a morning after all.

Glen Bodie

Photos on Flickr

16 Canada Goose — (1),(2)
11 Wood Duck — (3)
1 Gadwall — (3)
22 Mallard — (1),(2),(3)
1 Ring-necked Pheasant — (1)
1 Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) — (1)
3 Eurasian Collared-Dove — (1)
3 Anna’s Hummingbird — (1)
4 Glaucous-winged Gull — (2)
1 Sharp-shinned/Cooper’s Hawk — (1)
10 Bald Eagle — (1),(2),(3)
2 Downy Woodpecker — (1)
5 Northern Flicker — (1),(2),(3)
1 Western Wood-Pewee — (1)
1 Willow Flycatcher — (1)
1 Hammond’s Flycatcher — (2)
2 Pacific-slope Flycatcher — (1)
4 Warbling Vireo — (1),(2)
1 Steller’s Jay — (2)
17 American Crow — (1),(2),(3)
4 Black-capped Chickadee — (1),(3)
18 Tree Swallow — (1),(2),(3)
13 Barn Swallow — (2),(3)
18 Barn Swallow (American) — (1)
2 Bushtit — (1)
1 Brown Creeper — (2)
2 Bewick’s Wren — (2)
32 European Starling — (1),(2),(3)
3 Swainson’s Thrush — (1),(2)
11 American Robin — (1),(2),(3)
16 Cedar Waxwing — (1)
4 House Sparrow — (2),(3)
20 House Finch — (1),(2),(3)
9 American Goldfinch — (1),(3)
1 White-crowned Sparrow — (2)
29 Song Sparrow — (1),(2),(3)
11 Spotted Towhee — (2),(3)
19 Red-winged Blackbird — (1),(2),(3)
12 Brown-headed Cowbird — (1),(2)
1 Common Yellowthroat — (1)
7 Yellow Warbler — (1),(2)
1 Wilson’s Warbler — (1)
1 Black-headed Grosbeak — (1)