Six birders met at the viewpoint on the road up to Cypress Provincial Park – Lidia, Lee, Glen, Lorna, Margaret and Terry.
There was very light traffic on this July morning and we quickly reached our destination. The view to the city below was a bit hazy. There were birds singing here but not all of them appeared. First we saw White-crowned Sparrows and a Raven. Then a lovely Western Tanager posed on a treetop. Two pairs of Warbling Vireos darted back and forth and occasionally made very brief stops. We saw Robins, Chickadees and few bees. Merlin teased us with Black-throated Gray and MacGillivray’s Warblers – but they did not appear.
Our next stop was the cross country ski area where we walked to Hollyburn Lodge and First Lake. Along this shady trail, Bunchberry, Queen’s Cup, Foam Flower and others were blooming. There were Looper Moths and a Lorquin’s Admiral butterfly posed nicely. Swallowtail butterflies would not land for photos. Dark-eyed Juncos were the most common bird at First Lake. Glen got a brief look at a Canada Jay. I saw a non-descript small bird. Photos showed it to be a juvenile Townsend’s Warbler. Adult Townsend Warblers were seen here and back near the parking lot.
We then drove to the end of the road for the Yew Lake trail. By the Olympic Rings we heard and finally saw a Lazuli Bunting. Although this loop trail is in the open, the high elevation kept the temperature comfortable. We tried to identify the blooming plants. Bird highlights along the trail were Olive-sided Flycatcher, Hermit Thrush, Pine Siskins, and Red-breasted Sapsuckers. We were surprised when a pair of Sapsuckers landed very close to us – almost too close for photos. Back by the Olympic Rings the Lazuli Bunting was still singing from a treetop and another Sapsucker put on a display.
Terry Carr
Photos are on flickr.
Delta Naturalists Society 
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