Delta Naturalists Society

Eight Delta Nats met at Blaine Marine Park – Dottie, Bob, Lee, Pat, Lidia, Mike, Christine and Terry. After a foggy drive from Tsawwassen, we were surprised that the fog disappeared just before the border. The border wait was very short, and it was a gorgeous, clear – but cold – morning in Blaine.

The tide was very high, and the bay was full of Northern Pintail, American Wigeon, Mallards and Green-winged Teal. Close to the pier were Common Loons and Surf and White-winged Scoters. Farther out were Scaup, Bufflehead, Cormorants, Grebes and Red-throated Loons. A Belted Kingfisher kept us busy following its calls and flight paths. We walked out along one of the marina floats where we saw a Common Loon, herons and many empty Cormorant nests on the breakwater. Farther back at the public boat launch were more ducks. Close to shore were two Dunlin posing for photos. In the distance there were huge murmurations of ducks and Dunlin. We also added Greater Yellowlegs, Killdeer and a Pied-billed Grebe.

Next we drove to Semiahmoo Spit. At the first stop were Surf and White-winged Scoters, Common Goldeneye, Bufflehead, Harlequins, Red-breasted Mergansers and Loons. On the other side of the road were Killdeer, Northern Pintail and more Scoters. We walked toward a Cooper’s Hawk sitting on a snag. Before we got there, a Bald Eagle chased it off and sat in the same spot. But we got a good view of the hawk as it flew above us.

After parking at the end of the spit, we walked along the boardwalk at the resort and around to the marina. There were Common Loons, Cormorants, Red-breasted Mergansers, Red-necked Grebes and Bufflehead – but no Long-tailed Ducks. There were flocks of colourful House Finches, and as usual there was a group of Black Turnstones on pilings. Past the marina we had good views of Harlequins and Red-breasted Mergansers in the sunshine. There were many Cormorants on the float, and there was a Pied-billed Grebe beside it. We then met up with Roger and Rose for lunch at the marina cafe.

So we had another very pleasant morning birding in one of our favourite hotspots – and for the first time ever there were no cars ahead of us at the border crossing.
Terry Carr

Photos on Flickr

eBird checklists
Blaine Pier & Marina
Semiahmoo Spit