PHOTO: Greater White-fronted Geese by Terry Carr……..
Ignoring the forecast of possible showers, seven Birders met at Serpentine Fen in Surrey – Terry, Lidia, Dottie, Jacquie, Deems, Lee and friend, David. The Belted Kingfisher posed on the usual electrical wire while I was waiting for the others – but it disappeared before they arrived. A pair of Trumpeter Swans flew by.
The Serpentine Wildlife Management Area is in a triangle between Highway 99, King George Highway and the Serpentine River. It is managed by Ducks Unlimited and the Province of BC. The area is important for both migrating and overwintering waterfowl.
In the river were Double-crested Cormorants, Mallards, Wigeon, Scaup, Common Goldeneye, Common Mergansers, Green-winged Teal, Northern Pintail, Coots, Herons and Canada Geese. The large number of Goldeneye were nearly all males. In the trees and bushes were Bald Eagles, House Finches, Robins, Juncos, Towhees, a Fox Sparrow, Song Sparrows and White-crowned Sparrows. A Red-tailed Hawk was sitting on a distant post. Flocks of Canada Geese and Cormorants flew over.
A gorgeous Peregrine Falcon was posing on a hydro tower. It made a brief flight before returning to the same tower. Continuing our walk, we added a Northern Harrier, Red-winged Blackbirds, Eurasian Collared-Doves and a small flock of Greater White-fronted Geese. A huge murmuration of Starlings landed on some hydro towers – completely covering whole sections. Along the marsh we saw fresh beaver cuttings and added Northern Shoveler and Bufflehead to our list.
In fact the showers did begin just as we finished the loop and returned to our cars – but it was a very successful first outing of the year.
Report by Terry Carr
Next week (January 9 & 10) the outings are to Stanley Park.
Meet at 9:00 AM on the seawall below the Second Beach Swimming Pool. You can no longer access Second Beach from Beach Ave. From Beach Ave, turn right on Denman. Then left on Barclay (one block past Nelson). As you enter the park, keep left on Lagoon Drive, past the pub and pitch & putt. Turn right on Stanley Park Drive. Go past the turnoff to Lost Lagoon and turn left into the parking area by the seawall. You will need to pay for parking.
Delta Naturalists Society 