PHOTO: Short-eared Owl by Terry Carr……….
Twelve Delta Naturalists met at Richmond’s Terra Nova Regional Park – Brian A., Dottie, Bob, Liz, Alan, John, Margaretha, Nick, Roger, Mike, Lorna and Terry. The usual pair of Bald Eagles were watching from the top of a Douglas Fir above the parking lot. In the river were Mallards, Green-winged Teal, Bufflehead, American Wigeon, Horned Grebes and Trumpeter Swans, and several Great Blue Herons flew over.
In the pond behind the Adventure Playground were 8 Gadwall and a Pied-billed Grebe. A very cooperative Bewick’s Wren posed on top of the blackberries instead of skulking inside them. It had 2 bands on each leg. A flock of Golden-crowned Sparrows were also sporting leg bands on both legs, and one also had an antenna attached to its back. Also present were Song Sparrows, Spotted Towhees, Black-capped Chickadees, Robins and a Cedar Waxwing. An Anna’s Hummingbird chased the Waxwing before they landed on separate branches.
After crossing Westminster Highway, we added Red-winged Blackbirds, Fox Sparrows, Juncos and Starlings – and we watched as a Crow chased a Red-tailed Hawk. There was evidence of recent beaver activity, and a muskrat appeared briefly in the stream. We did not see the Great Horned or Barred Owls, but we did see a Downy Woodpecker. On the foreshore on the other side of the dyke trail, Alan spotted a low flying Short-eared Owl landing on a log. While the rest of us focused our binoculars on it, it flew and then put on great show for us – coursing back and forth before disappearing close to the shore. A Bald Eagle was perched on a log in the river, and a Northern Harrier was gliding in the distance
As we walked back to our cars we heard, and finally saw, hundreds of Snow Geese on the far edge of the river.
Some of us then drove to the Francis Road spillway to look for Virginia Rails, Sora and Snipe. They did not appear, but we did see another Northern Harrier hunting over the marsh. It was another very pleasant outing on a lovely morning.
Report by Terry Carr
Next Tuesday and Wednesday (Feb 13 & 14) the outings will be to Tsawwassen Ferry Causeway & Reifel Bird Sanctuary
Meet on the ferry causeway at 8am. The parking area is part way along the north side of the causeway.
Meet at Reifel at 9am. DNS has been booked as a group. You do not need to book parking – just tell the gatekeeper that you are part of the DNS group booking. Non-Reifel members will need to pay admission.
Delta Naturalists Society 