PHOTO: Common Mergansers by Terry Carr….
Nine Delta Naturalists met at Deas Island Regional Park – Margaret, Lorna, Christine, Jim, Lidia, Dottie, Bob, Lee and Terry. Once again the Tuesday group was lucky with the weather with only a few brief showers.
There were great reflections in the slough, along with Common Goldeneye, Common Mergansers, Bufflehead, Mallards, a Harbour Seal and some rowing club crews. Only Double-crested Cormorants were in the river here.
Spring has definitely sprung – flowers were on the Salmonberry, Indian Plum, Oregon Grape and Wild Cherry; leaves were on the Snowberry, Elderberry, Thimbleberry, Stinging Nettle and Lupin. There was a great display of Skunk Cabbage and Horsetail was poking up. iNaturalist helped us identify the bright yellow flowers of Lesser Celandine (fig buttercup) – a harbinger of spring in its native Europe and western Asia.
We looked in vain for the Great Horned Owls that nested here last year and that have been seen this year as well. The bird of the day was a posing Rufous Hummingbird. We heard Anna’s Hummingbirds as well but they did not stop long enough for photos. We heard the repeated whistling of Varied Thrushes and finally got a good look at one. Several Brown Creepers posed long enough for photos. One area kept us very busy trying to separate Kinglets, Chickadees and Bushtits. One of the Ruby-crowned Kinglets did show its ruby crown. A pair of Sandhill Cranes and a Kingfisher flew over. Also present were Robins, Towhees, Juncos, Song Sparrows, Flickers and Starlings. Some Robins on distant snags looked like hawks.
At a viewpoint along the Slough we added Green-winged Teal. In the river near the George Massey Tunnel we got good views of a group of male and female Common Mergansers. The shaggy headed female has a white chin, distinguishing it from the similar looking female Red-breasted Merganser. Here we also found a pair of constantly moving Downy Woodpeckers. Earlier the Merlin app heard Hairy Woodpecker. Here also was a huge mushroom that iNaturalist identified as Shoehorn Oyster.
Before returning to our cars we had another unsuccessful search for the Great Horned Owls. It was a very good outing on a lovely spring morning.
On the way home Lorna and I stopped at the heronry near the Tsawwassen ferry causeway. Many nests were occupied, and herons were flying in and out. It is an amazing sight.
Report by Terry Carr
eBird checklist (27 species)
The outing on Saturday, March 30 is to Deas Island Regional Park. Meet at 9 am in the parking area near the rowing club. 6090 Deas Island Rd, Delta (off River Rd east of the Massey Tunnel).
The outings on Tuesday & Wednesday, April 2 & 3, are to Pt Roberts, USA. Bring passport or Nexus. Meet at 8 am at Lighthouse Marine Park (811 Marine Drive). Some people may stop first by Kiniski’s at the west end of Gulf Rd.
To sign up for an outing, click on the DNS bird outing schedule sheet.
Delta Naturalists Society 