PHOTO: Northern Flicker by Grant Edwards…..
As the Saturday morning outing people assembled near the rowing centre we were greeted by a lovely spring day with no wind. Right on cue, a small group of Canada Geese did a flyover to bless the outing. A Belted Kingfisher was heard and then spotted flying high above the treetops – perhaps it was letting others know this was its patch or maybe it was looking for a mate. Some Buffleheads and Common Goldeneye were sunning themselves on the slough, well in by the docks to avoid the active rowers.
A baker’s dozen Delta Nats gathered by the picnic tables, eager to see what this glorious day was going to show us. In the attached picture there was Grant, Dirk, Rosemary, Janet, Rick, Nicki, Thea, Bruce, Lisa, Jonathon W, and Mary, plus Ginger and Jan off camera. Good to see many new faces out for a Saturday walk. We proceeded down the trail that parallels the slough heading west. Our first quest was the Great Horned Owl and in short order Dirk had spotted the male perched just off the trail. I pointed out last year’s nest which was nearby, but we did not see any activity there. Sounds of Rufous Hummingbirds were teasing our ears as there were lots of Salmonberry blossoms out for them to feed upon. A few lucky people got a glimpse of a Rufous. Further along the trail we saw many Robins, Starlings (“Another startling, darling”), Northern Flickers, Song Sparrows and Downy Woodpecker. On the slough we watched a Double-crested Cormorant running along the top of the water as it gained enough speed for takeoff.
A noisy leaf blower assaulted our ears further along the trail, prompting the quote of the day “Is it really necessary to blow leaves around in a forest?”. Thea earned her pooper scooper badge for dealing with a large dog mine in the middle of the trail. I guess some people still have trouble with the concept of picking up after your pet. Once we put some distance on that leaf blower, we finally could start hearing some birds again – singing Purple Finch, American Goldfinch and Bewick’s Wren. It was tricky to spot them as they seemed to be keeping their distance from the leaf blower from their high perches. As we neared the area where the Massey Tunnel passes below, sharp eyed Thea spotted a Cooper’s Hawk. It was carrying a stick (see photo) as it repeatedly visited a spot in the pine tree grove. Perhaps a mating ritual or building a nest?
On the return trail that parallels the Fraser River, we were entertained by several Yellow-rumped Warblers and an Anna’s Hummingbird. Some Common Mergansers were spotted on the river close to shore, with more gulls and cormorants further out. A pair of Wood Ducks were hanging about in the swampy habit adjacent to the river. Our group became quite chatty as we enjoyed the walk in the warm sun. A stop by the tower near the car park yielded a great view of a Robin sitting in a nest!
American Robin on nest by Grant Edwards
It was another nice outing with Delta Naturalist members! A total of 31 species for the day with the Great Horned Owl voted by most as bird of the day, with honourable mentions to the Cooper’s Hawk and the Robin on the nest.
The species list included: Canada Goose, Wood Duck, Mallard, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Common Merganser, Anna’s Hummingbird, Rufous Hummingbird, Glaucous-winged Gull, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Cooper’s Hawk, Bald Eagle, Great-horned Owl, Belted Kingfisher, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, Bushtit, Brown Creeper, Bewick’s Wren, European Starling, American Robin, House Finch, Purple Finch, American Goldfinch, Dark-eyed Junco, Song Sparrow, Spotted Towhee and Yellow-rumped Warbler.
Report by Grant Edwards
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.
The outing on Saturday, April 6 is to Ladner Harbour Park. Meet at 8 am in the parking lot by the caretaker’s residence and playground. 4905 Mcneelys Way, Delta (off River Rd).
To sign up for an outing, click on the DNS bird outing schedule sheet.
Delta Naturalists Society 