PHOTO: Hairy Woodpecker (juvenile) by Grant Edwards…..
Three Delta Nats (Nicki, Bruce and Grant) braved the not so nice weather.
After a half hour rain delay we were off on the adventure. We were soon greeted by several singing Wilson’s Warblers, Yellow Warblers, Song Sparrows and Rufous Hummingbirds as the birds were equally relieved to see a break in the rain. Merlin bird ID helped us track down a couple of Western Flycatchers that teased us with some glimpses in the trees. A group of three male Western Tanagers gave us better looks.
A few Warbling Vireos, Brown-headed Cowbirds, Orange-crowned Warblers and Common Yellowthroats were kind enough to give us more brief viewings. A bit further along, the calls of a Hairy Woodpecker got our attention which led us to their nest. To our delight, a juvenile was poking its head out of the nest hole and we got great views and photos. A couple of Swainson’s Thrushes gave us typical fleeting views before hiding back in the forest and teasing us with their whit calls.
A bit further into our walk we saw water crossing the roadway! The recent rains had created a surge in the creek. However this situation was intensified by the beaver dam which was backing up the water flow considerably. With our route too wet to cross we backtracked to the nearest boardwalk trail into the forest. This led to the famous sunken tractor. But the trail beyond was closed as well!! A bit frustrated, we backtracked further toward our starting point to the first boardwalk trail.
Finally we made progress along this perimeter loop trail that takes us into a bit more open bog area near the highways. More Song Sparrows flitted amongst the bushes. Singing Purple Finches, Western Flycatchers and Spotted Towhees accompanied us along the walk. A couple of Red-winged Blackbirds called and swooped by. Merlin app once again helped us track down a small group of Cedar Waxwings, the first sightings of the year for many of us.
We enjoyed some of the plant life along this bog trail, identifying Skunk Cabbage, Bog Labrador Tea with fragrant white flowers, Rose Spirea, and Sour Cherry.
With time running out and rains restarting, we decided to call it a day. Despite the weather and trail conditions, we still managed 27 bird species with the juvenile Hairy Woodpecker taking the bird of the day.
Species List: Mallard, Rufous Hummingbird, Great Blue Heron, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Western Flycatcher, Warbling Vireo, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, European Starling, Swainson’s Thrush, American Robin, Cedar Waxwing, Purple Finch, Pine Siskin, American Goldfinch, White-crowned Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Spotted Towhee, Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Orange-crowned Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Yellow Warbler, Wilson’s Warbler, and Western Tanager.
Report by Grant Edwards
Photos are on Flickr
The next Tuesday & Wednesday outings (May 21 & 22) will be to Ladner Harbour Park, 4905 McNeelys Way, Ladner (off River Rd).
Meet at 8 am in the parking lot by the caretaker’s residence.
The next Saturday outing (May 25) will be to Colony Farm Regional Park. Colony Farm Rd, Port Coquitlam.
Meet at 8 am at the Community Gardens parking lot. From Port Mann Bridge take the exit to Hwy 7 east (Lougheed Hwy).
To sign up for future outings go to the signup form and put an x by your name.
https://tinyurl.com/dncb-signup
Delta Naturalists Society 