PHOTO: Pied-billed Grebe by Christine Gaio….
Eleven Delta Nats met at Jackman Wetlands in Langley.
Jackman Wetlands, a former landfill site, now has paths, ponds and an 18 hole disc golf course. Players use thick, heavy, Frisbee-like discs and aim for chain baskets as targets. Next door are large movie sets.
As we started our walk we were distracted by a very noisy murder of crows. We decided to try to find out what was making them so upset. They chased a large bird from one heavily wooded area to another and another. A few of us got glimpses and decided that it was a Great Horned Owl.
Returning to our usual route, we heard and saw a Willow Flycatcher. Then we saw Cedar Waxwings, Song Sparrows, Robins, Towhees, White-crowned Sparrows, an Eagle and a Yellow Warbler. In the ponds were Mallards and a Canada Goose family. There was a nice collection of plants, bees, butterflies, damselflies and dragonflies – and some of them even posed for photos – which iNaturalist helped me identify. We also saw some Garter Snakes and tiny Pacific Tree Frogs which iNaturalist is now calling Pacific Chorus Frogs.
We were finally able to spot some singing Common Yellowthroats and a Swainson’s Thrush, along with Rufous Hummingbirds and Killdeer. There was a pair of Pied-billed Grebes in the pond, but a swimming dog scared them deep into the reeds. In the reeds we could hear what we decided was a grebe family. Red-winged Blackbirds were carrying bugs, but we did not see their nests.
Back at the parking lot most of us decided to go to nearby Aldergrove Regional Park. This is another lovely park where we saw many of the same birds, bugs, plants, frogs and snakes. We did get glimpses of a Black-headed Grosbeak. This park should be added to our DNCB destination list.
Report by Terry Carr
Photos are on flickr
eBird checklists:
Jackman Wetlands
Aldergrove Regional Park
Next Tuesday & Wednesday (June 25 & 26) the outings are to Tsawwassen Ferry Causeway & Reifel
Meet at 8 am on the ferry causeway (small parking area on the right just before the end of the causeway).
Meet at 9 am at Reifel Bird Sanctuary. You do need to book parking. There will be a group booking for Delta Nats – just say that you are part of the group booking. There is an admission charge unless you have a Reifel membership.
To sign up for an outing, click on the DNS bird outing schedule sheet.
Delta Naturalists Society 