Photo: Boundary Bay at Low Tide by Glen Bodie….
Only Glen and I decided to go on this morning’s rain-soaked walk. We experienced light but steady drizzle during the first part of the morning; by the time we were on our return route, it was a solid downpour. Despite the poor conditions, we set off on the usual route from the main carpark. A few Mallards were in the pond, and Glaucous-winged Gulls flew overhead. The cottonwood trees did not yet have any wintering eagles. The tide was extremely low.
A few skeins of Mallards flew overhead, but visibility was too poor to determine what species were out on the very distant water. Two Caspian Terns flying southwards were a pleasing sight. We walked the waterside dyke northwards. Quite a few Golden-crowned Sparrows were in the blackberry tangles throughout the park; some gave short, sweet bursts of song (often described in field guides as “oh dear me”). American Robins were fluttering around the bushes, the beginning of winter flocks, and small groups of European Starlings flew over. We identified a group of Yellow-rumped Warblers and one Dark-eyed Junco – there were probably more hiding in the blackberry tangles.
Bravely persisting in our damp walk, we looked in vain for interesting birds on the grassy foreshore. The lagoon area was more productive. There were mixed flocks of Mallard, Northern Pintail, American Wigeon and Green-winged Teal, and we counted 7 Killdeer and 10 Great Blue Herons. Glaucous-winged Gulls flew overhead.
We took the back path for our return, over the little bridge and along the far northwest corner where we checked out the tree plantings. Our Birds and Biodiversity Committee members have been in discussion with MetroVancouver and Delta staff over these plantings, which failed to receive the care they needed (due, I think, to muddles over jurisdictional responsibility). A few small trees have survived and were being heavily watered by the steady rain today. This corner of the park can be full of birds on occasion but was very quiet today. Glen found an interesting mushroom.
Moving further south, we spotted an Anna’s Hummingbird and a couple of Song Sparrows, at the corner by the little bridge. After that the rain became pretty torrential and we failed to see anything more of interest except for a fast flyover by a Cooper’s Hawk.
After a couple of hours, we were very wet, but had managedlo to find a respectable 23 bird species.
Report by Anne Murray
Photos are on flickr
Next Tuesday & Wednesday (Oct 1 & 2) the outings will be to Burnaby Lake Regional Park.
Meet at 9 am by the Nature House (4519 Piper Ave) at the south end of Piper Ave (off Winston St).
To sign up for an outing, click on the DNS bird outing schedule sheet.
Delta Naturalists Society 