PHOTO: Double-crested Cormorants by Glen Bodie………….
Our group of 11 gathered promptly at 9 am in Ladner Harbour Park: Nicki, Warren and Lynne, Susan, Brian and Louise, Richard, Lee, newbie Louis, me, and just-in-time Glen. Nicki volunteered to eBird our sightings, which was a great help.
The weather was calm and autumnal, and birds flitted around us even in the carpark. Black-capped Chickadees and a Downy Woodpecker were visiting the Caretaker House’s feeders, and 2 Great Blue Herons were hunkered down in the reed bed. We decided to walk into the lawn area of the park towards Shirley’s Walk and were immediately surrounded by a mixed feeding flock of small birds. There were 15 Bushtits, a Ruby-crowned Kinglet and a Golden-crowned Kinglet, a Spotted Towhee, American Robin and Song Sparrows, on the ground and up in the trees. Louis spotted a Hermit Thrush on the ground, and we all got good views. To cap it off, a Merlin flew fast overhead as we were crossing the grassy area.
We then strolled along Shirley’s Walk at the edge of the marsh, noting the large trees that had been felled and chewed by local beavers. No sign of the beavers themselves today, though, and the tide was high. It was rather quiet for birds; the flock had swept by. A couple of Bald Eagles were sitting in the island trees. Eagle numbers at this time of year are slowly increasing, as they return from the salmon runs for the winter. A couple of Anna’s Hummingbirds were seen in their usual territories, and Glaucous-winged Gulls flew overhead. One of our group spotted a Wilson’s Snipe. I missed that, and also missed hearing the Bewick’s Wren in its favourite blackberry-tangle spot. There were Mallards on the slough and Dark-eyed Juncos in the trees and on the ground as we completed the loop.
The Harbour area was relatively quiet; eventually we saw the local pair of Mute Swans further downstream. Two Steller’s Jays were in the trees beside the slough. Some of us reminisced about the spate of rare birds we saw here a few years ago (a very rare Acorn Woodpecker, California Scrub-jays, and a Lesser Goldfinch). We walked across the dog off-leash park to the river viewpoint and back along the woodland trail. There were Mallard and Buffleheads and some Double-crested Cormorants on the Fraser River, but the cottonwood forest was quiet. The group happily chitchatted its way through the woods and back to the carpark, passing two plein air artists en route. Our group recorded 30 bird species in the park.
Some of us decided to go down to Ferry Road and visit the slough that yesterday’s group had birded. This turned out to be a good idea as the sun came out and so did the birds. This pleasant slough-side trail is lined with old cottonwood trees and blackberry tangles, as well as some tree stumps saved by the City of Delta as “wildlife trees”. There were many new trees and shrubs planted in chicken-wire caging. The whole area was alive with small birds, including a Pacific Wren and a Bewick’s Wren, Song Sparrows, Golden-crowned Sparrows, a Downy Woodpecker, Black-capped Chickadees, Pine Siskins, and one, lonely Eurasian Starling! There were lots of Mallard, American Wigeon, some Northern Shovelers and one Wood Duck in the water. We recorded 22 bird species along this short, one-way, waterside path that terminates at the golf course.
It was a good morning for birding, and excellent company as usual with our Delta Nats Casual Birding group!
Report by Anne Murray
Photos are on flickr
eBird checklists
Ladner Harbour Park
Ferry Road
Next Tuesday & Wednesday (Nov 12 & 13) the outings will be to White Rock & Blackie Spit.
Meet at White Rock Pier at 9 am. Free parking on the waterfront until 10am.
After the pier we will go to Blackie Spit. Blackie Spit is at the NE end of McBride Ave in Crescent Beach. Park in the gravel parking lot past the paved parking lot and the sailing club.
To sign up for an outing, click on the DNS bird outing schedule sheet.
Delta Naturalists Society 