PHOTO: Snow Bunting by Chris McVittie…….
Glen, Chris and Jim carpooled to Blaine on Wednesday morning. There was not a single car ahead of us in the Nexus lane. When we reached the first stop on Marine Drive in Blaine, the tide was way out, not the usual abundance of waterbirds. We quickly moved on to the pier at the end of Marine Drive.
We almost stumbled over a Snow Bunting on the grassy edge of the road – surprising that it seemed to be the only Snow Bunting around. The waterfowl were scattered across the bay – White-winged and Surf Scoters, Common Loon, Bufflehead, Barrow’s Goldeneye, Pelagic Cormorants, Mergansers (both Common and Hooded) but no Grebes. A walk down along the docks added a Great Blue Heron and a Kingfisher to the list.
We drove on around Drayton Harbor stopping first at the start of Drayton Rd. The American Wigeon formed a long line and sailed away from us, leaving behind only Mallards, and across the road a Greater Yellowlegs. But then the Dunlin showed up – a small flock of less than 1000 wheeled past and settled on the shore, then leapt up again and were off.
We carried on around the south end of the Bay and finally found some Canada Geese, Northern Pintails, Lesser Scaup, Spotted Towhee and Ruby-crowned Kinglet. But then the Dunlin showed up – again – maybe the same flock but there were more of them this time, maybe 4000 in 2 groups.
On to the Semiahmoo Park where a look out into Boundary Bay was nearly empty, just some Surf Scoters. The Drayton Harbor side was much better with Mallards, Bufflehead, Northern Pintails, a Great Blue Heron and (so we were told by a guy with a scope) about 15 Long-tailed Ducks way out in the middle where we couldn’t see more than a dot!
From the resort parking lot we walked the shoreline and saw more Surf Scoters, a few Pelagic and Double-crested Cormorants, some Red-breasted Mergansers, a pair of Harlequin Ducks, some White-crowned and Song Sparrows. Near the old wooden docks we had more Mergansers, Loons, a Harbour Seal, a Red-necked Grebe and a very talkative Kingfisher diving into the water and then perching on the pilings to talk to us all. No Long-tails here either, but the guy with the scope identified some Ancient Murrelets way out in the middle of the channel.
The rain held off all day and the sun was out by the time we were ready to turn for home. Only a slight delay in the Nexus lane on the return trip. Three guys birding and 37 total species – a good day!
Report by Glen Bodie
Photos are on flickr
eBird checklists
Blaine Marina
Drayton Harbor
Next Tuesday & Wednesday (Dec 3 & 4) the outings will be to Tsawwassen Ferry Causeway & Reifel.
Some people may meet on the ferry causeway at 8 am. The parking pullout is part way along the north side of the causeway.
Meet at Reifel at 9 am. DNS has been booked as a group. You do not need to book parking – just tell the gatekeeper that you are part of the DNS group booking. Non-Reifel members will need to pay admission.
To sign up for an outing, click on the DNS bird outing schedule sheet.
Delta Naturalists Society 