PHOTO: Mountain Bluebird by Bob Winston…..
It was a clear, crisp Remembrance Day morning as the Delta Naturalists Casual Birders began to gather in the Centennial Beach parking lot in Tsawwassen under the watchful eye of a Bald Eagle. There were two topics of conversation — the absence of traffic, and the cold wind off the water, which sent several of us back to our cars for another layer. Once fully outfitted and assembled we included Claude, Freddie, Christine, Connie, Dottie, Bob, Glen, Jeff, Lidia, Susan, Teresa and new birder Yvon, with Pat joining us later in the walk.
After noting a few American Crows, Dark-eyed Juncos and a Spotted Towhee, we began, as usual, with the pond, which had Mallards, Northern Shovelers, American Wigeon and an all-brown diving bird that caused a fair bit of discussion. Merlin Photo ID’d it as a Greater Scaup, which seemed likely. In the bushes around the pond were Song Sparrows, Black-capped Chickadees, an Anna’s Hummingbird, and, in the nearby trees, groups of European Starlings.
The tide was coming in when we reached the beach. The choppy water and the foreshore were disappointingly devoid of birds. At least the Brewer’s Blackbirds were on the playground, as expected.
Continuing along the beach, there was first a Horned Grebe and then the happiness of a Mountain Bluebird, which we had known to look for. It was a single female bird perched on the ropes by the shoreline, occasionally flitting down to the ground, then back up to the ropes.
Pictures taken, we left the beach, making our way to the pumphouse along the path, adding White-crowned Sparrows, Robins, House Finches, a Great Blue Heron and a male, “Grey Ghost” Northern Harrier which cruised overhead. In the shallow lagoons were Shovelers, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, and a few Dunlin and Greater Yellowlegs.
All of the birds missing from the far end of the beach were gathered instead by the pumphouse. Mixed rafts of birds, more than a thousand, floated near to shore — mostly Wigeon, with Pintails, Green-winged Teal and a few Canada Geese. There were also small groups of Brant, some flying, some on the sand, as well as Dunlin and Greater Yellowlegs. A single Cackling Goose stood for pictures on the small grassy island by the outflow as a Belted Kingfisher shot by.
Starting back along the Raptor Trail we saw another Great Blue Heron, along with Golden-crowned Sparrows, Towhees, House Finches, and more Anna’s Hummingbirds. We added Northern Flickers, Fox Sparrows, a Cedar Waxwing, and a Downy Woodpecker. A single Red-winged Blackbird flew high over the cattails, and a female Harrier appeared just before we reached the parking lot.
What had begun with a taste of winter ended as a beautiful, warm, fall day — a great morning of birding with great people.
Report by Dottie Uhlman
Photos are on Flickr
Next week (November 18 & 19) the outings will be to White Rock & Blackie Spit.
Meet at White Rock Pier at 9 AM. There is 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 