PHOTO: Green-winged Teal by Glen Bodie…..
It’s not the first time that I’ve been the only person on a DNCB outing, but this time the rest of you missed a good day. In spite of the weather forecasts there was no rain until a wee sprinkle in the last 10-15 minutes. In the morning, I even had a little sunshine!
I started at Surrey Lake Park where we’ve often gone before. The rains have washed out some of the lake edges but crews have laid new crushed stone and the trails were fine. There was a large variety of ducks in the lake, and some birdlife in the bushes around it. I had hoped to see the Eurasian Teal but no luck. I also did not see the Redhead or the Canvasback, but another birder I met along the way said he had seen them with his scope minutes ago over on the other side of the lake – a little too far for my camera. But I did see Mallards, Pintail, Wigeon, Green-winged Teal, Lesser Scaup, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Common Merganser and Coot.
A Cackling Goose flew over (you can tell by the sound it makes) and a flock of Canada Geese landed and had a good splash in the lake. A “gulp” of Double-crested Cormorants flew in and soon flew out. In the bushes I saw and or heard Black-capped Chickadee, Bushtit, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Dark-eyed Junco, Song Sparrow, Spotted Towhee, House Finch, Downy Woodpecker and American Robin. Even an Anna’s Hummingbird posed on a twig for a moment.
After an hour there I drove 15 minutes up to the Green Timbers Park, lots of parking. I’d never been there before but it looks like there is a good assortment of forest and field trails with marshland and a lake that Bear Creek runs into and out from. I mainly focused on the lake. Not quite as many species to be seen, but the lake had Mallard, Bufflehead, Common Merganser, Wood Duck, Ring-necked Duck, Lesser Scaup and Pied-billed Grebes. A Bald Eagle soared over top of the trees. In the bushes were Black-capped and Chestnut-backed Chickadees, Golden-crowned Kinglets, Dark-eyed Juncos, Song Sparrows and some crows. And just as I had turned and was on my way back to the parking lot, a few drips landed, but really nothing to speak of. This ought to be worth a stop again in the Spring.
Sorry, no group photo today!
Report by Glen Bodie
Photos are on flickr
eBird checklists
Surrey Lake
Green Timbers
Next Tuesday & Wednesday (January 13 & 14) the outings will be to Jackman Wetlands in Langley.
Meet at 9 AM in the disc golf parking lot on the west side of 272nd St between 16th Ave & 8th Ave. Raptors Knoll Disc Golf Park, 1111 272 St, Langley (across from Langley Transfer Station).
To sign up for an outing, click on the DNS bird outing schedule sheet.
Delta Naturalists Society 