PHOTO: Hooded Merganser by Pat Smart…..
At 9am on January 14, 7 of us met at Jackman Wetlands in Aldergrove. We were Bruce, Nicki, Lindly, Anne, Colin, Susan and Stephanie. We ran into Pat late in the walk, heading in the opposite direction.
Barely out of the parking lot we heard the “tsee, tsee, tsee” of Golden-crowned Kinglets and a lone Ruby-crowned Kinglet nearby. A Red-tailed Hawk flew overhead. Getting to the first pond we spotted some Buffleheads and Mallards. Further along the marsh we had a flock of Bushtits blow in and we saw and heard many more Golden-crowned Kinglets. We added American Coots and American Wigeon to the list. Merlin picked up a Hairy Woodpecker which we spotted shortly thereafter – to everyone’s delight. Making our way around the pond we saw a Hooded Merganser. Around this time we had Trumpeter Swans, Cackling Geese and Canada Geese flying over. Crossing the path to look in a second pond, we spotted many more American Wigeon, Green-winged Teal, Mallards and a lone Pintail. A Cooper’s Hawk was sitting in a tree close by. Between the two ponds we also heard Bewick’s Wren, (one of several this morning), and a Downy Woodpecker.
Making our way back towards the parking lot we ran into Pat, who was continuing to bird in the direction we had come from. On our right was a grassy field filled with American Robins, Northern Flickers and European Starling.
On the path back near the parking lot we added Yellow-rumped Warbler, several sparrow species, a Brown Creeper and another Downy Woodpecker.
We were all pretty happy with our 38 species count on this lovely walk (a new location for some of us).
Just before we called it a day, we make the short drove to Aldergrove Regional Park. We’re glad we stopped because we were able to add Steller’s Jay and Pileated Woodpecker in just minutes, for a total of 40 species for the morning.
Report by Nicki Brockamp
Photos are on flickr
eBird checklists
Jackman Wetlands
Aldergrove Regional Park
Next Tuesday & Wednesday (January 20 & 21) the outings will be to Boundary Bay Dyke at 104th St.
Meet at 9 AM by Delta Heritage Air Park at the south end of 104th St.
To sign up for an outing, click on the DNS bird outing schedule sheet.
Delta Naturalists Society 