PHOTO: White-crowned x Golden-crowned Sparrow (hybrid) by Terry Carr…..
Six Delta Nats met at Centennial Beach on a cold morning – Bob, Dottie, Teresa, Margaret, Connie and Terry. There were Bald Eagles everywhere. A juvenile caught a duck and carried it to a tree in the far corner of the park. Several more followed. We could not tell who ended up with it.
In the field by the parking lot were Robins, Starlings, 2 Killdeer and a group of Golden-crowned Sparrows. What appeared to be a White-crowned Sparrow turned out to be a hybrid White-crowned x Golden-crowned Sparrow with a white and golden stripe on its head. In the pond were American Wigeon and Mallards. Song Sparrows and Red-winged Blackbirds were in the surrounding bushes.
Starlings and beady-eyed Brewer’s Blackbirds were foraging in the seaweed wrack on the shore. Gulls towered over a flock of Starlings probing the sand. There were gorgeous views across the bay with the sun on snow-capped mountains. The lagoon contained the usual flocks of Green-winged Teal along with a few Northern Pintail and Dunlin while the ditch contained Mallards and Gadwall.
Near the pumphouse were flocks of Brant Geese that were landing and flying and landing again. On the shoreline in the distance were Dunlin, Gulls and Eagles. Barn Swallows were zipping above the water behind the pumphouse and a Northern Harrier flew over. Beavers have added to the dam in the drainage ditch and have partially chewed some large trees between it and the neighbouring house. The people lagging behind heard and saw a Kingfisher.
Looping back toward the parking lot we saw a Hummingbird, a Great Blue Heron, a Fox Sparrow, Towhees, House Finches, White-crowned and Golden-crowned Sparrows.
Report by Terry Carr
Photos are on flickr
Next Tuesday & Wednesday (February 24 & 25) the outings will be to Terra Nova Rural Park in Richmond.
Meet at 9 AM by Terra Nova Adventure Play Environment, 2340 River Rd (at the west end of River Rd and west of the north end of No 1 Rd).
To sign up for an outing, click on the DNS bird outing schedule sheet.
Delta Naturalists Society 