PHOTO: Dunlin & Hudsonian Whimbrels by Terry Carr…..
Since the Tuesday forecast was very wet again, some of us decided to move the outing to Monday. It was a gorgeous day. Nine birders met at the Tsawwassen Ferry Causeway. A large flock of Dunlin was putting on a display – flying and landing. There were small groups of several duck species – Wigeon, Mallards, Green-winged Teal, Surf Scoters, White-winged Scoters, Red-breasted Mergansers, Harlequins, Bufflehead, Northern Pintail and Common Goldeneye – along with Loons, Canada Geese, Black Oystercatchers, a Killdeer and 3 Hudsonian Whimbrels. Seeing the Whimbrels was a real highlight. These large shorebirds with their long, downward curved bills are not often seen in Delta but have been here for a few months.
Our next stop was the heronry at the beginning of the causeway. The hundreds of Great Blue Heron nests are visible now before they are hidden by leaves. Many Herons were sitting on nests and others were flying in and out. A pair of Bald Eagles was perched above the heronry. A flock of 20 Trumpeter Swans flew over in single file.
Driving along Tsawwassen Drive we saw a Red-tailed Hawk sitting on the roof of one of the Tsawwassen First Nation (TFN) buildings. We were joined by 6 more birders at the parking area by the pond at 41B Street. Our group of 15 walked to the dyke where the tide was perfect. A very large flock of Dunlin was flying and landing close to shore – making lovely murmurations. Mixed in were a few smaller Western Sandpipers, larger Black-bellied Plovers and 2 much larger Hudsonian Whimbrels.
Along the way several Marsh Wrens were singing and some showed themselves. A more heavily patterned Pacific Wren showed itself as well. There were also Red-winged Blackbirds, Robins, Starlings, Towhees, Herons, Eagles, Flickers, Song Sparrows, White-crowned Sparrows, Golden-crowned Sparrows, House Sparrows, a Lincoln’s Sparrow, and an Anna’s Hummingbird. There were several duck species – Mallards, Bufflehead, Hooded Merganser, Pintail, Green-winged Teal and Gadwall. Northern Harriers were patrolling in the distance. A couple of Tree Swallows were performing acrobatic twists and turns and in the very far distance we saw a flock of Western Meadowlarks flying close to the ground.
A real highlight of walking along the dyke here is seeing Yellow-bellied Marmots – and we saw 4 of these cute, inquisitive creatures. They must have arrived in Delta on trains from the interior and are now established in the rocks beside the path. There may be young ones soon.
After leaving the parking area, some of us stopped at the boardwalk hoping to see the Meadowlarks again – but with no luck. While driving along Tsawwassen Drive we wondered if there would be a Kingfisher at ‘Kingfisher Bridge’. Sure enough one was perched on a wire above the bridge and flew to a nearby tree – a perfect ending to a very enjoyable outing.
Report by Terry Carr
Photos are on flickr
eBird checklists:
• Ferry causeway
• TFN Dyke
Next Tuesday & Wednesday (March 31 & April 1) the outings will be to Serpentine Fen in Surrey.
Meet at 9 AM in the parking lot on King George Blvd by the bridge over the Serpentine River.
Saturday, April 4, Thea will lead an outing to Ladner Harbour Park, 4905 Mcneelys Way (off River Rd).
Meet at 9 AM in the parking lot by the caretaker’s residence.
Save the date, folks! On Saturday, April 4th, the Delta Naturalists Society will be leading a bird-watching walk (and picnic!) around Ladner Harbour Park and its surrounding network of forested and marshy trails. The terrain is easy and flat… maybe a bit muddy, so dress appropriately.
The start time is 9 AM sharp and we’ll birdwatch for about 2-3 hours. This event is open to everyone. Afterwards, if the weather is good, we’ll have a picnic in the park. (Please bring your own picnic, blanket, or chairs.)
To sign up for an outing, click on the DNS bird outing schedule sheet.
Delta Naturalists Society 