PHOTO……………
Seven DNCBers met at Surrey’s Joe Brown Park – Terry, Teresa, Lorna, Margaret, Noreen, David, Mei. There were showers on the drive to the park and it seemed like we might have a wet outing – but it soon cleared and we had a dry outing after all.
We heard and then spotted a Black-headed Grosbeak high in the canopy. It posed in the open allowing us to take photos. We soon added Robins, a Flicker, Song Sparrows, Towhees, Juncos, Chickadees and a Goldfinch. Rufous and Anna’s Hummingbirds were swarming the feeders by the caretaker’s residence. In fact both species shared the same feeders at the same time. Several rabbits appeared along the way. We heard but could not see Wilson’s Warblers and there was no sign of the Barred Owls that we often see here. There were lots of slugs and snails on the path after the rain. We wondered how two of the snails had managed to climb quite high on some flower stalks.
At the bottom of the hill we followed the greenway path to Colebrook Road. Both sides of the greenway path are very overgrown so it was hard to see the waterway or the bushes behind the fences. We did add Willow Flycatchers, Starlings, Herons, Cedar Waxwings, Cowbirds and Tree Swallows and heard more Common Yellowthroats. Gulls, Mallards and a Merlin flew over.
We saw more of the same birds on the way back to the cars. We decided then that there was time to drive to nearby Colebrook Park for its 1.4 kilometre circle trail. The washroom at Colebrook Park was open while the ones at Joe Brown Park are locked unless there is an event.
We were greeted by a singing Black-headed Grosbeak and soon saw a bright-coloured Purple Finch, Chickadees, Robins, Song Sparrows, Eagles, Western Flycatchers and Juncos. The highest point of this loop is usually good for dragonflies and butterflies and we did manage to photograph some that stopped.
The return part goes through a forest with large Sitka Spruce trees. We added Swainson’s Thrush and Cedar Waxwings and glimpsed a noisy Raven flying around along with more Eagles. We were surprised to see a Banana Slug that had managed to climb high up in a huckleberry bush. The ditch by the road was covered in green pond weed and had a Heron, a Gadwall and Wood Ducks.
Colebrook Park was a new destination for most of today’s participants and it made a nice ending to the outing.
Report by Terry Carr
Photos are on flickr
eBird checklists
Joe Brown Park
Colebrook Park
Next Tuesday & Wednesday (June 16 & 17) the outings will be to Sturgeon Slough in Pitt Meadows (on the road to Pitt Lake).
Meet at 8 AM. Park on Rannie/Neaves Rd after it crosses Sturgeon Slough (before Swaneset Golf Course). The address for Swaneset Golf Course is 16651 Rannie Rd, Pitt Meadows.
To sign up for an outing, click on the DNS bird outing schedule sheet.
Delta Naturalists Society 