About 30 folk participated in our quarterly Birds on the Bay outing on Wednesday morning in Boundary Bay Regional Park. Not a lot of sightings but a beautiful walk in a gorgeous park with a lot of neat folk. Check out the photo evidence of birds, flowers, vistas and people on our Flickr site.
We met at and started our walk at historic Cammidge House at 9 a.m. Following the regular welcome and introduction of Newbies, Jim took the first of several Group Photos on the steps. It was already very warm (over 25 degrees, no complaints) as we wandered along the road toward the pond and the beach. A Bewick’s Wren and Cedar Waxwing were the excitement in the road trees. The pond had only Mallards, with ducklings, and a pair of Gadwall. (note: Anne reported that two Blue-winged Teal are in the pond today, Friday). And the tide was way out, so we saw no ducks, only herons, eagles and gulls on the horizon.
Despite the few sightings, the chatfest among the masses was rampant. Among our sightings along the trail to the Lookout (another Group Photo) and then the Pumphouse were: singing Savannah Sparrows, flitting Hummingbirds (probably both Rufous and Anna’s), Willow Flycatcher (some saw), Spotted Towhees (interesting to Easterners), fleeting looks at Common Yellowthroats, Brown-headed Cowbirds, six Killdeer (our only Shorebirds seen today), Brewer’s and Red-winged Blackbirds, Northern Flickers and other common sparrow and finch species. David counted 25 species for our DNCB eBird list.
Cavorting and nesting Northern Harriers on the return inland trail aroused a few of us. Several of our Bird Boxes were active with Tree Swallows feeding young inside. Unfortunately, House Sparrows were also active in a few others. Delta Nat Bird Box Team member, Mike B2, informed us that owlets were currently being raised in our Barn Owl Box along the inland trail. And our photogs got neat shots of some Wildflowers and Sand Wasps.
We all straggled back to Cammidge House by 11:30 a.m. where the Delta Nats Ladies, Rochelle, Jennifer, Elizabeth and Margaretha had their array of home-made goodies laid out for the insatiable group. And Legendary, and healthy, DNCBer Hans-Ulf Schellhase was there to join us too. I wonder whether the large size of our Birds on the Bay participants is for the outing or for the delicious delectables at the finale. In addition to the scones, cookies, cakes, etc. provided by the above four ladies, I must mention Sandra’s famous Egg Salad Sandwiches. Another awesome BOTB outing, finished by noon, in time for me to join son Scott and granddaughter Juliette for their Holly Elementary School outing and picnic back at the Beach.
The 31 who participated in all or part of the outing were: David & Noreen, Bryan & Masae, Chris & Marlene, Marion & Marti, Roger, Anne, Glen, Mike B2, Margaretha, Margaret P, Gerhard, Jim K, Jack Mac, Johnny Mac, Elizabeth, Rochelle, Jennifer, Pat S, Pam M, five newbies Andrew & Ray (Bikers), Shirley W, Julie D & Chris T, Biker Kathryn, Hans S, and me.
Next Wednesday, June 19, we’ll leave Petra’s at 7:30 a.m. for Pitt Lake, meeting around 8:30 a.m. at the Pitt Polder boat launch parking lot. For more info on our outings, events, reports and photos, visit our website at www.dncb.wordpress.com. As always, your comments are encouraged and let me know if you want off my email list to receive these weekly irritating missives. Cheers: Tom
Tom Bearss, President, Delta Naturalists Society
