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Blog: Delta birders explore Queen Elizabeth Park

About 26 folk spent Wednesday morning on a colourful DNCB outing in Queen Elizabeth Park in Vancouver. Check out the beaut photo evidence of flora and birds on our Flickr site . Some left Petra’s at 7:30 a.m.
Mallard Drakes
Mallard Drakes

About 26 folk spent Wednesday morning on a colourful DNCB outing in Queen Elizabeth Park in Vancouver. Check out the beaut photo evidence of flora and birds on our Flickr site.

 

Some left Petra’s at 7:30 a.m., others came directly to meet at the Pitch & Putt entrance at 8:15 a.m. It was a surprisingly smooth and quick drive into town on this overcast cool morning; I arrived with “oldie” DNCBers Rick & Marg before 8 a.m. Not a lot of birds seen this morning, but the many gardens throughout this former gravel pit were manicured and full of richly gorgeous blossoms and flowers in full spring bloom.

 

Roger took the first of a few group photos before we started our circular walk through the trees and gardens. With such a large diverse group, the chatfests were continual, but we did see a few neat birds. Bushtits and Hummingbirds, both Anna’s and Rufous, were seen frequently. The more rare sightings were a surprisingly photogenic Hutton’s Vireo, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Red-breasted Nuthatch (four), Yellow-rumped (Audubon) Warblers, Varied Thrushes, and Marion’s spectacular Townsend’s Warbler to end our park visit. We saw the regular common stuff, flickers, sparrows, finches, ducks in the ponds, etc., but, as normally happens here, the magnificent multi-coloured gardens were the main attraction (see photos). Richmond Brian counted only 21 species seen today for our DNCB eBird List.

 

delta nats
Delta Nats - photo by Terrance Carr

 

We couldn’t find the resident Barred Owls, and it is too early for Western Tanagers and other Warbler species. A gardener showed us an active Bushtit nest. Some relatively-new artistic statues at the lookout near the Arboretum were especially interesting. The bronze Photographer with a real “doobie” in his mouth amused me. The “Bridge in the Bowl” and the Love Lock Structure were especially glorious spots to linger and search vainly for birds. Besides Vancouver Island’s Rick & Marg, others making guest appearances today were nearby residents, Goaltender Everett & Sue, whose constant gibbering had them fitting in perfectly with our group.

 

We seemed to motor around the park in quicker fashion than our normal visits here. It was before 11:30 a.m. and we were back at our vehicles; nine of us decided to go to our “regular” Locus restaurant on Main Street. Fred and his staff did not disappoint as we each ordered nine different lunches, some ordered breakfast, and everyone was pleased. My Mushroom/Dill Pickle Soup, huge Ham, Cheese, Tomato & Egg Sammy, Salad, and Okanagan Springs 1516 Lager was too filling, but delish. I wish I had accepted PB Lorna’s offer to share her King Shrimp.

 

The 26 were: our historians Roger & Mike B, Guru Anne, Boater Mike B2, PB Lorna, Richmond Brian, Aussie Nance, South Surrey’s Wazza & Lynn and Colin & Stephanie, David w/o swimmer Noreen, returnee Gerhard, wayward Marion & Kirsten, Ladner’s Hummingbird Custodians Bryan & Masae, newbies Everett & Sue, founding DNCBers Rick & Marg, Debbie & daughter Kathryn, our Organizer Terry and me. (25: I missed one somewhere?).

 

Next Wednesday, April 24, leaving Petra’s at 7 a.m., we will meet at 7:30 a.m. at the Peace Arch Park parking lot to car pool to Whidbey Island USA. For more info on this all-day “away” outing see our website at: www.dncb.wordpress.com. As always, your comments are encouraged. Cheers: Tom

 

Tom Bearss, President, Delta Naturalists Society