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Blog: Delta birders get some beauty photos in Burnaby

On Wednesday morning, twenty-one DNCBers enjoyed a glorious and productive walk around Burnaby Lake Regional Park. Check out the beaut photos of the birds (some rare), animals, flowers and people on our Flickr site . Some left Petra’s at 7:30 a.m.
Greater White-fronted Goose
Greater White-fronted Goose

On Wednesday morning, twenty-one DNCBers enjoyed a glorious and productive walk around Burnaby Lake Regional Park.  Check out the beaut photos of the birds (some rare), animals, flowers and people on our Flickr site.

 

Some left Petra’s at 7:30 a.m. and, following Roger’s infamous, circuitous “short cut” through Burnaby, we all met at the park’s Nature House at 8:35 a.m. The surrounding beautiful blooming flower garden, bees, Tree Frog, and both Anna’s and Rufous Hummingbirds at the feeder, were all exciting entertainment as Jim took the Group Photo.

 

We started our walk toward the Piper Spit lookout and immediately found the famous male Mandarin Duck posing on a branch with some plumage-changing Wood Ducks. This probable escapee that’s been there for almost two years was not in breeding plumage, but easily recognizable. Also there, among the Canada Geese, was a sole White-fronted Goose, and a white domestic goose. Further along, about 20 Long-billed Dowitchers were feeding among the woodies and mallards.

 

Wood Duck f. & Mallard m.
Wood Duck f. & Mallard m. - photo courtesy Pat Smart/DNCB Flickr

 

At the Lookout, the main attraction was the Burnaby Lake “Zamboni”, with four operators, clearing a path through the expanding Lily pads for the kayakers and canoers. A Merlin gave a neat fly-past, scaring a couple of Rock Pigeons. Then we began our walk, first around the Piper Mill loop trail, then along the Brunette Headwaters trail to the Cariboo Dam. Although David only recorded 20 species on eBird as seen today, we had some good up-close-and-personal sightings including: Willow Flycatchers, Chestnut-backed Chickadees, Belted Kingfisher (f), Song Sparrow feeding a Brown-headed Cowbird, Brown Creepers, Bewick’s Wren (David also saw a Marsh Wren), and Bushtits. Lots of woodpecker activity, and we heard the Pileated, but I didn’t see it nor a Red-bellied Sapsucker. We were blanked too on the resident American Dippers that we usually see in the fish ladder at the dam. Roger was thrilled to find a Townsend’s Mole specimen.

 

We got back to the Nature House around 11:30 a.m., right on time to go for lunch at the Burnaby Golf Club. Ten of us enjoyed this beaut setting, and my steak and chips (I splurged) with a special Steamworks craft lager was delicious. Others enjoyed their meals too, but it was almost two hours long because other retirement and large family parties were also being served. At 2:30 p.m., Roger dropped me off at the Ladner Gymnastics Centre in time to watch Juliette finishing her Summer Master Class session. Another awesome DNCB Day.

 

The 21 were: Roger drove Mike B, Terry, PB Lorna and me, David & Noreen had Ladner Pam & Anita, Jim K had Chris and Glen, local experts Marion, sisters Pat & Maureen met us there as did Richmond Brian, VanCity Lidia, Langley Bob, Ladner’s Bryan & Masae, and Alberto & Pascale showed up for a few fleeting moments.

 

On Wednesday, Aug. 14, we will leave Petra’s at 7:30 a.m. for Maplewood Flats in North Vancouver, meeting others at the Nature Hut at 2645 Dollarton Hwy about 8:30 a.m. (note change). For more info on our outings, reports, photos and other Delta Nats info, see our website at www.dncb.wordpress.com. As always, your comments are encouraged. Cheers: Tom

 

Tom Bearss, President, Delta Naturalists Society