Eighteen DNCBers spent a glorious Wednesday morning in Maplewood Flats Conservation Area in North Vancouver. Check out the photo evidence on our Flickr site at: www.flickr.com/groups/dncb, (click the magnifying glass icon in the “Photo Pool” row, and add 2017-24 to DNCB Photos” in the Search box at the top of the page). Also, you can view earlier reports and photos of our DNCB outings to Maplewood Flats on our website at: https://dncb.wordpress.com/category/locations/north-vanwest-van/maplewood-flats/.
Two cars of four each car-pooled beautifully from Petra’s at 7:30 a.m., arriving at 8:45 a.m. (as scheduled) at the entrance to Maplewood Flats. We made super time (1 ¼ hrs.) in rush hour traffic through Delta, Richmond, Vancouver and Burnaby to North Van, mainly because our chauffeurs, Chris M and Anne M are “locals” and knew where they were going. Others met us at the new feeder area behind the Wild Bird Trust of BC office, where they were enjoying the many common species (notables were three Finches, House, Purple and American Goldfinches, Brown-headed Cowbirds, Bushtits, Downy Woodpeckers). Following introductions, Roger took the group photo (15 without him and late-arrivers Wendy & Randy), and then we started down the trail toward the mudflats.
We continually heard Warbling Vireos and Swainson’s Thrushes singing but, even with our many eyes searching, we could not find the sources of this singing. Some eventually caught glimpses of a Red-eyed Vireo. At the shoreline, we saw that many of the Purple Martin boxes on pylons in the flats were occupied and very active. We could only see one baby on the Osprey nest as its parents occasionally dropped by to check on him/her. The tide was way out so we saw no ducks, only Pelagic Cormorants, Gulls, Canada Geese and Bald Eagles. Nonetheless, it was a beautiful setting looking across the inlet at Capitol Hill and Simon Fraser University. Lots of Swallows, mostly Tree, Barn and Violet-green hawking insects too.
Moving back along the trail, we located a few “fitz-bewing” Willow Flycatchers for nice photos. Some saw a Pacific-slope Flycatcher too. On another off-shoot trail, Hummingbirds, both Rufous and Anna’s, put on an entertaining display of feeding, fighting and flirting. Sleek Cedar Waxwings were also accommodating sightings. I didn’t see the singing Black-headed Grosbeak. Some saw as many as a dozen Band-tailed Pigeons, basically giving fly-pasts. I had a brief glimpse of the Turkey Vulture. An American Bittern was supposedly in the “north pond”, but we couldn’t find it. Nor did we see any Warblers, including a frustratingly noisy Black-throated Gray Warbler. Dragonflies and Tiger Swallowtail Butterflies, along with the beautiful volunteer-planted flowers along the trails, provided an attractive diversion from the lack of bird sightings.
It was approaching noon when we got back to the entrance, so we decided not to continue to another nearby park, but rather go to the Deep Cove Brewers Pub on Dollarton Highway for lunch. Mike and I shared vodka meatballs and a truffle chicken pasta which were delish, especially washed down with a couple of pints of their Deep Cove Lager. As usual, on the ride back to Tsawwassen, I snoozed to the dulcet (dull) mumblings of Chris, Terry and Glen. Another awesome DNCB outing.
The 18 were: Roger, Mike, Glen, Terry, chauffeurs Chris & Anne M, North Vancouver’s Marylile, Marion, sisters Pat & Maureen with Manli, returnee Greg H, newbies Randy & Wendy, almost-a-regular Marty, North Delta’s Johnny Mac, Valerie and me.
Next Wednesday, June 28, (before Auntie Barbara flies back to Western Australia in the evening), our outing will be to Campbell Valley Regional Park. Leaving Petra’s at 7:30 a.m., we should be at the 16th Avenue parking lot entrance shortly after 8 a.m. Also, for DNS members, don’t forget our annual Garden Party this Saturday, June 24 at Chris & Marlene McVittie’s home, 5 to 8:30 p.m. As always, your comments are encouraged. Cheers: Tom
Tom Bearss, President, Delta Naturalists Society
