Nature Vancouver

Trip report by Sarah-Jane McAuley Twelve enthusiastic birders tested out their rain gear on a cool, wet morning in the rain forest. After admiring the (still empty) heron rookery, we started the morning with the sounds, but no sights, of a Red-breasted Nuthatch and an Anna’s Hummingbird in the parking lot. Once at Lost Lagoon, we came across the expected Canada Geese and Mallards, as well as distant views of Short-billed Gulls and half a dozen Gadwalls. Along the forested…

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The forecast showers did not make an appearance and even the sun appeared for a while. Seven birders joined co-leaders Sarah-Jane and Neill and right off we were serenaded by a Red-breasted Nuthatch that called down from the cedars by the parking lot. This bird refused to show itself so we set off into the park. As we came to the lawn bowling pitch, an American Robin sat up on a bare tree eating berries and was soon joined by…

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A dozen people showed up for a bird walk at Trout Lake to unexpectedly beautiful winter weather. We had an atmospheric river earlier in the week and another one the day after the walk, but that morning there was blue skies among the clouds. The attendees had a nice mix of expertise, from first-time birders to folks that had been birding for decades, and even some with lots of experience but who were new to Vancouver. We started at the…

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The First Rule of Birding (okay, my rule but…) is bird the parking lot. After signing in, the 20 of us moved to the edge of the parking lot, and found Red-winged Blackbirds, Spotted Towhees, Golden-crowned Sparrows, American Robins, and European Starlings. We were hoping for some Brewer’s Blackbirds as they are usually around, but not today. Along the trail from the parking lot, a Northern Shrike was spotted in a shrub near the beach. A Northern Flicker showed nicely…

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Eleven intrepid adventurers met in Maple Ridge Park on a cold and cloudy morning to stalk our not very elusive quarry. Shortly before our official start time, two American Dippers landed nearby, sang a bit and briefly displayed their characteristic dipping behaviour before flying further downstream. The trip began with introductions, after which we went downstream to see if we could find the dippers again. Under the bridge we found not two, but four dippers, along with a couple of…

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With rain threatening, 17 people joined us for a morning bird walk at Everett Crowley Park. After an introduction to a little of the history of the park, we did a go-around of introductions, and learned this was a first bird walk for several folks. Heading off into the park, the first birds we encountered right near the start were Black-capped Chickadees. The flock also included some Golden-crowned Kinglets. All the birds were up high in the trees giving our…

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With rain threatening, four intrepid birders joined us at Reifel for a morning outing. Three Sandhill Cranes greeted us right by the entrance office along with several Anna’s Hummingbirds flitting about the feeders. Sandhill Cranes Stopping by the house pond we observed Gadwalls, Green-winged Teal, Northern Shovelers, Ring-necked Ducks and of course Mallards. Moving along, an expected Black-crowned Night Heron was snoozing in its usual hang out while many House Sparrows hopped around the path and feeders. Passing Fuller Slough,…

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Trip report & photos by Christine Balkwill Our small group of 6 started out on a cool, overcast day from the north end of Kits Beach.  We had some intermittent rain but not enough to spoil the birding.  A Pacific Wren called from the bushes while we completed introductions and we quickly found a trio of sparrows near the old totem pole site – Golden-crowned, White-crowned and Song.  We took our time identifying a lone drake Mallard in eclipse plumage…

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