In celebration of International Women’s Day, 12 enthusiastic women were greeted with sunny skies and brisk winds in Everett Crowley Park. The group was a mix of experienced and beginner birders, allowing for plenty of knowledge sharing between participants.

We began the morning by recognizing Jean Crowley, the wife of the park’s namesake. She was an important figure in municipal politics, spending 6 years on the Vancouver School Board. We also recognized Melissa Hafting, a hugely influential local birder. Melissa runs the British Columbia Rare Bird Alert website, where she tracks all the rare birds reported in the province. In 2014, she founded the BC Young Birders Program, which brings together youth of all races, sexual orientations and genders on birding trips. She is also an eBird reviewer for 4 regions in BC. And, in 2024, she published a beautiful and moving book called Dare to Bird.

Within the first few minutes of the walk, we enjoyed good views of Black-capped Chickadees, the call of a Spotted Towhee from a nearby bush, a brief look at a Golden-crowned Kinglet, and the bright song of a Bewick’s Wren.

Soon, we were stopped short by the song of a Ruby-crowned Kinglet—a reminder that spring is well underway. Fortunately, the bird was right at eye level, flitting between the branches of a small Western Red Cedar. It was with some hesitancy that we left behind the still-singing Ruby-crowned Kinglet; however, another appeared shortly, then another, and then 19 more over the course of the walk, leading us to wonder if a wave of migrants had recently arrived.

Pausing at Avalon Pond, we saw a stunning female Hooded Merganser amongst the Mallards. Her crest was impressive in the bright sun. We agreed that her appearance was an ideal addition to our International Women’s Day celebration.

While making our way to the bridge on the south side of the pond, we heard and then spotted a Hutton’s Vireo in a Cottonwood. After having plenty of excellent views of Ruby-crowned Kinglets, the opportunity to compare the two visually similar species was well timed. In addition to watching for a thicker bill on the Hutton’s Vireo and a dark bar below the white wing bar on the Ruby-crowned Kinglet, we noticed the Hutton’s Vireo was moving noticeably slower and not flicking its wings as kinglets do frequently.

A sunny morning at Avalon Pond.

After a final scan of the pond revealed a well-concealed Great Blue Heron, we were pleasantly surprised by the distinctive call of a Cooper’s Hawk. Before it flew off, everyone had a chance to observe its distinctive, long, banded tail.

The middle section of the walk was notably quiet—one participant commented on the surprisingly lack of bird song after a sonically rich start. We did, however, get a nice view of a Northern Flicker perched on a dead tree, which was a helpful reminder of the importance of snags for wildlife.

In the final moments of our loop through the park, a participant pointed out Red-flowering Currant bushes in bloom, an important food source for Rufous Hummingbirds, which are beginning to arrive in the Lower Mainland (but not yet at Everett Crowley) from their wintering range in Mexico and the Gulf States. Additionally, a juvenile Bald Eagle soared over the group, and we caught a brief view of an Anna’s Hummingbird perched above the trail.

To conclude the walk, Ly summarized the cognitive benefits of birdwatching and the need to reflect on experiences of awe to make the most of these gains. So, together, we shared moments that stood out for us from the walk. The female Hooded Merganser received frequent mention, as did the joy of celebrating International Women’s Day in nature.

A special thanks to seasoned birders Alison and Evelyn for helping answer questions and being such amazing Nature Vancouver ambassadors!

Ebird list: https://ebird.org/checklist/S307648171