Vanier Park Sightings

RickWright · **Posted:** Nov 30 7:03 pm

yep, we were a small and soggy but happy group! Twenty-six species, nothing of exceptional note, but we enjoyed close views of Eurasian Wigeon and a flock of 1,900 Surf Scoters, with a few White-winged Scoters in attendance. Passerine birding, as one might expect, was quiet.
See you next time!

Hayabusa · **Joined:** Nov 12 12:44 am **Posts:** 14

I'm proud to announce that I finally spotted the eagles today!
The weather was so clear today too

One of them was at the nesting tree as I passed by and I ended up almost taking like 100 pictures of it ..... maybe more

As I was getting up to leave, it took off and met up with it's mate down at the observatory and then they both circled a bit then took off across the water.
Pictures.... coming soon

RickWright · **Posted:** Dec 07 6:07 pm

Nature Vancouver walk at Vanier Park and Kitsilano Point, December 9, 9-11 am. Meet in front of the Maritime Museum.

RickWright · **Posted:** Dec 08 6:48 pm

Two Eurasian Wigeon--one drake, one hen--at Vanier Park this afternoon, and the Bufflehead x Common Goldeneye hybrid was happily bobbing among the scoters at Kitsilano Point.

juncadee · **Posted:** Dec 09 11:42 pm

Thanks, Rick. I enjoyed the walk this morning. Wish I could have stayed longer. I was happy to see my first Black Scoter. Did you see much else?

-Joanne

RickWright · **Posted:** Dec 10 1:43 pm

Glad you were there, Joanne! I put a quick report up at http://birdaz.com/blog

We spent most of our time after you left watching the scoter flock; it was about 100:1 Surf:White-winged, about 1,000:1 Surf:Black. We also had even closer views of the apparent Bufflehead x Common Goldeneye hybrid, and a single American Goldfinch was an addition to the morning's slender passerine list.

I did look up some of the differences between female-plumaged Black and Common Scoters. It's subtle, and I'll have to spend more time looking at Common Scoter next time I'm in the appropriate hemisphere. But these appear to be the major distinctions:

Neck: thicker in Black, thinner in Common.
Tail: shorter in Black, longer in Common.
Bill nail: strongly hooked in Black, less strongly hooked in Common; nail often reaches below lower mandible in Black, not so in Common.
Bill: often slightly shorter in Black, often slightly longer in Common; base more swollen in Black, less swollen in Common; upper mandible rises more steeply from nail in Black, less steeply in Common.
Crown and neck plumage: dark extends more broadly onto nape in Black, less broadly in Common; "ending more or less angular" in Black, "more pointed" in Common [this is inscrutable to me].
Head shape: squarer, with steeper forehead and flatter crown, in Black; rounded in Common.
Feathering above gape: "sharply angled (right-angled or sharper) and feathering adjoining upper mandible concave ending on side of upper mandible (latter variable)" in Black; "angle of bill feathering above gape more rounded and feathering adjoining bill normally convex along side of upper mandible" in Common.
Cheeks: often cleaner in Black, often with vertical dark smudge in Common.

These features are from van Duivendijk, Advanced ID Guide (which is why some of the language is a bit odd). Pyle says that the only known characters to distinguish female-plumaged birds of the two species are bill length and shape; unfortunately, the illustration of those characters (p. 139D-E) shows only males.

RickWright · **Posted:** Dec 17 2:55 pm

Thirty-six species this morning at Kits Point and Vanier, among them single Cackling and Snow Geese, two Northern Shovelers, a drake Eurasian Wigeon, two Harlequin Ducks, ca. 500 Surf and nine White-winged Scoters, the long-staying Bufflehead x Common Goldeneye hybrid, a Pacific Loon, an adult and a juvenile Cooper's Hawk, and four Bonaparte's Gulls close in.

This was the final Nature Vancouver walk of the year to Vanier. Join us tomorrow morning at 7:30 in the east parking lot of Jericho Park to bird that area.

RickWright · **Posted:** Apr 23 10:41 am

An adult Greater White-fronted Goose was grazing with Canadas behind the Archives building yesterday afternoon.

stickman · **Posted:** Apr 24 10:07 am

Indeed, the lone Greater white-fronted goose has been around most of the past week. Spotted my first Savannah Sparrow of the spring at the ponds on Thursday as well as Barn, Tree & Violet-green Swallows.

I've seen a Hermit Thrush and Downy Woodpeckers several times in the wooded area near the BMX bike park as well.

Julian

TheAnimal · **Posted:** Apr 24 6:04 pm

Seen bald eagles near the Vanier Park Boat Launch area as well as a Great Blue heron around that area. That was before I moved out of the area a few years ago. Presumeably the bald eagles frequent the area and if not disturbed they should be back annually.

stickman · **Posted:** May 13 10:30 pm

Been through the park everyday after work this week. There is at least one baby eagle in the tree beside the coast guard. I have also seen the following notables over the past few days:

-2 Chipping Sparrows
-American Pipit
-Spotted Sandpiper
-Red-throated Loon (juvenile)
-Hammond's Flycatchers
-Wilson's Warblers
-Orange-crowned & Yellow-rumped Warblers (Audubon's & Myrtle)

Sam Salmon · **Joined:** Mar 13 10:49 pm **Posts:** 40

Spotted some gull like birds tonight off Kits Point-sharp wings and a harsh call reminded me something of goatsuckers I used to see in the Interior.

It seems to me that these birds were formerly more common locally maybe that's why the name escapes me.

Any guesses out there?

stickman · **Posted:** May 23 8:40 am

Could be Caspian Terns. There are quite a few of these around at the moment.

Sam Salmon · **Joined:** Mar 13 10:49 pm **Posts:** 40

stickman wrote:

Could be Caspian Terns. There are quite a few of these around at the moment.

Hmm...could be-Thanks for the info.

flutistjosh · **Joined:** Feb 01 9:34 pm **Posts:** 23 **Location:** BC

I have definitely seen the group of Canada Geese in the park, as I walk to rehearsals at the VAM...I have also seen some sparrows in the path that runs behind the academy. Song and Fox Sparrows.
Best Wishes - FJ

Vanier Park Sightings

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