Birding in BC Community

One more from me today - I seem to have an easier time with waterfowl since they don't have all those branches in the way!

Back at Colony Farm, a nice pair of American Widgeons.



Thanks for the welcome! I am glad to have found this board and community!

Pkorner wrote:Back at Colony Farm, a nice pair of American Widgeons.

Yea, you got the male and female in the same shot!

Great to see more participants so early in the year!

Here are a few more from Blackie Spit:

Western Sandpiper



Marbled Godwit



Common Merganser (sorry no female)

Bald Eagle or Golden Eagle? (Merlin is giving up both)

Today turned out to be spectacular - sunny, cool with a bit of a wind blowing. Compared to what we've been suffering through lately it was a welcome relief. I went to Piper Spit at Burnaby Lake and found quite a few additions to the list:

In keeping with my theme of male & female in the same shot (that will be common with today's post):
Green-winged Teal (Male & Female) by Jewill on Flickr

American Coot by Jewill on Flickr

Northern Pintail (Male) by Jewill on Flickr

Wood Duck (Male & Female) by Jewill on Flickr

Mallard (Male & Female) by Jewill on Flickr

Lesser Scaup (Male) by Jewill on Flickr

Ring-necked Duck (Male) by Jewill on Flickr

Our definitely not native to BC but never-the-less still famous local celebrity Trevor (I don't know who named him).
Mandarin Duck (Male) by Jewill on Flickr

Since no one else has posted one of these yet here you go. How do I know it's a male & female? Let's just say that events that transpired immediately after this picture was taken lead me to that conclusion .
Rock Pigeon (Male & Female) by Jewill on Flickr

Long-billed Dowitcher by Jewill on Flickr

The Merlin birding app id's this as a California Gull. I'll go with that unless someone can prove otherwise.
California Gull by Jewill on Flickr

Sorry to hog the thread but it was a really good outing. Tomorrow is supposed to be nice weather too so I think I'll hit up Brydon Lagoon...stay tuned.

Berdesdan wrote: ↑Jan 13 1:12 pm Bald Eagle or Golden Eagle? (Merlin is giving up both)

Berdesdan -- I would probably lean toward a Bald Eagle. I'll put it on the list and maybe we can add another photo of both later!

Wow, Judy! You knocked it out of the park with this one ... nice post. Lovely photos, too.

stumblingpiper wrote: ↑Jan 13 5:51 pm

Berdesdan wrote: ↑Jan 13 1:12 pm Bald Eagle or Golden Eagle? (Merlin is giving up both)

Berdesdan -- I would probably lean toward a Bald Eagle. I'll put it on the list and maybe we can add another photo of both later!

Yes - a Golden Eagle wouldn’t have those white wing pits.

In honor of the Rock Pigeon "coup" (lol), I was out and about today ... Picked up this Eurasian-Collared Dove and the Mourning Dove. I also saw a California Quail, but my photos were a little blurry ... they'll be around plenty this summer! lol.

stumblingpiper wrote: ↑Jan 13 5:51 pm

Berdesdan wrote: ↑Jan 13 1:12 pm Bald Eagle or Golden Eagle? (Merlin is giving up both)

Berdesdan -- I would probably lean toward a Bald Eagle. I'll put it on the list and maybe we can add another photo of both later!

Thanks, I was also leaning towards a Bald Eagle. I should have just called it as a Bald Eagle. but was maybe too eager (and I thought I could edit the post when corrected ... ).

As planned I did make it out to Brydon Lagoon in Langley this morning, plus a couple of other spots too. The weather was not as good as it was yesterday but it wasn't raining so I'll take it!

White-crowned Sparrow by Jewill on Flickr

Iceland Gull by Jewill on Flickr

Common Goldeneye (Male) by Jewill on Flickr

I then headed to Crescent Beach and intended to hit up Blackie Spit as well but the parking lot was closed because they are finally filling in some of the enormous potholes. All I have to show for it is this distant shot of a RNGR -
Red-necked Grebe by Jewill on Flickr

My final stop was at Elgin Park just because it's on the way home from Crescent Beach. An interesting note - if I'm not mistaken there are now 2 Yellow-billed Loons! Both are juveniles and both were on the far side of the river and while I did get a picture of both of them in the same frame I won't post it because we already have a YBLO for the list.
Edit: it seems I was mistaken . One of them was a Common Loon...oh well.
Anyway here's a Greater Yellowlegs as a consolation prize -
Greater Yellowlegs by Jewill on Flickr

Back at home I got this Chestnut-backed Chickadee waiting for his turn at the suet feeder -
Chestnut-backed Chickadee by Jewill on Flickr

I got a Mourning Dove too but James you beat me to it! Actually there were 3 of them hanging around so dare I hope that there was both a male and female present .

Nice going Judy!

I saw a Red Knot this afternoon:



Lousy shot, but hey... +1!

Berdesdan wrote: ↑Jan 14 12:01 pm

stumblingpiper wrote: ↑Jan 13 5:51 pm

Berdesdan wrote: ↑Jan 13 1:12 pm Bald Eagle or Golden Eagle? (Merlin is giving up both)

Berdesdan -- I would probably lean toward a Bald Eagle. I'll put it on the list and maybe we can add another photo of both later!

Thanks, I was also leaning towards a Bald Eagle. I should have just called it as a Bald Eagle. but was maybe too eager (and I thought I could edit the post when corrected ... ).

Haha. I know what you mean ... I posted an immature Bald Eagle two years ago as a "Golden Eagle." Zach corrected my observation ...