And just like that, Pride weekend was upon us! I had plans for both days — well, Monday too, if you count “doing nothing” as plans.
Saturday, August 2: Trout Lake, McSpadden Park, Grandview Park, Piper Spit
I attended the Dyke March with a few Vancouver Queer Birders friends, but first I had to swing by Trout Lake to see if I could get a shot of the resident Green Heron. Alas, I could not! All I saw were some geese bathing vigorously.
But the Dyke March was as fun as always!
Then, I met up with my birding bestie for just a little birding, at Piper Spit. Here’s a gaggle of Long-billed Dowitchers.
And… a very grumpy blackbird?
And this lady in the flower garden!
Sunday, August 3: Beaver Lake, West End Community Centre, not Pacific Street
Sunday morning I joined a bunch of queer birders on a walk around Beaver Lake organised by Talaysay Tours. The light was not very ideal, but we had a lovely time!
This adolescent Mallard was very not afraid of the humans on the trail.
A Merlin, one of two hanging around Beaver Lake while we were there. It looks like it caught a little snack.
I thought this was a Song Sparrow when I took the photo, but it looks like a Willow Flycatcher!
Bushtits everywhere!
Lost Lagoon sitrep: still gunky af.
And then… I had options. VIVA didn’t have a float this year (for the second year in a row), but I could join the Vancouver Men’s Chorus. However… I really wanted to attend the big gayming event at the West End Community Centre and felt the parade would be eating too much into that. Plus, I confess I was feeling lazy and didn’t really feel like schlepping all the way to the parade start, down Pacific Blvd somewhere. So I grabbed a little bite on my own, and played board games with a bunch of queer folks.
Including Wingspan, yes. Sadly I ended up in last place. I struggled right from the start, actually. Probably miscalculated my initial combo of birds and food, and then didn’t quite manage to get a good engine going. Well, c’est la vie. Happy Pride!
