This was a quick and simple outing, in between the rain and my volunteering for the Vancouver Men’s Chorus spring show, to our classic low-stakes bird spots where you’re at least guaranteed something.
Piper Spit, Burnaby Lake
Not surprisingly, Piper Spit was fairly quiet. Every time I visit I worry I’ll get mad at all the miscreants and criminals feeding birds, but that didn’t happen! Instead I got mad at all the little mounds of seeds on the wooden railings, left there by miscreants and criminals, and equally if not more harmful to birds and the environment. Siiiigh.
Anyway, the place wasn’t just pretty empty of people. The water level was quite high, thanks to the rains, with the “island” east of the pier being just about submerged. We could see geese standing where the island should be, like the last monuments to lost Atlantis, keeping their distance from humans. A few — not very many — Mallards and Wood Ducks showed up and generally ignored us, lazily swimming around and under the pier. No ducklings or goslings at all, and all winter migrants were definitely gone.
(I’ll miss them, but will treasure the excellent photos I’ve taken this season, especially of the Buffleheads)
Incidentally, the Wood Duck drakes have started changing into their eclipse (ie: nonbreeding) plumages. Though, interestingly, not all of them. One or two still retained their magnificent mullets, but most were looking various degrees of ragge.
Aside from that, only the usual suspects: Song Sparrows, blackbirds, a few cowbirds, pigeons and crows, and even those weren’t so numerous. Oh, and a few swallows flitting about, which I didn’t try to shoot. And lovely scenery, as per usual.
ƛ̓éxətəm (Tlahutum) Regional Park
Contrary to my fears, the community garden paths were dry. I guess there wasn’t enough rain recently? Whatever the reason, we were able to wander around and shoot a flycatcher, and assorted lovely bugs. The duck pond, same as Piper Spit, seemed to have high water levels and low duck and swallow levels. Unlike Piper Spit I made a spirited attempt at capturing a few of them but all came out terrible and I’m not posting them. A Rough-winged Swallow was kind enough to sit and pose as a consolation prize, so that’s nice.
And then, just a few minutes before we got back to the parking lot, my battery died. It turns out, oopsie, I hadn’t charged my backup! That hadn’t happened to me in a while, but fortunately no award-winning subjects showed themselves.
The photos
