Beaver Lake, Stanley Park
I joined a walk around Beaver Lake organised by Talaysay Tours. It was a different experience, inviting us to slow down a bit, appreciate the community of people around us, the history of the places we’re visiting, and connecting with the wildlife without messing around with labels and photography.
(Not to say I didn’t take photos of course, but not everybody approaches birding the same way!)
I hadn’t been to Beaver Lake in a few months, but Wood Ducks are always a common sight.
Wilson’s Snipes, though? That’s new!
And then there’s a bit a little further on, where the trail runs over a tiny creek and people like to leave seeds on the bridge railing. As you can imagine, it’s a popular spot for birbs of all kinds — especially with Chestnut-backed Chickadees, who generally prefer to hang out here rather than around Lost Lagoon.
And Steller’s Jays! The light was less than ideal, especially in this rather shady spot, but we do what we can.
These guys are everywhere, of course.
Como Lake
Here I am, chasing another rarity! This time it’s a juvenile Little Blue Heron. I admit, I’ve spent all this time around Great Blue Herons but never really gave much though that there had to be “Little” ones, let alone what they would look like.
Turns out, they’re both very similar in some ways, but als very different! It’s quite a bit smaller, maybe 2/3 the size of a Great Blue, but the proportions are the same. Slightly larger eyes in relation to its head, I think, and also somewhat stockier neck, but it’s got the same weird kink halfway through, and all the other features — stabby-stabby beak, murderous gaze — are present.
Colours are way different, of course! Juveniles are white like this, which doesn’t seem like a good choice, though maybe it works better in their more tropical stomping grounds? And adults are coloured dusky blues and purples, really quite lovely.
It’s very far from home, but seems to be doing okay so far, though. Apparently it’s scarfing down all the frogs in the park and any fish it can find, and has very little fear of people.
Como Lake Park is not a big place, but I still couldn’t see the heron (or what I assumed would be a large orbit of rarity-hunters) right away from the parking lot. Fortunately, a stranger sussed out what I was here for (my camera complete with big-ass telephoto lens may have been a clue) and pointed me in the right direction. I found the bird and yes, the rarity-hunters, pretty quickly.
