A quiet day, birdwise...

After dropping Jenny off Departure Bay ferry terminal this morning, I realised that I had enough time on my hands to pay a quick visit to Buttertubs Marsh before heading into work. And a quick visit it was, too.

For those not familiar with this wetland site - it's not really a nature reserve as  such (despite claims to the contrary), but more of a jogging track with a big pond, where some wildlife happens to live, in the middle.
And since they put those lovely new signs up, where the bit about dogs being prohibited (might as well be in 8pt type) is largely unreadable for the majority of elderly pooch pushers, the place is also now a dog crap magnet.
And while they don't have any hides (or blinds) they do have a sort of tower platform, from which the accompanying pic was taken.
This will appeal very much to my old mucker Ray, who has not exactly tirelessly campaigned for, as tirelessly complained about the lack of, a tower hide at Leighton Moss for what seems like decades. They have one at Minsmere, you know...
Anyway, I didn't see much - a pied-billed grebe, lots of wood ducks, plus the regular passerines and swallows etc. Apparently, American bittern breeds here, but you have more chance of seeing a Sasquatch as meeting anyone who can provide meaningful information about whether they actually still occur here, never mind anyone who's bothered listening or looking for any in years...

Post-work I took a trundle to the Nanaimo River estuary to see whether the rising tide might push a few waders out of the creeks etc. A pair of lesser yellowlegs were on the pools, while a pair of greater yellowlegs were on the river. Otherwise, it was down to an osprey, merlin and the usual other stuff to entertain me.
A quick look at Holden Creek revealed just 15 least sandpiper visible from the raised viewing area. The number of Canada geese is really increasing daily here with approx 200 now present.