Evening Wader Watch

After finishing work today I managed a visit to Panama Flats, keen to see if there were any waders present. 
Water levels were generally pretty low, bar the two main pools. There were good numbers of barn swallows feeding all over the place, plus a handful of violet-green and a couple of northern rough-winged swallows.
A group of 6 dowitchers were on the bank of the larger pool. When they flew, they called and they all sounded like long-billed.
Around the pools edges were 3 spotted sandpipers.
In the far south east corner, in a vegetated muddy area. there were approximately 230 peeps feeding. Scoping through them, the ratio of birds seemed to be about 60/40 western to least sandpipers.
After around 45 minutes of thorough scanning, I finally picked up a single semi-palmated sandpiper among them. Another spotted sandpiper was also here as were up to a dozen killdeer, including 2 very young, unfledged birds.
Walking back, I noticed a pair of greater yellowlegs (pictured) that had appeared from somewhere or other.
At one point a peregrine came through, spooking everything, before sitting up in a bare tree to the consternation of a local robin.

Nanaimo Estuary Springs To Life

Another fine morning, and another early jaunt down to the estuary...
It was quite hard work today though, and the saving grace provided by the impressive sight of the migrating swans and geese witnessed earlier in the week was, of course, completely absent.

I arrived at the end of Raines Road just before 7.30am, and other than a couple of American robins muttering away, it was all quiet. Over the next half hour it picked up only slightly, with Bewick's wrens and song sparrows adding to the morning chorus.
I had a good trundle around hoping to come across something interesting, passing through.
I didn't.
There were 3 northern harriers seen in total, the usual male and female plus a 1st year bird. There were no owls on show.
A couple of noisy belted kingfisher rattled around the area and a lone brown-headed cowbird represented the only 'vis' as it flew high over, calling. A couple of tree swallows twittered around the nest boxes.
Then suddenly, just around 8.10am things really picked up. A pair of western meadowlark appeared, and one started to sing, then it seemed as if someone had emptied a bucket of robins out, with several darting about the place.
Next up was a northern shrike, which appeared from nowhere - presumably another migrant, as there haven't been any in residence here for the last few months.
And finally, to really add a bit of spring magic, the sound of a greater yellowlegs emanated from the river, soon followed by the gangly wader itself, as it rose up and flew off over the marsh.
Despite the encouraging upsurge in activity, I had to leave and go and earn some rent money...

After work, I made a brief stop at the Nanaimo River estuary again on my way home. the shrike was still in much the same area, singing its little heart out. Sadly, the video below does little justice to its delightful, jumbled song.
The only other thing of note was a solitary short-eared owl.
 

Up and at 'em

I headed down to Holden Creek this morning for a pre-work scout around. It was cool and bright initially, though the temperature soon got up by 7.30am.
It was all quiet on the main creek bordering the fields, with just 3 least sandpiper, a great blue heron and a bunch of garrulous Canada geese present.

The marsh too, was fairly bereft of birds, with the exception of another 7 least sandpiper.
On the back pool I found another bunch of 12 least sandpipers along with 1 each of western and semi-palmated sandpipers. 
The bog-of-eternal-stench was again where the action was, and here there were 6 lesser yellowlegs & 1 greater yellowlegs, 1 long-billed dowitcher, 2 spotted sandpiper and another 4 leasts.
I spent half an hour checking the bushes and what-not for passerines near the viewing area, and I was rewarded with a nice Lincoln's sparrow. Also present were a family of Pacific-slope flycatcher, a hairy woodpecker, 2 juv common yellowthroats, and a singing Bewick's wren (pictured).

In the evening Jenny and I took a stroll around Hemer Park, where I photographed this obliging young bullfrog. Maybe I should have killed it, rather than capturing its portrait, but there are zillions of them down there and frankly, it's not in my nature to do that!
We spotted a couple of beavers at the pool but other than a bald eagle and the resident wood ducks and mallards it was quiet.

 

Raptor raptures

A leisurely trundle around the Nanaimo River estuary, Wednesday evening turned out to be quite rewarding.
The tide was quickly rising, pushing the waders from the shore onto the marsh pools and ditches. Goodness only knows what may have lurking, unseen, out there... As for the birds that were seen, the only waders included 4 lesser yellowlegs, 1 greater yellowlegs, 40ish least sandpiper and 1 western sandpiper.
It was quite a good evening for raptors though, with a juvenile northern harrier (my first here since May 17) hunting over the marshes, and a merlin patrolling the area (see vid). At one point the merlin piled into the long hedge and emerged with a small bird in its talons, within seconds a peregrine appeared and attempted to rob the smaller falcon of its prey. The merlin dropped the hapless victim, and the two raptors engaged in a game of cat and mouse before a raven joined in. The merlin cleared off, and the peregrine perched up allowing me to get the shots below.






As I came back through Cedar, approximately 40 common nighthawks were feeding over the road near the Cranberry Arms, a few were also over my house nearer the Yellowpoint junction.

Is There Life On Marsh?

Managed a visit to Holden Creek at low tide this morning.
Even though birds can be harder to locate at this site at low tide, at least there is access and no fear of getting cut off while out on the marsh!
As has been the case just lately, there were no waders along the creek. It seems that one is more likely to find good numbers of peeps on the muddy channels on the dropping tide, and especially when there are large numbers present in the area.
The lack of rain, and no particularly high tides, has left much of the marsh rather dry - and even the back pool, which often holds water and is consistent for attracting feeding shorebirds, was barely muddy.
Assuming I'd hit one of those blank days, I decided to check out all the potential areas, on the off-chance that I might find a bird or two.
As it happened, one smelly wet corner still had a bit of foul water in it, and consequently some birds to look at.
There were 12 least sandpiper, 3 semi-palmated sandpiper, 1 killdeer, 2 greater ( middle pic) & 2 lesser yellowlegs (top pic) and 2 pectoral sandpipers (bottom pic).
A few inspections of other areas of the marsh produced just 8 more leasts, 1 spotted sandpiper and 4 killdeer.
         

Peeping at shorebirds

Popped down to Holden Creek for the incoming tide this evening. I counted 62 least sandpiper at Holden Creek but there were no other peeps present. Or curiously, any spotted sandpipers...
Out on the marsh was a single greater yellowlegs and a pair of killdeer.
A 'medium' wader, seen on flight only, and at considerable distance, was almost certainly a pectoral sandpiper based on size, shape and flight style. No feet were visible extending beyond the tail, and the bill wasn't especially long. Unfortunately the encroaching tide prevented me from going off to confirm its ID, after it landed out on the back of the marsh.
Just hope it wasn't anything more exciting, such as sharp-tailed sand... unless, of course it sticks around, in which case I hope that it is!.

Monday wader watch

There were fewer small waders in the Holden Creek area when I visited this evening, and I counted no more than 14 least sandpiper.
There were still 3 western and 2 semi-palmated sandpipers present in the creek, and a pair of long-billed dowitchers were feeding in tandem with 2 greater yellowlegs out on the marsh flashes.

Blue-wingers linger

Jenny and I had a fortunate hour at the Nanaimo River yesterday evening, when we had a good 40 minutes of lovely sunshine - not something we've seen too much of lately...
Couldn't relocate the bunting, and other than a river otter, which performed well for us, it was relatively quiet until a cloud of c140 black swift came over and fed over the river and adjacent fields.
An osprey flew through just as we were leaving.

This evening, I headed down to Holden Creek for a root about. The persistent drizzle was keeping most of the passerines hidden away, and it was generally dull, on the bird front.
As usual, a few spotted sandpiper were on the creek and on the back pool there were 3 blue-winged teal, all drakes, and a greater yellowlegs (both pictured). I'm surprised that thing's still hanging around, I assume it's a non-breeder... Will it remain through the summer, until the first post-breeding birds start moving through?    

New birds make my day

A beautiful morning, and couple of new birds in at Holden Creek.
On the sluiced channel, a small party of 12 least sandpiper were busy feeding away, while a single spotted sandpiper worked its way along the muddy edge.
A greater yellowlegs was present on the main creek, and the pair of spotted sandpipers were feeding in tandem at the creek junction - making 3 present in all.
The killdeer family appear to have relocated onto the marsh. A pair of semi-palmated plover (shoddy pic, right) were new in out on the muddy areas on the marsh - my first here.
Otherwise, a dozen or so more least sands were the only other waders in evidence.

After work I nipped down to the Nanaimo River estuary, but there was little going on. A couple of American goldfinch were in song, as were plenty of white-crowned and savannah sparrows.
A merlin caused some panic amongst the hirundines briefly, who saw it off with impressive determination.
A couple of greater yellowlegs and a least sandpiper were on the river.
A pair of brown-headed cowbirds were working the hedgerow, no doubt seeking nests to parasitize.

Super calidrids are fab, but lighting is atrocious

A quick late afternoon visit to Holden Creek revealed yet more waders - one group on the channel was made up of 14 least sandpiper & 1 western sandpiper.
Two greater yellowlegs were nearby, and another feeding flock of c20 calidrids was out on the flashes - the low sun made them tricky to say the least, though a couple of dunlin were identifiable amongst them. Later they joined the others on the channel, and they all appeared to be westerns, apart from the two dunlin.
I think it's going to get rather interesting (and bloody frustrating!) over the coming weeks...  

Evenin' all

I managed an hour down at the Nanaimo River estuary mid evening, with crepuscular birds on my mind...
As it happened, it stayed lighter longer than I'd anticipated!
So, as is often the case as this time of day, it was pretty quiet passerine-wise - just a couple of singing white-crowned sparrows and the occasional American robin.
Oh, and my favourite starling. This bird, currently nesting in the big oak, does a fabulous impression of a red-tailed hawk. So good, that it took me several days before I figured out what was going on! Reminds me of the one by an amusement arcade on Morecambe's seafront, back in the 80s, that used to do a cracking Space Invaders. European starlings are particularly fond of mimicking curlews, too...
Anyhoo - back to the estuary, and a female northern harrier was sat out on a snag on the marsh, later a beautiful ghostly male bird also spent a few minutes hunting over the marsh.
At least 12 greater yellowlegs were on the river.

At lunchtime, on my daily stroll to the Mafeo Sutton Park, I noted a pair of black oystercatcher, bald eagle, the regular male Anna's hummingbird and a yellow-rumped warbler.

Snakes in the grass

Jenny and I took a leisurely walk to Hemer Park this afternoon, enjoying the sunshine.

There wasn't too much going on bird-wise, though I did come across my first orange-crowned warblers of the year (at last...).
Along the way we saw pileated woodpecker, rufous hummingbird, varied thrush, hooded merganser, ring-necked duck, lesser scaup, turkey vulture, red-tailed hawk, bald eagle, plus the usual other bits and bobs.
We got ace views of red-breasted nuthatch, which I never seem to tire of. Mind you, given that I spent several very, very cold hours trampling around Holkham, Norfolk, on New Years' Day 1990 for what turned out to be a 3 second look at one (still the only UK record), a good look at one is always most welcome. I was with my brother Dave (who also saw it, and my mate Adrian 'Ziggy' Dawson (who didn't - I suspect he will quietly rejoice when he finally adds this species to his life list on a forthcoming visit to Canada! 20 years is a long time...) Ziggy also has a blog, which sometimes includes birds (!) - exbirderincornwall.blogspot.com

One of the best things today was the number of garter snakes we encountered. I've never seen as many snakes, and the variety in colours was astonishing.
The attached pic shows, what I assume is a male (the smaller one) mating with a female - at least 3 other males of various sizes and colour were involved in this serpentine orgy.
The pair in flagrante seemed unconcerned by our attentions, while the 'onlookers' were somewhat cautious.
Fascinating stuff.

Later, I popped down to the estuary, which was very quiet.
The highlight was, at least 15 greater yellowlegs on the river. At one point they all took noisily to the air - quite impressive for a Brit Birder in BC!    

Bright & breezy...

It was very bright this morning down at the Nanaimo River estuary, and relatively calm behind the long hedge... Darned breezy, and nippy, when out in the open though!
Not too much evidence of movement, with just 1 yellow-rumped warbler showing - nothing to suggest that this was newly arrived.
Savannah sparrows, again, were all over the place and a northern shrike was hunting from the posts.
Several juv. bald eagles were floating around, and a sharp-shinned hawk scattered the crossbills and siskins by the viewing platform.
A couple of white-fronted geese came over.
The greater yellowlegs on the river, now number 13.

Didn't feel especially spring like....

Good anser.

It was cool, wet and windy down at the estuary this evening and the birding was, consequently, rather dull.
I was joined by a male yellow-rumped warbler, which curiously kept pace with me as I walked along the long hedge but it was just about the only bird I saw!
A grey-goose-honking drew my attention to 5 white-fronted geese out on the marsh. They proceeded to take off and headed north, only to return several minutes later. Presumably, they didn't like the look of Nanaimo.
The local pheasant was squawking away from the field and a handful of violet-green swallow were zipping around.
Just 3 greater yellowlegs were on the river, as were several common mergansers (pictured - they'll always be goosanders to me) and 16 gadwall.  

      

No blue Monday

Had a post work trawl around a very quiet estuary this evening (6pm-7.30pm).
No sign of the mountain bluebird. I suppose conditions last night were suitable for it to have cleared off...
There weren't even any savannah sparrows to be seen or heard - was the recent influx made up of northbound, off-passage birds?

A northern shrike was hunting from the hawthorns in the fields and a couple of flickers were kicking around.
A single white-crowned sparrow was singing away, but there were no crossbills or golden-crowned sparrows around.
The tide was way out, as were the gulls and wildfowl...
8 greater yellowlegs (one of which is pictured here) were on a shingle spit on the river.
Good numbers of violet-green swallow and just 1 tree swallow were whizzing around.
As usual, a few bald eagles were cruising around.

There'll be bluebirds over.. etc etc

Despite the overnight rain, there was no sign of any grounded migrants on the Nanaimo River estuary this morning.
Once again, the long hedge was disappointingly bereft of avian action.

An early dog-walker was patrolling the mountain bluebird posts, which resulted in the bird being in a different area, feeding around some tide stranded old logs. I managed a few more snaps, one of which you can see here.
A female northern harrier was hunting over the marsh and passed close by, giving great views.
The distinctive call of a greater yellowlegs alerted me to a single bird flying overhead, from the river.
Again the white-throated sparrow was with the golden-crowned flock, and white-crowned sparrows were in good voice. Crossbills were again much in evidence and were joined by pine siskins, as they were yesterday. Oh, and the mighty cock pheasant was crowing away from the fields...

An early evening visit to Quennell Lake was unremarkable - 49 shoveler, 20 lesser scaup and a handful of teal, pintail, bufflehead, common merganser and mallard.
  

Bad Friday becomes Reasonably Good Friday

Vile weather today. We were desperate to show Jenny's sister Chrissie why we chose to move half way across the world to live here (difficult under the circumstances; packed ferries from Vancouver to Duke Point, that we couldn't get on, and had to catch one to Victoria then drive up island in the rain and dark, a night of violent storms, the whole morning with no electricty, etc), so we elected to go for a walk to Jack Point. At least, we thought, we might have a little shelter there... and we did. The birding was crap however, with nothing of particular note taking shelter from the wind and rain.

Having enjoyed a leisurely, late lunch at the Crow & Gate pub, I'm still toying with the idea of a soggy, breezy, visit to the estuary. We'll see... *see below

So, in the meantime let's look at the mystery bird. Didn't fool anyone with that one, did I?
100% of participants, were in favour of what was quite clearly an American robin - until a last minute vote for spotted towhee fudged the figure. I assume it was some wag, having a laugh? Very good, have an extra point for that. If you genuinely thought it was a towhee - you really need to stop wasting your time looking at blogs like this, and more time reading your field guides.
So, to your left is the new one. Let's see what you make of this... enjoy!

*Late breaking news... 

Well, I succumbed to the call and headed of to the Nanaimo River estuary early evening. Dodging the wind-felled trees along Raines Road, I noticed a bunch of herons once again feeding in a field. One of these days I'll have to figure out just what it is these birds are eating. Oh, and someone's buckled, twisted trampoline was also in the field, having 'flown' in from somewhere...

Anyhoo - it was cold, wet and windy and I only found a single yellow-rumped warbler in half an hour's searching along the long hedge. I went over to the riverside and while I was scanning through the tree and violet-green swallows I heard a sound that made my brain yell 'greenshank' - my newly acquired bit of Canadian grey matter immediately corrected 30 odd years of Euro-doctrination and replied 'yellowlegs'! I looked round, and here they came; 5 greater yellowlegs, swiftly followed by another 4. Lovely.

By 7pm, I decided to head for a quick check of Holden Creek. A soggy juv. peregrine was sat up in a dead tree and a red-tailed hawk was cruising the fields. Another red-tailed was having a minor conflict with a female northern harrier over the marsh.
Checking through the Canada geese in the fields, I noticed 3 white-fronted geese among them. A drake Eurasian wigeon was dabbling with approximately 140 American wigeon and a handful of pintail out in the flooded fields.

When I got home I noticed my newly erected hummer feeder had a pair of rufous hummingbirds tending to it. My first of the year!