Tag: Birding

Spotted Towhee At Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary

Spotted towhee sitting on a bush at Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary in Delta, BC, Canada.

Coming from the subzero temperatures at home in Ontario to the warmer climes of coastal British Columbia, Bob and I expected to see an assortment of duck species when birdwatching at the Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary, but the unexpected sighting of numerous Spotted Towhees caught us totally off guard.  Eastern Towhees are seen in Ontario during spring, summer and fall.  As we soon learned, Spotted Towhees winter on Vancouver Island and temperate areas along B.C.’s western coast. Read more

Northern Shoveler Ducks At Reifel Bird Sanctuary in BC

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Northern Shoveler duck at Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary in Delta, BC, Canada.

As Bob and I rounded the trail that borders West Field at the George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary, we could not believe our eyes.  In a wide channel in the midst of a slough were several groupings of very impressive ducks:  Northern Shoveler Ducks, to be exact.  We had never seen this species of duck before but there was no mistaking this Northern Shoveler Duck with its over-sized bill. Read more

Northern Pintail Ducks At Reifel Bird Sanctuary in British Columbia

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Northern pintail duck at Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary in Delta, BC, Canada.

Even before Bob and I pulled into the parking lot at George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary, there was no doubt that we were in for some fantastic birdwatching.  On the approach, paralleling the road, was a channel where Great Blue Herons and Common Mergansers were leisurely passing the afternoon.  Our walkabout began along East Dyke, but we soon branched off onto a trail that meandered alongside a series of very large ponds.  That is where we became enthralled with a flock of Northern Pintail Ducks. Read more

Trumpeter Swans On A Delta Farm Field in BC

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trumpeter swans on delta farmland - BC - 2

After a morning well spent at Boundary Bay Regional Park in the Delta region south of Vancouver, Bob and I made our way towards another popular birdwatching location still situated on the Fraser River estuary, the George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary.  While progressing in that northwesterly direction, we had to pass through an extensive array of farm fields, and in one such field, Bob and I spotted a number of Trumpeter Swans (Cygnus buccinator) scavenging for remnants of grain. Read more

Trumpeter Swans During Winter At La Salle Park

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trumpeter swans prepare to land on ice - burlington bay - ontario

Trumpeter swans landing in the winter on ice at La Salle Park, Burlington, Ontario

When Bob and I visited La Salle Park in Burlington last winter, we had quite a significantly different experience from the last time we found ourselves there in April 2013.  A good number of Trumpeter Swans (Cygnus buccinator) were present just offshore from the snow-covered beach, but rather than dallying in the warm waters of Hamilton Harbour, they were trying to keep warm on the icy surface of the frozen bay. Read more

Juvenile Bald Eagle At Boundary Bay in British Columbia

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Immature Bald Eagle - Boundary Bay - BC - 1

As Bob and I completed the trail that leads to Centennial Beach Cafe, we heard a raucous in a treetop right above our heads.  A sole juvenile Bald Eagle sat perched there at rest, whereas only one week earlier, according to regular visitors, about 200 Bald Eagles were seen in Boundary Bay Regional Park and environs. Read more

Pygmy Nuthatches At Grand Canyon National Park

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Pygmy Nuthatch in a pine tree at Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, USA

After completing a guided Fossil Walk along the South Rim Trail at    Grand Canyon National Park  ,    Bob and I hiked further along the rim to Maricopa Point before turning and heading back towards Maswik Lodge.  Our detour proved worthwhile when we discovered a small flock of Pygmy Nuthatches inhabiting one of the many trees. Read more

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