Northern Arrivals

Nov 2 2015 Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal Sunny 12c

As I briefly mentioned in the previous blog I had gone to the ferry terminal to look for Snow Buntings, hoping to add them to my 2015 bird list. As it turned out I would have to return the next day.
After a quick scan along the shoreline revealed nothing, not even a sparrow, I stopped for lunch. The sun was warm as I watched a Common Loon now in full winter plumage catch flounder after flounder. Occasionally a Horned Grebe would join in and then a flotilla of Double-crested Cormorants swam by, diving in unison suddenly popping-up again a few minutes later.
At the ferry terminal thousands of Dunlin were being pursued by a Peregrine Falcon, the enormous flock flashing grey and white as the tiny sandpipers tried to evade the speedy predator. Even from several hundreds of metres/yards away the noise of their wings carried with the breeze across the water. Who needs National Geographic when you have these sounds and sights in our own backyard!
Just as I was leaving the ferry terminal I noticed a flock of white birds fly across the roadway, one almost got hit by a lorry. There were my Snow Buntings

I drove alone the gravel causeway where I caught up with the flock of eight birds. They were extremely skittish and would fly off everytime a loud vehicle roared by.

Anyway here are a few of my favourite shots, cropped quite a bit as the birds were hard to approach which is unusual as normally they can be quite co-operative.

"It's never too late to start birding"

John Gordon

Langley/Cloverdale

BC Canada