Some More Shorebirds

Sept 10 2015 Boundary Bay, Delta BC. Sunny

Sanderlings and Western Sandpipers roost on the rising tide.

Sanderling

Sanderling

Western Sandpiper

Before I made my way out to photograph the flood tide I made sure my camera and lens was calibrated. I used the Nikon D300s and the 500mm F4 with a 1x4 converter. As you can see these shots are sharper than the previous blog with just a moderate amount of sharpening.
I found out later that I had missed the Hudsonian Godwit and the White-fronted Geese which tells me I should have waited for the ebb tide when the Black-bellied Plovers returned.

Beside the birds, it was good to meet up with a number of birders I hadn't seen for months so that was good and as is the case with birding there is always another day.

"It's never late to start birding"

John Gordon

Langley /Cloverdale

BC Canada

A Few Hours at Boundary Bay

Jan 19 2014 72nd Ave Boundary Bay Sunny 11c

I spent the morning and early afternoon conducting a one on one photography course in White Rock. It was gratifying to see someone find their creative side and begin to explore the possibilities that digital photography can offer. 

There were still a few hours of daylight left so I headed down to nearby 72nd Ave to see the Golden Eagle. I needed it for my year list which now stands at 81 species for 2015. To keep things simple I'm only counting birds within Canada. I've even acquired a scope which I put into good use yesterday to get close up views of the Golden Eagle at sunset. I've even started scoping flock of gulls, slowly but surely I have been completely sucked into the birding bug!

Watching such a magnificent bird through a quality scope was magical. Free of the restraints of camera and lens, the experience was quite different from what I am used to. I could study the golden nape, the intricate feathers, and chattering call, the sheer power and mystical quality of the bird was jaw dropping. I tried unsuccessfully to digicope, looking at the results i'll need a lot, lot more practice.

Red-tailed Hawk 

Meanwhile while waiting for the 'Sweet Light' this light phase Red-tailed Hawk flew reasonably close. I took my Tamron 150mm-600mm so I could handhold and give my tennis elbow injury a rest. My doctor told me not to carry a big lens and tripod for six more weeks. Who would have thought i'd get injured photographing birds!

Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)

This looks like a second year bird as it flies into a favoured perch, a Lombardi Popular tree. It spends its day hunting ducks, harassing Bald Eagles and delighting scores of photographers who if they stay any longer will have to change their postal code.

Yarrow and sunset.
The sun sets over the horizon after another perfect day in paradise.

"It's never too late to start birding"


John Gordon
Langley/Cloverdale

A Few Hours at Blackie Spit.

 Nov 6 Blackie Spit, Boundary Bay Cloudy 7c

The next day I accompanied Andrew Foxall around Blackie Spit. There were number of Western Sandpipers, Dunlin, American and Eurasian Wigeon as well as a few hybrids. A Bald Eagle flew overhead and sent the ducks in the air, as the flock circled we also observed five Marbled Godwit and one Long-billed Curlew. The 'six amigos' flew off to the Farm Slough next to the railway track.
Around the tidal pond a Sharp-shinned Hawk was hunting. This is the first shot I took. I eventually moved around to get a 'cleaner' shot without so many intersecting branches. I do however like the Fall colours and the intense look of the bird.

Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus)

The Farm Slough/Blackie Spit.
The spit became a park in 1996 as the result of a Surrey-wide referendum.

The same Sharp-shinned Hawk but standing a few away from the original shot. I prefer this composition for the clean and darker background. Others might prefer the first shot that includes some Fall colour.

"It's never too late to start birding"

John Gordon

Langley/Cloverdale 

Birds, Birds and more Birds

Sept 3 2014  Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary and Boundary Bay. Sunny and Warm 20c

I was good to be birding again. The wind, the sun, the birds, plus meeting more than a few birding friends made for the perfect morning to go birding. There were the two Peters, both photographers and avid birder Floyd. Super birding duo Tak and Mama rounded out the gaggle watching the two rails and sandpipers.
I also met to Ian, a Canadian who now calls Seattle home, his tally of birds has just surpassed an amazing 6000 species. Sorry to tell you Ian, only 4000 more to go!

A most unusual sight, a Sora (Porzana carolina) in a tree. 

The morning began in a most unusual fashion with number of us photographing a Sora climb a bush and then fly across the pond. No one had ever seen a Sora behaving in that manner. Thanks to Floyd for spotting that one. Then the Virginia Rail came searching for food obliging us with excellent views. As the rails went round their business, the trees behind us were alive with Red-winged Blackbirds, American Goldfinch, Orange-crowned Warblers and Downy Woodpecker. A Lincoln's Sparrow and Yellow Warbler made a brief appearances further along the trail.

Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola)
The first three pictures were all taken at the same spot at the corner of the West field.

The two rails, the Sora and Virginia Rail fed within feet of the lookout, seemingly oblivious to onlookers.

Out in the pond seven Stilt Sandpiper fed amongst the Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs. The Ruff was nowhere to be seen and may have moved on. A Peregrin Falcon flew low scattering the Western Sandpipers. The Yellowlegs headed for the rushes to join a Muskrat feeding on the bullrush tubers.

Orange-crowned Warbler (Vermivora celata) with a snail.

Soon it was time to head for Boundary Bay for the rising tide. At 13metres there was hardly any meaningful movement so I donned my boots and walked out into the muddy bay. Except for the odd raiding Peregrine Falcon the flocks of Western Sandpipers had the place to themselves. Small groups of Semipalmated Plovers scurried across the sand accompanied by a few Sanderlings. Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs fed together while a spotted Sandpiper picked off insects from a log. Hundreds, perhaps thousands of Green-winged Teal and Mallard fed in the shallows.
                                       
                                                                                ****

The image below shows the size difference between a Spotted Sandpiper(l) and the Greater Yellowlegs (r)

Boundary Bay is a busy place in Aug through Oct. Masses of shorebirds migrate through which attracts predators like the Peregrine Falcon. 

The Predator

Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)

The Prey

Western Sandpipers (Calidris mauri)

Pectoral Sandpiper (Calidris malanotos)

As the tide ebbed it was time to head back to the dyke. I have learnt to tread carefully as many species of Sandpipers feed well away from the water and close to shore. Sometimes they can so well camouflaged any can be very easy to miss.
On my way back I photographed two Black-bellied Plover and this Pectoral Sandpiper. A careful approach is often rewarded with birds continuing to feed, allowing for a close-up image. I carry a small pad to kneel on so that I stay comfortable and dry. This allows me to keep still as sudden movements will flush the bird.

Reaching the dyke I could see quite a few small birds feeding on the piles of pungent and rotting seaweed that had been washed ashore. At first there were a few Savannah Sparrows, their yellow lores and white bellies shone in the sunshine.

Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis)

As the sparrows became used to my partially hidden location a Cooper's Hawk flew past scattering the smaller birds everywhere, a few minutes later a flock of American Pipits arrived in their place.

American Pipit (Anthus rubescens)

The day ended with a search for the pair of Sharp-tailed Sandpipers at the Mansion. They were quite far away out and I was satisfied to watch them through the binoculars.

"It's never too late to start birding"

John Gordon

Langley/Cloverdale

©John Gordon 2014

Sandpipers and Plovers

July 25 2014 Boundary Bay 104 St Delta B.C.

According to my diary entry of exactly one year ago I photographed an American Kestrel at the base of Delta's 104 St. If I was to go down to 104 St exactly a year later during a promising flood tide what might I find ?
The Delta Air Park parking lot at the base of 104 St is always worth a look. Sometimes a Merlin perches in the tall tree by the dyke entrance and who remembers the Tropical Kingbird that turned up a couple years ago and stayed for weeks. Hundreds of birders took part in the resulting "Twitch"
Anyway, the tide was to be around 13.4 ft which meant it would just reach up to the dyke. I arrived two hours early to search the bay for migrating shorebirds. I took a while but eventually after walking a kilometre across the bay (there were no other birders around) I managed to find what seemed the only flock on the beach. It took me an hour or so to approach what turned out to be a flock of forty Semipalmated Plovers.
It took a while to gain their confidence as they scurried along the mud and sand, busily feeding on whatever lurked or was stranded in the small tidal pools left over from the last high water.

Semipalmated Plover (charadrius semipalmatus)

Eventually I managed to get these shots. The plover below has captured what I think is a ragworm, note the pincers at the head. These worms were found at the edge of the water pools and appeared to be about thirty percent of the plover's catch.

Semipalmated Plover with ragworm.

As I photographed the flock I couldn't miss the affect passing light aircraft. Each time the plovers noticed the shadow and sound of a plane overhead they would in unison stop feeding, crouch down and essentially disappear from view.
                                                        ****                        ****

As the plovers approached closer and closer my prone position became more and more uncomfortable, afraid to move so as not to spook the birds. Suddenly something frightened the flock and off they flew, finally giving me the chance to move my legs.


With the tide coming in the flock flew back to the same spot but this time they had brought about one hundred Western Sandpipers with them.
Watching them scurry across the sand, busily feeding on sand flies was an incredible sight. Their bright rufous upper scapulars shone in the late afternoon sun. It was a magical moment in a magical place.

Western Sandpiper (Calidris mauri) in a mixed flock of Semipalmated Plover.

Western Sandpiper showing rufous colouring on the head and scapulars.

It was good to get back to some birding after all the other events that had sidelined me recently. The previous day I had joined Gareth Pugh and others for a weekly visit (meet every Thursday 1 p.m at the pier) to Blackie Spit. Highlights amongst the 35 species noted included a fledgling Spotted Sandpiper (below) and a Western Tanager.

Juvenile Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularia)

All images D300s Nikon 500mm F4 with 1.4x converter except the Spotted Sandpiper which was the Tamron 150mm-600mm handheld from about 100 feet away.

It's never too late to start birding!

John Gordon

Langley/ Cloverdale

Four Birders/ One Show/ Five Bucks

 Here it is, better late than never.

Long-billed Curlew (Numenius americanus) Blackie Spit

http://boundarybayparkassociation.wordpress.com/2014/01/23/birds-in-focus-a-visual-presentation/