Sept 7-8: Vancouver birding

After snagging the GREAT EGRET near Harrison Mills I met up with Ilya down around Boundary Bay where the birding was fairly good. Shorebirds were fairly light on the ground but a single MARBLED GODWIT and a few RED KNOTS kept things interesting. The two best birds out on the dyke though were a single VESPER SPARROW (hindsight note: was still there 3 days later), and a fly-by PARASITIC JAEGER-- both new Vancouver birds for me.


After birding the Bay, we joined Cathie Barron, Mark Wynja, and a group from Ontario, at Brunswick Point where we hoped the high tide might bring in the Bar-tailed Godwit to the pilings. No such luck with that bird, but as you can see we enjoyed a fabulous sunset and a flyover BARN OWL.


Sept 8: Today while birding Reifel, Ilya and I got a call from Peter Candido who was looking at a BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER at Bounday Bay. We raced over there but unfortunately could not immediately find it amongst the 300+ PECTORAL SANDPIPERS. Eventually however, on our walk back to the car, I spotted the little devil hiding behind an old shoe! (pictured-- #361!)

There was also a BLACK TURNSTONE present, my first for "The Bay" proper.

Thanks Peter!

Ptarmigan hunt tomorrow...