Where: Reifel Bird Sanctuary (Delta), Richmond Nature House, Terra Nova (Richmond) Weather: Partly sunny, 6-8°C
The Outing
We headed out for a rare weekday trip to Reifel and lo, when we got there we didn’t have to check in. Instead, a sign indicated that due to low reservations, anyone could just drive on in, which we did. And it was probably the quietest I’ve ever seen the sanctuary. We were able to go for long stretches without seeing anyone, especially in the first hour or so.
What we did see were chickadees. A billion chickadees. And at least a million towhees, who were being unusually cooperative in having their pictures taken. The avocets were still in the main pond, so they may be settling in for the winter. Sadly, they were on the far side, so good shots were not to be had. Herons were scattered about, but none particularly close and most of them either sleeping or grooming, boo. I mean, good for grooming and staying tidy, boo for not showing off that fantastic “stab you” stare they have.
Noted by their absence again were Canada geese and wood ducks. We did see some geese in a field outside the sanctuary, but the wood ducks were nowhere to be found.
We also saw a bonus pheasant on the way in, which was spiffy, even if we couldn’t really stop to get photos.
It was a good day for raptors, too, with a pair of juvenile bald eagles perching high in a tree above us, a Northern harrier sweeping across the shoreline, and a red-tailed hawk perching atop a tree and posing, though perhaps farther away than we would have liked.
Squirrels were copious and rotund.
At one point, Nic slipped when stepping onto one of the slippery wooden viewing platforms. I proved I was not a hardcore photographer by first asking if he was OK, then checking to see if his camera was OK (both were OK).
And after lamenting no Sandhill cranes as we got ready to leave, a pair of Sandhill cranes appeared as if by magic, so we rounded out Reifel with some shots of the pair stalking through the parking lot.
Next up was the Richmond Nature House, where plenty of chickadees, juncos, assorted sparrows and several ambitious squirrels were working away on the feeders. As a bonus, we also saw a downy woodpecker.
We rounded out the day at Terra Nova, where we saw few birds, but got some nice scenery shots of misty mountains, the setting sun and, of course, more planes than you can shake a jet engine at. Well, I did, at least. Nic doesn’t do planes. I compensate by doing all the planes.
Overall, it was a perfectly pleasant outing. There was little wind and it felt relatively mild. A nice way to wrap up birding for 2023 (barring minor excursions here and there).
The Shots
The Birds (and other critters)
Sparrows and sparrow-adjacent:
- American blackbird
- American robin (maybe)
- Black-capped chickade
e - Dark-eyed junco
- Downy woodpecker
- European starling (sighted, not shot)
- Fox sparrow
- Golden-crowned sparrow
- Northern flicker
- Song sparrow
- Spotted towhee
- White-crowned sparrow
Waterfowl:
- American avocet
- American coot
- American wigeon
- Bufflehead duck
- Great blue heron
- Green-winged teal
- Hooded merganser
- Long-billed dowitcher
- Mallard
- Northern pintail
- Northern shoveler
- Ring-necked duck
- Snow goose
- Trumpeter swan
Common:
- American crow
- Seagull
Raptors:
- Bald eagle (adult and juvenile)
- Northern harrier
- Red-tailed hawk
Non-birds:
- Black squirrel, gray squirrel and Douglas squirrel
