Iona Beach

Birding, July 22, 2023: Duck drama, heron drama and wasps

Where: Iona Beach Regional Park and Terra Nova (Richmond)
Weather: Sunny, 23-27C

The Outing

Deferring our pilgrimage to the heron refuge in Chilliwack one more time, we stayed local and still saw herons, plus heron drama. It seems no body of water is big enough for some herons to share with others.

We started at Iona Beach and I had a plan–a second pair of sneakers to wear, so I could get them muddy and wet and still have a nice dry pair waiting in the car after. I also had bug spray to prevent a repeat of the Episode of Many Bites from the previous summer. Between the bug spray and sunblock, I was assured that every piece of sand would glue itself to my exposed skin. Which it did.

But no bites and no burn!

As is nearly always the case, the tide was extremely low and after going through the wooded area near the river, where we saw flycatchers, sand wasps, goldfinches, a bazillion dragonflies and more, we moved onto the tidal flats, where the sand was unusually firm1Obligatory “That’s what she said” joke here, affording us a sense of security that would later partly betray us as we did a big loop out into the area north of the jetty, only to encounter much muckier and slipperier sand as we approached the beach. We both stayed upright and my feet never got wet, though. I love it when a plan works.

At Terra Nova, the birds were fewer, including a few seagulls, distant herons and some more furtive goldfinches (Nic got nice shots, I got shots). I did get a decent pic of a seaplane, though! And the views are always nice.

I did some experimentation with adjusting ISO on the fly this time, and it looks like it somehow got stuck at a setting a few times that was way too high, blowing out several images (easily fixed in post, however). I may have to read the documentation.

Despite the heat (both areas offer little shelter from the sun), it was a perfectly pleasant outing. Who knows what setting on my camera I will next figure out how to sort of use?

The Shots

The Birds (and other critters)

Sparrows and sparrow-adjacent:

  • Anna’s hummingbird
  • Blackbird
  • Brown-headed cowbird
  • Goldfinch
  • Flycatcher
  • Northern flicker
  • Song sparrow
  • Spotted towhee
  • Swallow (could not ID which type)
  • White-crowned sparrow

Waterfowl:

  • Mallard
  • Great blue heron

Common:

  • Crow
  • Seagull

Raptors:

  • Bald eagle

Non-birds:

  • Sand wasps (roughly one million)
  • Dragonfly (several types)
  • Grasshopper

Birding April 29, 2023: Sunburns, mud and a million warblers

Where: Reifel Bird Sanctuary, Iona Beach
Weather: Sunny, around 18C or warmer

The Outing

With an unusually summer-like day forecast, we headed out mid-morning to Reifel, bedecked in t-shirts and shorts for the first time this year. I also brought sunblock, which proved to be very necessary.

Reifel was full of birds and full of people, many having booked no doubt due to the forecast, but the crowds thinned a bit after we’d been there awhile. The biggest changes we observed were:

  • Warblers. At first, we were just satisfied to get some shots, then realized the place was replete with warblers. They actually seemed to be crowding out the chickadees. I got at least two lifer shots.
  • Most of the winter migrants were still around, but their numbers were down quite a bit and a few, like the mergansers and scaups, were nowhere to be seen. I suspect the next time we visit, most of them will have moved on for the summer.
  • The geese were mostly tranquil. There was honking and some occasional nipping/alpha male nonsense, but they generally seemed more sedate. Maybe mating season mellows them out. Like, it’s hard to get a date when you’re going totally berserk.

After about four hours, we moved on to Iona Beach, where Nic wanted to find the elusive yellow-headed blackbird. We did see one, but did not get good photos (or in my case, any). Nic actually went back the next day on a Moby Dick-like quest and did get some shots. Even though he’s gotten great shots previously, so it’s not like it’s a lifer or anything. Weirdo! Or maybe he is assuming his final form as a Power Birder. First the yellow head, next the 600 mm lens.

We also saw a pile of warblers at Iona Beach. They were everywhere.

After journeying down the trails and past the barges, we agreed to walk across the tidal flats on the way back, as it would be quicker (in theory) and easier( in theory). It was neither!

But I found it strangely hilarious as the fairly firm sand gave way to increasingly mucky stuff, the kind that threatens to pull your shoes right off your feet. We never got our feet fully submerged, so I cal it a win. I also stuck to my plan to only take shots with my camera, and swapped out lenses several times for scenery shots and one poor ex-crab on the beach. A bit inconvenient compared to the phone, but my kit lens has some zoom capability, and it has a wider aspect ration, especially handy for the vast vistas of Iona Beach.

In all, it was a nice way to end the month, getting a nice preview of the warm summer weather to come.

And yes, I got a bit burnt in a few spots I missed with the sunblock. 😛

The Shots

Coming soon™.

The Birds (and other critters)

Sparrows and sparrow-adjacent:

  • Anna’s hummingbird
  • Barn swallow
  • Blackbird
  • Black-capped chickadee
  • Cowbird
  • Fox sparrow
  • Golden-crowned sparrow
  • Orange-crowned warbler
  • Rufous hummingbird
  • Savannah sparrow
  • Song sparrow
  • Spotted towhee
  • Tree swallow
  • White-crowned sparrow
  • Yellow-rumped warbler
  • Ruby-crowned kinglet

Waterfowl:

  • American coot
  • Canada goose
  • Gadwall
  • Great Blue Heron
  • Green-winged teal
  • Mallard
  • Northern pintail
  • Ring-necked duck
  • Sandhill crane
  • Wood duck

Raptors:

  • Bald eagle
  • Northern harrier

Common:

  • Pigeon
  • Seagull

Non-birds:

  • Douglas squirrel
  • Painted turtle

Reifel Bird Sanctuary and Iona Beach, Feb.11, 2023

The day was gray, and the sun only poked out a few times, but it was nice as always to get out among the birds. While the light was not always great, the birds often gave good pose to make up for it.

Here are a few of the photos I took.

Goose pondering, plus bonus goose pondering
The stare of a spotted towhee burning through your soul
Bald eagle hanging out atop a favourite tree
A song sparrow seriously questioning what I’m doing
A black-capped chickadee with the weirdest expression I’ve ever seen on one
An American coot having a nice stretch

And for now, I leave you with two blackbird photos, each weird in its own way.

The motion blur on this one gives the blackbird a spooky, spectral quality
This is what a blackbird looks like head-on when it’s screeching. Terrifying.

Snow gooseapalooza

We went birding to Iona Beach, Terra Nova and Garry Point today (all in the Richmond area) and saw snow geese at each spot, approximately 50 million of them, all honking and flapping and flying and pooping.

Here are just a couple of shots. I may pot more later.

A group of snow geese flying low over Garry Point.
Snow goose against the clouds, over Garry Point.
Coming in for a landing.
Trio in flight over Iona Beach.
A small group hanging out just offshore at Terra Nova.
Not a goose.