November 30, 2007
It was 38 degrees F or 3 degrees C this afternoon when we decided that we had to get some fresh air and exercise, when we got out of the car and started our walk, we wondered why we were out there, the wind was bringing the temperature down, something the weather people call wind chill factor. Even with our winter clothing the temperature was numbing but keeping up a good brisk walk we continued on and found four Great Blue Heron roosting in the trees over the East Bird Blind. They did not exactly look like it was fun up there in the trees, the expressions on their faces bordered on frowns, when they weren't burying their heads in their feathers.
Behind the blind, sheltered from the wind, American Wigeon, Mallards and a couple of Northern shoveler females were busy souring the water for food. The blind gave us some protection from the colder temperatures as well.
After taking a break in the blind we did a quick walk to the West Bird Blind on the South Lagoon, there we found four Double-crested Cormorants, more American Wigeon, Buffleheads, Cackling Geese, Ring-necked Ducks and a lovely young male Barrow’s Goldeneye. The Barrow’s Goldeneye and American Wigeon were in the little inlet off the lagoon and it is also more protected. The water on the South Lagoon and North Lagoon was rippled from the wind making any photography of the hardy birds there impossible.
Some of the song birds stopped long enough for us to photograph them but most of them were busy finding cover from the wind and cold today.
We stayed in the West Bird Blind long enough to warm up and then double-timed our way back to the Rotary Interpretive Centre to say hi to Val. Then home again for a hot cocoa and a look at our photos, some Christmas decorating and rest.
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November 29, 2007
Although we had numerous things to do today besides going for a walk, the sun beckoned and we followed it out to the Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve. Janet greeted us with the announcement that her school field trip group would be going out to the East Bird Blind within half an hour.
We headed out to the viewing tower first so that Bruce could get some shots of the mountains in the distance.
We then headed to the East Bird Blind to see who was hanging around there. Most visible on the North Lagoon was a large flock of Canada Geese. A Hooded Merganser female dipped her head under water and then raised herself up wings spread in a joyous move.
At the East Bird Blind we found a couple of Great Blue Heron roosting in the trees next to the blind. Behind the blind were more Canada Geese and some American Wigeon. As we watched the Canada Geese headed out in a couple of long trains along to the North Lagoon, a Green-winged Teal female followed them and we headed out along the Salwein Creek path.
There were the usual Juncos, Chickadees, Towhees and Song Sparrows foraging for food as we wandered along, among them a Golden-crowned Kinglet and Ruby Crowned Kinglet.
The mountains were so pretty today that we took more photos where ever we could get a photo.
We headed to the South Lagoon and got to the bridge just as the Canada Geese set up a large cacophony of honking. We turned to see what all the noise was about just in time to see an argument between a couple of the Canada Geese, while the others in the flock seemed to encourage the set to.
When we arrived at the West Bird Blind there were the usual Cormorants on the log behind the blind, the blind is very useful in watching these birds as they are quite unaware that there is anyone there watching them.
What looked like a Golden Eagle was flying over the Vedder River toward the hills behind when we were starting out from the West Bird Blind.
We continued on our way and stopped for a moment at the end of the South Lagoon to take in the view of the mountains in the distance. At the edge of the lagoon a couple of male Mallards glowed green, while a group of Canada Geese led the way out of the water to rest on a small sand bar.
As we wandered up the road toward the Rotary Interpretive Centre we stopped at the bench areas to take photos of the various ducks on the lagoon. Our attention was drawn to the Common Merganser couple that were sleeping and floating peacefully together.
Also there were Ring-necked Duck, American Wigeon, Buffleheads and Grebe. The water was calm looking with the sun out it was a nice change from the grey skies that we have had recently.
Cackling Geese were also floating quietly among the other ducks seeming to enjoy the day.
We stopped in and had a visit with Tracy at the Rotary Interpretive Centre and headed out to do the numerous things that take up a person’s day to day life.
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November 28, 2007
We had lunch and decided that even though there were grey clouds and snow forecast that we would take a walk around the Sardis Park pond to see what ducks were there.
We were greeted by three Mallards running toward us to see if we were going to feed them and when we didn’t they just stopped in their tracks to forage for food right where they were.
Our little Bibbed Mallard friend was present as always and swam right up to us to say hello.
We thought that maybe we could get a Northern shoveler with its bill out of the water for a minute. The Northern shovelers were there and they were busy in their circle with heads down rotating and sieving the water for tasty snacks. One of the males decided that it would take a break and we did finally get his wonderful bill out of the water.
There were the usual large flocks of American Coot, Canada and Cackling Geese, some American Wigeon (not as many as usual) and flocks of Mallards.
The Mallards were performing their courting displays here just like they were at the Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve yesterday. There was one couple that had paired off and were in a secluded corner of the pond, facing each other nodding and dipping their bills into the water.
Another Mallard seemed to be paired off with an incredibly beautiful caramel coloured female. They were separate from all the other Mallards for awhile and came out on land to walk through the skiff of snow at the edge of the pond.
There were at least eleven Double-crested Cormorants using the pond, at one time they were grouped together so we managed to get a group photo.
A nice surprise for us was a flock of male Common Mergansers with one female. They were easy to spot on the pond and seemed to stay pretty close to each other.
The Toulouse Goose was swimming with her young Toulouse-Canada Goose at the far end of the pond; she came out of the water while the young “TouCan” went to sleep standing at the edge of the water.
The Egyptian Goose was busy finding something to eat and stopped long enough to lift its head for a close up. It is relatively tame and doesn’t seem to move away from us, of course we give it and all the birds some space anyway.
The mountains were beautiful today shrouded in clouds with fresh snow and we love the view from the park with the pond and trees in the foreground.
It started to rain so we decided that it was time to head home for a warm coffee and see our photos.
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