The last day of the month of March, and who would have thought when it started we'd be living like we are right now and for the foreseeable future! The weather must be conspiring to enforce staying at home, because it has turned wet and chilly again sending the Tree Swallows who knows where, and halting the return of the Rufous Hummingbirds - at least we will hope that is the only reason there has only been the occasional sighting of a male now and then.
the few times we have made it over to the park, it has pretty much looked the same.
occasionally there is a single gull - this was the one this morning, the other day it was a young one
Red-wing Blackbirds are spread out.....
and the females have arrived.
lots of American Robin still around.
This afternoon we ventured over to the dike, the first time since everything was shut down.
a definite tinge of green starting to show up.
Canada Geese in pairs just about everywhere in the fields and I'm pretty sure there was a Greater White-fronted Goose on the beach with a pair of Canada, unfortunately, before I could get a clear view, someone walked down the beach and spooked the trio. What ever it was, it definitely wasn't a regular Canada Goose.
the middle tree trunk is certainly being made use of! Pileated Woodpecker have obviously been busy at the bottom - we actually saw a pair of them today - and there is a pair of Northern Flicker on the trunk higher up.
here is the male.
There was also a ....
Hairy Woodpecker being very busy and not terribly cooperative.
Now, one last thing.....back at home....our native squirrel is the little Douglas Squirrel, this past winter we had a large black squirrel show up - this is a colour variation of the Eastern Squirrel that was introduced to Stanley Park back many years ago, and gradually spread over the entire lower mainland.... well, a week ago,....
this one showed up - the black one is still around but much shyer than this guy. We've never had 2 of this species here in all the time we've lived here.
Just a few things from the last few days...
we were rather surprised to see a Great Blue Heron over at the park the other day as most are busy nesting now. We had hoped to get over to the heronry this year, but with the present situation that is no longer really an option.
there was also a Mallard......think they are feeding on Salmon eggs because we have to remember that this was all under water in the fall and is where the salmon were spawning. One of the reasons no one should be walking along the foreshore.
back at home, we've had a Fox Sparrow amid the masses of Junco. A little strange for this time of the year.
Today's walk was just along the road, but still we found....
Salmon Berries in flower....
and even more exciting....
some Trillium in flower!
I've heard that Goldfinch are back but haven't seen any yet. Am beginning to wonder where the Purple Finch are too.
Here we are, the 23rd of March and nothing is the same is it! Who could of thought life could change so drastically, so quickly.
Fortunately, we are still able to get out for local walks and it is nice to see that although most things are different, some stay the same....
The first Rufous Hummingbird of the season was at our feeder last night, and we also saw the first Turkey Vulture yesterday, which was a beautiful day, at least weather wise.
Today the weather had changed...
Mt. Woodside was topped with snow once again, but if you look closely, the willows in the foreground are leafing out.
this was the log bay today....
and this is one of the American Robin that were there.
The other day, when it was sunny, there were two pair of....
Brewer's Blackbird. This is one of the females (photo of the male didn't work). We only seem to get this species of blackbird here in spring.
Back at home....late this afternoon another 'first of the season' showed up....
a Band Tail Pigeon! Not a great photo but considering the antics I had to go through to get it, not bad at all!
The most surprising - and definitely 'different' thing we saw today though was this....
leutistic Dark-eyed Junco! This is, of course, the time of the year when masses of junco move through (counting them tomorrow for Project Feeder watch is going to be a challenge!) Every year it seems one or two of these 'odd balls' is among them, but this one has to be the 'oddest' I've seen yet.
this, of course, is what they normally look like!
The last day of winter was pretty spectacular, more spring like than winter, which, considering everything else going on right now, is much appreciated!
We got for a walk over to the log bay...
there were a couple of pairs of Canada Geese, pair on this side....(only 1 visible in photo)
and another pair over here.
This was interesting....
A Northwestern Crow and a gull. I'm not sure what kind of gull, it looks a little dark to be a Herring Gull, possibly a Herring Gull/Western Gull cross? Really don't know. It is the first gull I've seen close up for a while.
There were also a number of Red-wing Blackbirds and House Finch as well.
The numbers of....
Tree Swallows is increasing. Not a great photo, but 'proof they are here'.
It sure has been a slow start to the spring season....life is so crazy right now with everything going on but at least finally we are getting some warmer weather after a few crazy days of sunny but frigid temperatures....
this was the scene on the dike yesterday, the first day in at least 5 months when it felt 'warm'! There were a lot of swans in the field, won't be seeing them much longer! I thought I heard Tree Swallows while we were walking here but I couldn't actually see any, however,
a little later in the day I walked over to the park and saw some swallows. This is actually about 2 weeks later than when we normally have a 'first of the season' sighting.
There hasn't been much else to see....
we did spot this Great Blue Heron in a tree one day and robins continue to be seen. I expect things to pick up soon. Apparently a Rufous Hummingbird was seen in Delta yesterday so soon!
Despite the fact it tried to snow here again yesterday, signs of spring continue. This morning we walked over to the park...
there was lots of activity along the trail, lot's of Black Capped Chickadee's and
Gold-crowned Kinglets....none terribly cooperative for picture taking...
however the biggest sign of spring....
was a pair of Song Sparrows, nest building. Unfortunately I couldn't catch the female carrying nesting material but I know where the nest is being built at the base of some Pink Spirea bushes and only a couple of feet off of the trail, so a reminder - keep you pets, kids and yourselves on trails....it is that time of the year!
Here is the other half of the Song Sparrow pair.
In the afternoon we ventured a bit further afield to East Sector park near Harrison Hot Springs....wanted to see if there was any sign of Trillium yet - there wasn't, but did find one or two...
Skunk Cabbage in bloom...there were also a very few Salmon berries showing colour. Not actually in flower, yet, but close.
Tomorrow is a supposed to be sunny so will be watching the skies as Tree Swallows were reported in Delta today....we've usually seen there here by now...maybe tomorrow.
It took a while but after a showery morning, this afternoon was beautiful....
we decided to take the walk in the opposite direction from our usual, this one runs along the edge of the Harrison River, heading to where it joins the Fraser way out there.
It was pretty quiet for birds....
but the sun and scenery was lovely
and we found the first 'wild flowers' ....
the native 'Indian Plum' shrub was coming into flower.
Since it was so nice, we then continued on along the route we normally take and to show that spring is definitely on it's way....
this pair of Northwestern Crow were building a nest!
and there were lots of American Robin again.
we had seen one Downy Woodpecker down the other end of the walk (and heard a pair of Pileated), this male Downy was up the other way, mixed in with the robins.
Song Sparrow have been with us all winter, but are now venturing out from the shelter of the blackberry bushes.
Seems it has been a long time since it has been anything but dark, dreary and wet around here.
this is pretty much what it looks like pretty much every day, including this afternoon. There are pussy willows, so I guess that is a sign...
This morning however was a little more promising...
it wasn't brilliant sunshine but the best we've seen for sometime, which is why we walked this morning rather than at our usual time.
It has been about 5 days since we've been able to say 'the robins are back!'....today was the first day I've managed to get pictures of them
think there must have been close to a hundred American Robin, they seemed to be everywhere!
here is another.....
and another.
Also seen for the first time this season....
European Starlings. There have been flocks of them around occasionally, but today they were in the trees. Starling are cavity nesters and nest early so have been expecting to see them.
Here is another sign of spring....the catkins of the alder tree and if you look closely, there are also a couple of Black Cap Chickadee.
The surprise of the day was....
spotting a Brewer's Blackbird. We've been hearing some Red-wings for a couple of weeks, although not seeing very many but this is the first Brewer's for along time.
Now it is March, hopefully all kinds of things will be showing up - if the weather cooperates.
