Young Birder Trip to Delta’s Boundary Bay
Young Birders at Boundary Bay - Photo: Melissa Hafting
We had 18 children come out to our young birder trip at Boundary Bay on Sept 20th. We met up at 104th St by Delta’s Heritage Airpark. We walked all the way down to the 80th St pumphouse. We had a later start than normal due to the tides. A big thank you to the parents for being accommodating.
Young Birders birding at the Boundary Bay Dyke - Photo: Claire Tong
We saw lots of American Pipits, Baird’s Sandpipers and Pectorals between 104th and 96th St. At 104th St we spotted a Peregrine Falcon eating a shorebird on the mudflats. We were scanning and scoping all the birds we could see. The youth got distracted by some caterpillars on the trail as well. Then a female Northern Harrier came flying right by us at eye level and metres away from us! The youth all gasped with glee! There was also a pair of American Kestrels which was nice to see.
Female Northern Harrier flying mere feet from us at the boundary bay dyke - Photo: Leo Jaspers
Male American Kestrel flying over 104th St at Boundary Bay - Photo: Leo Jaspers
At the foot of 96th St, we had hundreds of Black-bellied Plovers. I scanned them and found an American Golden-Plover which was a lifer for several of the youth. At one point, the birds flushed and came back without the American Golden-Plover. Then all of a sudden Bentley said what is that flying over us and calling and sure enough it was our American Golden-Plover!
We continued searching the flock and found 2 Red Knots, which was a lifer for some in the group. We also saw many Sanderlings and a few Dunlin, Least and Western Sandpipers. Luis spotted 2 Caspian Terns for the group as well.
Least Sandpiper and Pectoral (in the background) at Boundary Bay - Photo: Leo Jaspers
As we continued on to the pumphouse between 96th and 88th St, we sat down to have a snack and rest. Here we saw a few Cooper’s Hawks circling over the mudflats and several Northern Harriers. We also saw a large flock of European Starlings. Behind the pumphouse we watched a Belted Kingfisher dive down into the ditch and see it catch a fish! A Northern Flicker posed beautifully for us as well.
A view of Boundary Bay - Photo: Claire Tong
Northern Flicker in Delta - Photo: Leo Jaspers
There were not many shorebirds at the pumphouse, so we continued on towards 88th St. There we had more American Pipits and searched for Horned Larks to no avail. There were lots of Sparrows along the trail and many Ducks in the air which made us all know fall was truly here. We also had many Yellow-rumped Warblers and Common Yellowthroats. We also had a Common Raven fly by calling loudly which delighted all the corvid lovers in the group. Miranda made us all laugh when she told us about Fat Bear Week, an event that none of us had heard of before!. Claire also gave me a sticker she drew of my fave bird a Rough-legged Hawk. All of the youth and I were truly impressed by her artistry.
Young birder Claire drew this sticker of a Rough-legged Hawk on her own! What a talent!
American Pipits at Boundary Bay - Photo: Leo Jaspers
Common Raven calling at Boundary Bay - Photo: Leo Jaspers
At the foot of 88th St Leo spotted a sleeping Brant Goose among the gulls. A unusual sight in early fall all alone there on the flats.
Digiscope of a Brant Goose far out on the mudflats - Photo: Leo Jaspers
When we finally got to the 80th St pumphouse, the youth were exhausted. They were exhausted but excited. We had walked 4.83 km at this point. There we had hoped to see the recently found Sharp-tailed Sandpiper and rare Buff-breasted Sandpiper. We found a group of Pectorals and the kids walked down very carefully as not to flush the birds and got some sensational photos of the birds and there they found the rare Buff-breasted Sandpiper. The Buff-breasted was a lifer for almost all the youth and they seemed to gain a new found energy! After this the children were picked up by their parents who kindly waited for us as we returned a little later than planned.
Pectoral Sandpiper at 80th St pumphouse at Boundary Bay - Photo: Leo Jaspers
Buff-breasted Sandpiper at Boundary Bay - Photo: Leo Jaspers
Buff-breasted Sandpiper at Boundary Bay - Photo: Leo Jaspers
Buff-breasted Sandpiper at Boundary Bay - Photo: Leo Jaspers
After the event a few young birders went with me to see the Cocos Booby sitting on a tanker in front of Jericho Pier which was a lifer for them. It was a bird brought in by the current El Nino. We had not had one in Vancouver waters that many saw since 2019.
Cocos Booby in Vancouver - Photo: Tobin Sparling
It was a great young birder trip and as usual I forgot to take a group photo before a few of the youth had left unfortunately!
Young Birders at Boundary Bay on our shorebird trip - Photo: Melissa Hafting
