Young Birder Trip to Victoria
Young Birders at Clover Point in Victoria - Photo: Melissa Hafting
7 of us met at the ferry jetty in Tsawwassen and boarded the ferry to Swartz Bay. At the ferry berth we spotted a Brown Pelican resting on the drums near the breakwater.
Brown Pelican at the ferry berth in Tsawwassen - Photo: Leo Jaspers
We also saw some Brandt’s Cormorants, a Pigeon Guillemot and lots of Black Oystercatchers. We saw nesting Glaucous-winged Gulls, Pelagic Cormorants and Double-crested Cormorants which was neat to see. The gulls were pretty cute.
Glaucous-winged Gull chicks in Tsawwassen - Photo: Leo Jaspers
Pelagic Cormorant on its nest in Delta - Photo: Leo Jaspers
We didn’t see much in Active Pass but did see a Cooper’s Hawk flying across the ocean near Moresby Island.
After this we got on the bus and headed to Beacon Hill Park. We had a nice lunch at Beacon Drive In Restaurant. The restaurant was packed on this hot summer day.
We heard some Red-breasted Nuthatches and Chestnut-backed Chickadees and Bushtits at Beacon Hill Park and then walked over towards Clover Point. Along Dallas Rd we spotted a Buck Black-tailed Deer with antlers.
At Clover Point we saw dozens of Rhinoceros Auklets and a few Marbled Murrelets. The young birders also spotted a few River Otters and had fun tide pooling. Here we also saw some beautiful Harlequin Ducks. We also watched Barn Swallows collecting seaweed and twigs for nesting material. Black Oystercatchers were on the rocks but sadly no Heermann’s Gulls were present.
Rhinoceros Auklets at Clover Point in Victoria - Photo: Leo Jaspers
Barn Swallows collecting Seaweed for their nests - Photo: Cole O’Byrne
Barn Swallows collecting Seaweed for their nests - Photo: Cole O’Byrne
Black Oystercatchers in Victoria - Photo: Cole O’Byrne
We walked up towards Ross Bay Cemetery where we encountered a Doe deer this time. We also had a Downy Woodpecker and a Turkey Vulture flying over. It was super-hot and we hopped on the bus to head to Maber Flats. As soon as we got on the bus one of the youths realized they had forgotten their headphones at the restaurant that we had lunch at. Luckily, he was able to retrieve them.
Black-tailed Deer doe in Victoria, BC - Photo: Leo Jaspers
We then went to Maber Flats in Saanich, where we met up local birder Jody Wells. He had discovered that a pair of Wilson’s Phalaropes had 2 chicks. This is the first breeding record for Vancouver Island. We were lucky to spot one of the young. Adult male Phalaropes are the ones who rear the young and have the visually inferior breeding plumage. In the avian world most of the male birds show the ornate plumage in breeding but it is opposite in phalaropes.
Jody was awesome and showed us American Coot chicks, Blue-winged Teals, Cedar Waxwings Anna’s Hummingbirds, Sora and a cute Virginia Rail Chick! We also saw Least Sandpipers and an unusual for this time of year Ring-necked Duck, plus much more! There were a lot of Turkey Vultures and Killdeer too and a Long-billed Dowitcher.
Cedar Waxwing at Maber Flats in Saanich - Photo: Leo Jaspers
Wilson’s Phalarope chick with Killdeer in Saanich - Photo: Cole O’Byrne
Anna’s Hummingbird female in Saanich - Photo: Cole O’Byrne
Juvenile American Coot in Saanich - Photo: Cole O’Byrne
Jody also helped shuttle some kids which was so kind and helpful. After we said our goodbyes from a nice visit at Maber as we were walking out the trail, we watched a Mallard hit the wire of some powerlines and get electrocuted in front of the kids and die instantly. The sound was very harsh and unsettling. There were no deterrents on the power lines to deter the birds from flying into them. Places like Boundary Bay in Delta do a good job of marking the power lines with flashy material so the birds don’t fly into them as easily. We also saw many European Wall Lizards which were introduced. The tiny lizards enthralled the youth.
We next were off to the Victoria Airport off Avenger Way to look for Eurasian Skylarks. We could not find any skylarks sadly as it is not the best time of year to hear them singing and there are so few of these introduced birds left. We did see a pair of American Kestrels and one was eating a songbird. Hopefully it was not eating a Skylark!
After this, we were on our way back to the Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal. At the terminal we saw a pair of Belted Kingfishers and had 26 Common Nighthawks flying around catching insects over the ferry and terminal and ocean. It was a rare sight! You don’t normally see Nighthawks in the daytime flying around. At one point the Nighthawks were dive bombing a Bald Eagle! The kids were thrilled by the nighthawks and it was a nice way to end our trip.
Common Nighthawk (1 out of 26 birds) at Swartz Bay - Photo: Leo Jaspers
Common Nighthawk in Swartz Bay - Photo: Cole O’Byrne
On the ferry ride back, we had some close views of Marbled Murrelets, Rhinoceros Auklets, California Gulls, Pigeon Guillemots and all 3 species of Cormorants. The Brown Pelican we had seen earlier in the morning was not present when the ferry docked but 2 Ospreys were!
Pigeon Guillemots on the ferry ride back - Photo: Cole O’Byrne
Thanks to everyone who came out for the trip. Looking forward to see you at our next trip Aug 23rd at Yew Lake!
