BIRDING BY EAR Sat. April 10th, 2010.
12 Apr 2010 Leave a Comment
BIRDING BY EAR April 10th, 2010
Ten people stalked the old golf course at the Townsite with Pierre Geoffray listening for birds. It was “briskly cold” but warmed up later. Many of the migrants had flown north after the storm three days ago but there were enough singing for our purposes. The most conspicuous were Song Sparrows, Purple Finches, Spotted Towhees, Varied Thrushes, Yellow-rumped Warblers and Ruby-crowned Kinglets who actually showed off their ruby crowns. Several sea lions also serenaded us.
As we entered the forest part of the walk, a tiny Winter Wren was carrying some mossy nesting material in its bill and entered in a cavity about 25 feet of the ground in a cedar tree. We watched it poke its head out of the nest and then challenge us with a lively song. A little further along, a Varied thrush and a Robin sounding their alarm notes prompted Elizabeth to look up to see a roosting Barred Owl that we all saw. We ended up with a list of 32 birds which is pretty good. We saw no Rufous Hummingbirds or Turkey Vultures.
Pierre Geoffray listens for TowheesAudubon WarblerThe Barred owl Elizabeth found
Audubon WarblerBarred Owl
Barred Owl
Wildflowers April 3, 2010
03 Apr 2010 Leave a Comment
Led by Shirley Cole and Clyde Burton, 
six people enjoyed the sunshine after the previous day’s big storm. Rod Innes took us to see the white fawn lilies at Sliammon and we then proceeded on to Dinner Rock where we picked up Walter Kubany and looked at shooting stars, blue-eyed Mary, two kinds of monkey flower, pink sea blush, parsley and liquorice ferns and other floral beauties. The chocolate lilies will be out in another ten days. Up Malaspina Road we found calypso orchids still in bud and estimated that another week or so would see them in bloom.
