Vancouver

Starting off with a video of the Nuggett Falls which I struggled to get on to the previous post. You can see the corner of the glacier as the camera swings left. We've seen glaciers in Norway and Switzerland but most Americans haven't so it's a big plus to see one. Having said that both glaciers were impressive in their own way. 

We had good reports of Vancouver and had a list of places to go and three days to go there. 

Day one saw us going to the Capilano suspension bridge and park which is another good example of the temperate rain forest along America's west coast. The bonus here was the treetop trail which got us up at eye level with some nice birds including rufous humming bird, dark-eyed junco, chestnut-backed chickadee and a seen and heard pileated woodpecker. We also saw another belted kingfisher as well as the usual gulls and crows. 

Treetop trail

Good views from higher up

Cheeky red squirrel

The ravine

The suspension bridge

Clifftop walk

Day two was based round Granville Island and the hop on- hop off bus. Birdwise it was a quiet day with no new species apart from house sparrow and mallard!!

Vancouver skyline

Granville Market

Glaucous-winged gull

The steam clock 

Day three saw us back to Stanley Park a large recreational area with woodland trails, lakes and a sea wall walk with stunning views. We had the usual gulls and crows, Canada geese, both types of cormorant and several great blue herons on a list of 16 species. However a walk through the wooded area and a stroll round Beaver Lake added a few new birds to the list - Carolina wood duck, bank swallow, red-winged blackbird, fox sparrow, white fronted sparrow and hermit thrush. No sad faces as the camera had packed in by this stage. 

Vancouver from Stanley Park

Lion's Gate Bridge

Phone shot of great blue heron and Canada geese

Beaver lake

Stanley Park, we only managed a small part of it.

Regular blog readers will know I love lists, so here are a few to keep you amused:

I managed 15 lifers.

I added 21 species to the North American list which now stands at 81.

The trip list ended up with 34 species.

Managed to add 26 to the 2023 list but happy to keep them separate. 

Since coming home to a re-opened WOW I have added common sandpiper.  It was badly hit by bird flu with the black-headed gulls being worst hit. We did not pick up any Mediterranean gulls at all and fear they may have been hit as well. They were nesting in the corner of the small platform surrounded by 150 gull pairs and a handful of terns. Currently there is no sign of them and there are very few black-headed gull chicks around the reserve, normally the place is coming down with them. There were however three sandwich terns and ten arctic terns on the reserve as well as around 200 black-tailed godwits.  A late addition this week was a flyover female kestrel which headed north towards Carnmoney Hill. As it passed over all the terns went up and I was lucky enough to pick it up 

Not sure when the next (more local) blog will be, but we are off on our travels again - only as far as Bolton this time. 

2023 

145: Manx shearwater

146: Reed warbler

147: Cetti's warbler

148: Osprey

149: Stock dove

150: Little tern

151: Common sandpiper (USA/Canada: 26 = 177 for the year)

NDCP

66: Manx shearwater

Belfast RSPB

83: Kittiwake

84: Common sandpiper

85: Kestrel