July 2015

Jul. 18 Cypress Mountain

The mountain did not yield many species for the day, but some of the species that are not very common in Vancouver. Had quick views of Chipping Sparrow and Red Crossbill.

 Violet-green Swallow

Hastings Park 

Green Heron

is a lifer for me. It is famous for its ability to use baits to fish.

2 of them were by the board walk when I arrived, but this on chased the other away.

Even though the bird did not use a bait, it still made fishing look easy.

With its almost 100% accuracy, it caught at least 70 fish in 2 hours! 

Jul. 25 Maplewood

Black-tailed Deer

1 male, 1 female, 2 youngs

Jul. 26 Iona
In the middle of July, many birds that breed in the north have already started their southbound migration. And many sandpipers and gulls are back.

Common Yellowthroat

male

 Semipalmated Sandpiper

 Spotted Sandpiper

some of the adults have molted into non-breeding, while some are still breeding on the island.

breeding adult 

 first year

 Osprey

Bonaparte's Gull

second lifer in July

May, June 2015

May 17, 2015

Lonsdale Quay

Pigeon Guillemot

Lonsdale is one of the best place in Vancouver for observing these sea birds.

They fly, and possibly nest, under the concrete shipyard pier just east of the quay market.

Even during non-breeding season, they sometimes forage fewer than 10 meters from the quay deck.

Burnaby Lake

Mallard

Ducks were already starting to molt, many male mallard were already loosing their green in May.

Cliff Swallow

 Tree Swallow

 Violet-green Swallow

Male

Female

 Killdeer

 Sandhill Crane

The pair at Burnaby Lake had a colt(chick) this June, but it died of unknown reasons.

Interestingly, some sites suggest that Sandhill Crane adults have yellow eyes, and one of these two in Burnaby doesn't.

 June 13, 2015
Burnaby Lake

Yellow Warbler

Male has stripes on the chest

 Female has cleat chest