Blog – Page 104 – CrazyM Bird & Nature Photography

Baird’s & Least Sandpipers

Well, so much for my wishful thinking from yesterday. While the higher tides replenished the tidal pools providing some variety to the habitat, the bay area was still conspicuously quiet on the shore bird front again this afternoon.

Thank goodness for a small group of Baird’s Sandpipers,

… or I might have been skunked on today’s walk.

There were only three of them,

… and the odd man out was this Least Sandpiper tagging along with them.

They flew in together to the area of the pilings.

The Baird’s Sandpipers allowed me to get quite close while they foraged.

Baird's Sandpiper & Least Sandpiper — Baird’s Sandpiper & Least Sandpiper

Then as the tide came in the group got back together on this piece of wood.

While they were trying to avoid the rising water levels, it did provide a couple of shots showing the difference in size between the larger Baird’s Sandpiper and our smallest peep the Least Sandpiper.

Pipit & Heron

This afternoons visit to Boundary Bay for the rising tide was similar to my last. Very minimal shore bird activity or presence at all. Unusual for this area (between 104 St. and the mansion) given the time of year. But not all was lost,

… this American Pipit stayed in one spot for a time allowing me to get quite close. A little out of the ordinary for these birds, usually they are constantly on the move.

Also relaxed and unconcerned with my presence was this Great Blue Heron doing a little stretching. Some of the shore birds I did see were Baird’s, Pectoral and Least Sandpipers, Long-billed Dowitcher, Greater Yellowlegs, Semipalmated and Black-bellied Plovers.

A number of the tidal pools have dried up as the tide has not been that high of late. Tonight it came up to the dyke. Hopefully this will restore some of these tidal pools making the area more attractive to some of the shore birds.

Plovers & Pipits

The high tide was not going to be very high at all today, but I still ventured out to Boundary Bay. Early in the walk I was not turning up any shore birds at all.

Even the Peregrine Falcon was left to harass some of the waterfowl without success. Eventually in front of the mansion a Greater Yellowlegs, Long-billed Dowitcher and a handful of Pectoral Sandpipers showed up.

I did manage this shot of a Pectoral Sandpiper and Greater Yellowlegs together which is kind of interesting showing the size difference between the two species. On my way back things were not looking much brighter. On the birding front that is, it was a beautiful afternoon to be out for a walk. Then some movement out in the sand caught my eye.

There was a small group of Semipalmated Plovers resting,

… tucked in amongst some seaweed and other vegetation.

This one was a little more out in the open,

… and allowed for this shot stretching its wings while on one leg. From here I headed to the pilings. Still no shore birds, but another recent arrival was present.

Some American Pipits were busy foraging for insects. They will show up along the shore line and neighbouring fields at this time of year when migrating south.

I set up low and close to the pilings and hoped for the best. This particular bird did alight on one of the stumps not too far off. I was happy to end the walk with these shots. These slender little birds can be difficult to get at times.