CrazyM Bird & Nature Photography
Birding in British Columbia, Canada
Managed to get out to Boundary Bay this afternoon for the high tide. A beautiful day to be out there except there were no shore birds. A few small flocks flew by, but none were sticking around. I was hoping to see the breeding plumaged Ruddy Turnstone. There was a Peregrine Falcon buzzing around, but there was not much for it to go after either. The consolation being,
… the Peregrine Falcon was sitting nicely in a tree when I got back to the car.
It was fairly quiet on the visitor and birding front at Reifel this afternoon. There was, however, one of the regular shore birds that stood out a little from its counterparts.
The worn adult/breeding plumage on this Lesser Yellowlegs was noticeably different than the rest of the Lesser Yellowlegs (non breeding/juveniles). Always a good learning experience to see varying plumages and have them explained by experienced birders.
After some morning errands were completed there was a window of opportunity for me to get out. So I made my way to Boundary Bay for some shore birds. Target bird of the day was Ruddy Turnstone which had been seen the last couple of days. The usual Black-bellied Plovers were at the foot of 104 St., but I continued toward the pilings and just west of them I noticed some activity.
There were two Ruddy Turnstones not far from the dyke.
Being the only one out there, they were comfortable and allowed me to move around with them usually just 25-30 feet away.
As you can see from the above shots they were busy turning over driftwood foraging for food.
Also bark, as in this shot, and rummaging through the seaweed.
The Turnstone were mixed in with a group of Baird’s Sandpipers,
… a few Pectoral Sandpipers,
… and a couple of Lesser Yellowlegs.
So, a good first day out shore birding.