Casual birdwalk

The gang sets out – L. Hamoline photo

Goldeneye and a few Surf Scoters – A. Bryant photo

I like his style…Neil leads from the middle… – L. Hamoline photo

Oystercatcher and wigeon – A. Bryant photo

Heatwaves, harsh light and my 300 mm zoom is still not long enough…but here are the sea-lions out at McRae Rocks – A. Bryant photo

Neil thought this was a hybrid something or other…certainly it was smaller, and getting picked on by other Glaucus-winged gulls. I have no idea. Clyde? – A. Bryant photo

Onwards to Stillwater Bluffs – A. Bryant photo

Ulrike finds a comfortable vantage point – L. Hamoline photo

Enjoying the views – A. Bryant photo

What a day! – A. Bryant photo

Even further away, but the sea lions were still noisy! – A. Bryant photo

Casual birdwalk
by Andrew Bryant, 28 February 2015.

Saturday was sunny and calm as nine of us gathered for a low-key birdwatching excursion with Neil Hughes and myself.

We began at Palm Beach Regional Park, where we saw a hundred or more Surf Scoters, together with smaller numbers of the “usual suspects” (Horned Grebes, Harlequin ducks, Buffleheads, Barrow’s and Common Goldeneye, American Wigeon, a few loons in the distance, and the ever-delightful Black Oystercatcher. The woods were pretty quiet, with only the occasional Spotted Towhee or Song Sparrow breaking the silence. We did get some nice views of a Red-tailed Hawk.

After a couple of hours spent happily spent peering through spotting scopes, comparing binoculars, and discussing the finer points of identifying Lesser versus Greater Scaup, a few of us ventured out to Stillwater Bluffs. It was again very quiet, except for a quick glimpse of a hummingbird (Anna’s?) and the continual din of sea lions way over at McRae Rocks.

All in all, a quiet but deeply satisfying day, and much more fun than staying home to mow the lawn!

Cedwyn Phillips – “South Georgia and Antarctica”

Cedwyn Phillips – “South Georgia and Antarctica”
by Andrew Bryant, 23 Apr 2014.

Track of the *MV Ocean Nova*, 22 Nov – 10 Dec 2010
*Click on the image to enlarge*

Cedwyn is from London, England but now calls Powell River home.

In 2010 he and his wife Peggy spent 18 nights aboard the M.V. Ocean Nova as it traveled from Ushuaia, Argentina to the Falklands Islands. From there they cruised south, touring several spots on South Georgia, before going even further south – to the northern tip of Antarctica!

Judging from the map, you can imagine that must have been quite the trip. And so it was. It’s our privilege to share some of the slides we got to see.

Cedwyn may be soft-spoken, but his images speak volumes – enjoy the trip!

[metaslider id=15728]

Rambling with Clyde Part II (seabirds)

What “Ramblin with Clyde” actually means – C. Burton photo

Abandon ship! – A. Bryant photo

a nice immature bald eagle – A. Bryant photo

Black oystercatchers flying in… – A. Bryant photo

almost to our feet… – A. Bryant photo

…on an otherwise very dreary day… – A. Bryant photo

that only the seals could really enjoy – A. Bryant photo

Rambling with Clyde Part II (seabirds)
by Andrew Bryant, 16 November 2011.

Our resident naturalist, Clyde Burton, took seven members to Gibson’s Beach and Sliammon waterfront on Wednesday. Gibson’s Beach produced three herons in the trees and Glaucous-winged gulls almost at our feet. We stayed only long enough to separate the different age groups.

At Sliammon we saw several hundreds of gulls, the majority being Thayers. Among them were Glaucous-winged gulls, Mew and one Herring gull. In addition, all three mergansers were there, Golden-eye, Bufflehead, various scoters, Mallards, Gadwall, Green-wing teal, American widgeon, Black oyster catchers and Black turnstones plus Two killdeer. Crows and Ravens also blessed us with their presence.

We stayed by over an hour till the wimps among us were driven away by a cool breeze.