#62 Herring Gull - Date: Mar 3. Location: White Rock pier.
This may be the only questionable sighting this year. Although it matches.many of the field marks, it is possible that this Gull is a hybrid Glaucous-winged/Western Gull. However, until corrected, I am calling it a Herring Gull.
#63 Rock Dove - Date: Mar 3. Location: White Rock pier.
Also known as the Feral Pigeon and seen commonly in the urban landscape.
These birds are very photogenic.
#64 White-winged Scoter - Date: Mar 3. Location: White Rock pier.
Scoters are sea ducks that appear in our waters over the winter. The male White-winged Scoter is a very interesting looking duck, with the white comma below the eye. The white wings are only visible in flight.
The photo below was taken in November at the White Rock Pier. The male is in the foreground.
#65 Greater Scaup - Date: Mar 3. Location: White Rock pier.
In February, I listed the Lesser Scaup, and in March added the Greater. This species favours salt water. It appears to have a shorter neck and a head that slopes from front to back. The Male is the one with white.
#66 Common Loon - Date: Mar 3. Location: White Rock pier.
We see loons here in the winter when they are in their drab non-breeding plumage. Then they head inland to northern lakes to breed.
The photo below was taken in Drayton Harbor in Blaine in August and shows the familiar breeding plumage.
#67 Long-tailed Duck - Date: Mar 3. Location: White Rock pier.
Another sea duck, it has a notably long tail. The former name of this species was Oldsquaw, it was officially changed in 2000 by the American Ornithologists Union. The only sighting of the year was on this day, and the ducks did not come too close to shore. In the photo, there is one male on the left with two females.
#68 Horned Grebe - Date: Mar 3. Location: White Rock pier.
Another bird that winters on the coast, and heads inland to breed. The breeding plumage photo was taken in April on the Okanagan River near Oliver. The winter plumage photo is from Lighthouse Marine Park in Point Roberts, WA in November.
#69 Surf Scoter - Date: Mar 3. Location: White Rock pier.
This is the other common Scoter that spends the winter in our waters. This photo of a handsome male was taken in November at the White Rock Pier.
#70 Lesser Yellowlegs - Date: Mar 3. Location: Blackie's Spit in South Surrey.
This is a very common medium sized shorebird, easily identified by its orange/yellow legs. The only ID problem is telling it apart from the Greater Yellowlegs. The size difference is obvious when they are together, but difficult when only one species is present.
This photo was taken in August at Boundary Bay.
#71 Peregrine Falcon - Date: Mar 9. Location: Belmont Golf Course in Langley.
I always try to carry a small pair of binoculars and pocket camera in my golf bag. On this Saturday morning there was an adult Peregrine perched on a tree by the 7th hole. I got a couple of poor shots for ID purposes.
However, later in the year I encountered immature falcons close up at Boundary Bay in Delta. This shot was taken in August.
#72 Mourning Dove - Date: Mar 9. Location: Surrey.
This used to be our only dove with its beautiful mournful cooing. Lately, it is being displaced by the Eurasian Collared Dove, which has been spreading rapidly across North America. This photo was taken in the yard of my golf buddy Pat Bradley after returning from our Saturday morning round. Two year birds for the golf day.
#73 Long-billed Dowitcher - Date: Mar 10. Location: Burnaby Lake Regional Park.
Here's another type of bird where there are two almost identical species, the long-billed and short-billed Dowitcher. The bill length is very subjective and considered to be a poor identifier. Generally, long-billed prefer fresh water, which is what Burnaby Lake has, so this day's sighting was most likely that species. This photo was taken at Reifel Bird Sanctuary, where they were listed on the sightings board as long-billed.
#74 American Goldfinch - Date: Mar 16. Location: our backyard.
Often called wild canaries by non-birders (guilty of this in 1982), this is one the most striking common birds. The photo below was taken at the Red Roost gift shop near Okanagan Falls in April.
#75 Pine Grosbeak - Date Mar 17. Location: Burnaby Mountain Park.
This was a very late sighting of the winter finch irruption of 2012-13. These birds may have been heading north from Northern California. The adult male is a very nice red, while the females and juveniles are duller. No red males were seen in this group.
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#76 Ruby-crowned Kinglet - Date: Mar 17. Location: Maplewood Flats Conservation Area in North Vancouver.
A common but very small and elusive bird. By the time one gets focused on them, they have moved elsewhere. I was lucky to get this shot, you can just see the ruby spot on the crown.
#77 Pelagic Cormorant - Date: Mar 21. Location: Lonsdale Pier in North Vancouver.
This cormorant can be seen locally all year, but is outnumbered by the much more common Double-crested. The best ID feature for this bird is the white flank patch. My only verified sighting this year was on my way to a dental appointment in North Vancouver. The photo is not the greatest.
#78 Belted Kingfisher - Date: Mar 24. Location: Deas Island Park in Delta.
A reasonably common bird that is excruciatingly hard to photograph. Most of my sightings are on golf courses where I have no time to grab my pocket camera and get a good shot. My sighting at Deas Island did not yield a good photo, but the one below at the White Rock Pier in October is somewhat legible.
#79 Yellow-rumpled Warbler - Date: Mar 29. Location: Burnaby Lake Regional Park.
Our most common Warbler, and also usually the first to appear in spring migration. There are two sub-species. Out West we usually see the Audubon's race (the bird with the yellow throat in the first photo taken in April at Bryden Lagoon in April).
The eastern Myrtle's race has a white throat and does occur out here.
I lucked out with one at Reifel in April.
#80 Tree Swallow - Date: Mar 29. Location: Colony Farms Regional Park in Coquitlam.
In early spring I try to make a trip out to the communal gardens at Colony Farms. Many of the gardeners put up swallow boxes and I am guaranteed to get some shots of Tree and Violet-Green Swallows. This year was no exception.
However, my best Tree Swallow photo was taken at Iona Regional Park in Richmond in May.
#81 Violet-Green Swallow - Date: Mar 29. Location: Colony Farms Regional Park in Coquitlam.
A western North America specialty, these swallows are less widespread than the Tree Swallow. The photo below shows a female.
#82 Rufous Hummingbird - Date: Mar 29. Location: our backyard.
In late March this aggressive hummer appears from the south and takes over our feeder. We don't see the Anna's hummingbird again until Fall. This photo was taken in the backyard in May.
#83 Pied-billed Grebe - Date: Mar 31. Location: Colony Farm Regional Park.
This is a fresh water grebe that breeds locally. It does not show the radical plumage changes that some of the other small grebes do. It's a nice bird to close out the month of March with.
Next up - Part 1 of April, the birdiest month of the year!
#63 Rock Dove - Date: Mar 3. Location: White Rock pier.
Also known as the Feral Pigeon and seen commonly in the urban landscape.
These birds are very photogenic.
#64 White-winged Scoter - Date: Mar 3. Location: White Rock pier.
Scoters are sea ducks that appear in our waters over the winter. The male White-winged Scoter is a very interesting looking duck, with the white comma below the eye. The white wings are only visible in flight.
The photo below was taken in November at the White Rock Pier. The male is in the foreground.
#65 Greater Scaup - Date: Mar 3. Location: White Rock pier.
In February, I listed the Lesser Scaup, and in March added the Greater. This species favours salt water. It appears to have a shorter neck and a head that slopes from front to back. The Male is the one with white.
#66 Common Loon - Date: Mar 3. Location: White Rock pier.
We see loons here in the winter when they are in their drab non-breeding plumage. Then they head inland to northern lakes to breed.
The photo below was taken in Drayton Harbor in Blaine in August and shows the familiar breeding plumage.
#67 Long-tailed Duck - Date: Mar 3. Location: White Rock pier.
Another sea duck, it has a notably long tail. The former name of this species was Oldsquaw, it was officially changed in 2000 by the American Ornithologists Union. The only sighting of the year was on this day, and the ducks did not come too close to shore. In the photo, there is one male on the left with two females.
#68 Horned Grebe - Date: Mar 3. Location: White Rock pier.
Another bird that winters on the coast, and heads inland to breed. The breeding plumage photo was taken in April on the Okanagan River near Oliver. The winter plumage photo is from Lighthouse Marine Park in Point Roberts, WA in November.
#69 Surf Scoter - Date: Mar 3. Location: White Rock pier.
This is the other common Scoter that spends the winter in our waters. This photo of a handsome male was taken in November at the White Rock Pier.
#70 Lesser Yellowlegs - Date: Mar 3. Location: Blackie's Spit in South Surrey.
This is a very common medium sized shorebird, easily identified by its orange/yellow legs. The only ID problem is telling it apart from the Greater Yellowlegs. The size difference is obvious when they are together, but difficult when only one species is present.
This photo was taken in August at Boundary Bay.
#71 Peregrine Falcon - Date: Mar 9. Location: Belmont Golf Course in Langley.
I always try to carry a small pair of binoculars and pocket camera in my golf bag. On this Saturday morning there was an adult Peregrine perched on a tree by the 7th hole. I got a couple of poor shots for ID purposes.
However, later in the year I encountered immature falcons close up at Boundary Bay in Delta. This shot was taken in August.
#72 Mourning Dove - Date: Mar 9. Location: Surrey.
This used to be our only dove with its beautiful mournful cooing. Lately, it is being displaced by the Eurasian Collared Dove, which has been spreading rapidly across North America. This photo was taken in the yard of my golf buddy Pat Bradley after returning from our Saturday morning round. Two year birds for the golf day.
#73 Long-billed Dowitcher - Date: Mar 10. Location: Burnaby Lake Regional Park.
Here's another type of bird where there are two almost identical species, the long-billed and short-billed Dowitcher. The bill length is very subjective and considered to be a poor identifier. Generally, long-billed prefer fresh water, which is what Burnaby Lake has, so this day's sighting was most likely that species. This photo was taken at Reifel Bird Sanctuary, where they were listed on the sightings board as long-billed.
#74 American Goldfinch - Date: Mar 16. Location: our backyard.
Often called wild canaries by non-birders (guilty of this in 1982), this is one the most striking common birds. The photo below was taken at the Red Roost gift shop near Okanagan Falls in April.
#75 Pine Grosbeak - Date Mar 17. Location: Burnaby Mountain Park.
This was a very late sighting of the winter finch irruption of 2012-13. These birds may have been heading north from Northern California. The adult male is a very nice red, while the females and juveniles are duller. No red males were seen in this group.
.
#76 Ruby-crowned Kinglet - Date: Mar 17. Location: Maplewood Flats Conservation Area in North Vancouver.
A common but very small and elusive bird. By the time one gets focused on them, they have moved elsewhere. I was lucky to get this shot, you can just see the ruby spot on the crown.
#77 Pelagic Cormorant - Date: Mar 21. Location: Lonsdale Pier in North Vancouver.
This cormorant can be seen locally all year, but is outnumbered by the much more common Double-crested. The best ID feature for this bird is the white flank patch. My only verified sighting this year was on my way to a dental appointment in North Vancouver. The photo is not the greatest.
#78 Belted Kingfisher - Date: Mar 24. Location: Deas Island Park in Delta.
A reasonably common bird that is excruciatingly hard to photograph. Most of my sightings are on golf courses where I have no time to grab my pocket camera and get a good shot. My sighting at Deas Island did not yield a good photo, but the one below at the White Rock Pier in October is somewhat legible.
#79 Yellow-rumpled Warbler - Date: Mar 29. Location: Burnaby Lake Regional Park.
Our most common Warbler, and also usually the first to appear in spring migration. There are two sub-species. Out West we usually see the Audubon's race (the bird with the yellow throat in the first photo taken in April at Bryden Lagoon in April).
The eastern Myrtle's race has a white throat and does occur out here.
I lucked out with one at Reifel in April.
#80 Tree Swallow - Date: Mar 29. Location: Colony Farms Regional Park in Coquitlam.
In early spring I try to make a trip out to the communal gardens at Colony Farms. Many of the gardeners put up swallow boxes and I am guaranteed to get some shots of Tree and Violet-Green Swallows. This year was no exception.
However, my best Tree Swallow photo was taken at Iona Regional Park in Richmond in May.
#81 Violet-Green Swallow - Date: Mar 29. Location: Colony Farms Regional Park in Coquitlam.
A western North America specialty, these swallows are less widespread than the Tree Swallow. The photo below shows a female.
#82 Rufous Hummingbird - Date: Mar 29. Location: our backyard.
In late March this aggressive hummer appears from the south and takes over our feeder. We don't see the Anna's hummingbird again until Fall. This photo was taken in the backyard in May.
#83 Pied-billed Grebe - Date: Mar 31. Location: Colony Farm Regional Park.
This is a fresh water grebe that breeds locally. It does not show the radical plumage changes that some of the other small grebes do. It's a nice bird to close out the month of March with.
Next up - Part 1 of April, the birdiest month of the year!