30 March

 eBird data: https://ebird.org/checklist/S84415732

Weather:  8 am 3C wind WSW 6, 1m 8C wind NW 15

Tide 10 am 3.6 m, falling

Clear.  Slight haze for most of the morning.

As the days lengthen, the morning arrives earlier.  (My apologies for stating the obvious.)  And as the morning arrives earlier, the birds waken earlier, and so must birders, if we are to see songbirds at their peak activity.  It is less true, of course, for shorebirds, who depend on tides.  Anyhow, I'm now wakening earlier and setting out earlier.

I don't know is this morning is an indicator of spring birding or just a fluke--but it was really birdy, and on the shore, really ducky.  Listing 40 species in one outing is a lot for me.  It was an interesting morning, although I didn't get the photos I would have wished for.

The path into the Estuary was, in fact, relatively quiet, but as I made my way into the fields and along the woods, things livened up.

There was a group of four red crossbills--three females, kind of greeny-yellow, and one spectacular red male.  Alas, they moved on before I could get a good shot, but here is a female:


I'd been hearing that there were crossbills in the area--I'd seen some in October but not since.  I'll hope that they'll still be around and I can manage a better photo.

The sea had calmed down, and with the mid-tide there was an assortment of ducks, geese (including brant).    As usual, I sat, happily drinking coffee, counting ducks and admiring the ever-changing view.  




Moving on, both eagle nests were occupied, although the eagles were less visible than yesterday.  I find it curious that other walkers don't seem to find nesting eagles as interesting as I do.  I gather that their (the eagles, not the walkers) numbers are increasing after a period when they were looking as though they might be endangered.

I usually see a kingfisher along the river or the shore, but typically the male.  Today there was a nice female.  


Unusual for birds, she's more colourful than the male.  

I continued along the river and spent time watching the two flickers carving out their nest cavity.  

I've been hearing a varied thrush, but hadn't seen one for some weeks.





This one seems brighter than usual.  I don't know whether that's the lighting or a breeding thing.  

It was a fine morning.   I've decided I should try to visit other sites as well, so tomorrow I'll head for Buttertubs Marsh, in Nanaimo, which has a reputation for turning up a different population of birds.  





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