31 March--Buttertubs Marsh

 Buttertubs Marsh, in Nanaimo, has long had a reputation for great birding on Vancouver Island.  Somehow I'd never made my way there until yesterday.  

In fact, I found it a mixed emotion--birdy--yes, although I didn't actually list as many sightings as I had in the Englishman River Estuary the day before.  Still, some good sightings.  On the other hand, it's situated in the midst of a large suburb, and as such, is crowded with folks just out for a walk, blethering loudly at huge length, and possibly because of it's reputation, teeming with people carrying a small fortune in birding gear and also, alas, carrying a grim determination to see and photograph "interesting" species.  

I have to say I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as my neighbouring Estuary.  

That said, it was certainly worth the visit, and I'll likely make the trip again from time to time, particularly once the virus subsides and I make occasional trips to the big box stores in Nanaimo.  

It's a big marshy area, with a well-established pedestrian route around most of its perimeter.  




As a marsh, this time of year, it was full of red-wing blackbirds, one of my all-time favourite birds.


Somehow, I don't seem to manage good photos of red-winged males, which I regret...



...but I like the photo of this female.  Not sure what she has to say, but it looks vehement.

Proceeding along the marsh, I saw a grayish lump in among the tules.  On further observation, it was a great blue heron--hardly unusual in any watery environment, but worth a photo now and then.  Again, I like this one.  He/she is intent on hunting something.


One end of the marsh is more forested--back in its early days it was drained and farmed and for some reason, planted with hawthorn, yet another noxious shrub imported by British farmers, I'm afraid.

Anyhow, among the fir trees among the hawthorn, I saw, for the first time ever, a mama hummingbird feeding her babies in their nest!  Wow.  Alas, I didn't get my camera up in time to get a photo.  I stood for maybe half an hour hoping she'd return but no such luck.  Eventually I decided that there was a risk that I was scaring her away from feeding her tiny brood, and I was getting hungry, too.  So I moved on.  I may yet have to go back and try for another photo, particularly as I've a good idea of the camera settings I'd need.

Here is a shot of The One That Got Away.


I've been trying for years to get a photo of a pied-billed grebe, without much success.  Among other things, I've always thought they were--excuse me--not an appropriate sentiment among serious twitchers, but I can't help myself--CUTE.  Yesterday I almost succeeded.  



I'm a bit bothered by the eyes.  I hope it's just squinting and doesn't have some nasty bird disease.  Or maybe the light, which was kinda tricky just then.  


So that was my first, and undoubtedly not last, visit to Buttertubs.  Next time I'll be braced for grim twitchers and chatty pedestrians.  It should be a good spot for warblers in a couple of weeks, and by then I'll have had my COVID shot and feel better about a trip to the big city.

I don't think it will ever replace my Estuary.


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