Stanley Park Bird Count October 16 2011

I participated in the monthly bird count in Stanley Park today. We spotted 2 Horned Grebes in the lagoon, and if I am correct, they are mainly found on saltwater. Lost Lagoon is freshwater, so the Horned Grebes in Stanley Park usually stick to the seawall.

The grebes were really far away so I did not get great photos, but here are a few:







Here are a few others from the count:

Belted Kingfisher


American Widgeons


Ring-billed Gull


Great-blue Herons




Red-breasted Sapsucker


Ruby-crowned Kinglet


Varied Thrush


Hooded Mergansers

Brandt's Cormorants and Grebes from False Creek

I was in my friends boat and we came across some neat birds in the False Creek walkway and off of Stanley Park.

First was these 2 Pelagic Cormorants, a juvenile and an adult:



Next after the cormorants was this single Red-necked Grebe:



After the grebe a flock of Surf Scoters flew by:



After the scoters was when I came across the Brandt's Cormorants. They were resting around 1 kilometer off of Stanley Park.



On the way back, I saw this Horned Grebe:



The last interesting bird I came across was what I think is a Red-necked Grebe, but I also think it could be a Western Grebe.

Sapsucker and Kinglet

I was in Pacific Spirit Park yesterday and today. Yesterday the highlight was a pair of Red-breasted Sapsuckers. They were busy pecking in a tree around 12 feet above me.

Today the highlight was a Ruby-crowned Kinglet. Here is a video I took:

Today I also found a Hermit Thrush, but I did not get a very good photo.