Getting Soaked/Grant Narrows Walk

April 24 2015 Grant Narrows. Rain and More Rain 10c

The road to Grant Narrows and Catbird Slough

A very wet Sandhill Crane at Catbird Slough.

Finally the crane (Grus canadenis) flew off 

We made our way along the trail to the first lookout. Because of the wind, few birds were showing. The most evident species were the Rufous Hummingbirds. All went well until the surrounding mountains began to disappear behind huge rain cloud. The sky looked ominous so we thought it prudent to take shelter. We waited for the rain to abate but it never did. Not the greatest for birding but we did see a Merlin hunting, tree swallows swooping for insects and an amazing duel between an Osprey and a Bald Eagle, the latter making the fish hawk drop its catch. It rained so much I couldn't get out my Tamron for fear of drowning it so I took a very quick took a shot with my new 'pocket' camera, the P900. The Varied Thrush shot below is the result.

Female Varied Thrush (Ixoreus navies) shot with Nikon P900
All others Tamron 150mm-600mm

Species Count

White crowned Sparrow     Red winged Blackbird     Varied Thrush     Spotted Towhee     Rufus Hummingbird 

Tree Swallow     Common Yellow-Throat    Song Sparrow    Purple Finch     Black-capped Chickadee     Flycatcher ?

Bewick's Wren {HEARD ONLY}    Dark-eyed Junco      Green Winged Teal     Bald Eagle     American Wigeon     Merlin    

Ruby -crowned Kinglet     Osprey     Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon) Scaup     Norther Flicker     Anna's Hummingbird

Fox Sparrow     Sandhill Crane     Canada Goose     American Robin    Cooper Hawk    Great Blue Heron    Mallard

White-crowned Sparrow      Orange crowed Warbler Greater Yellowlegs

Despite the torrential rain and the ensuing cold everyone seemed to have a good time proving that a little rain never deters "Wet Coasters" from enjoying our birding.

"It's never too late to start birding"

John Gordon

Langley/Cloverdale

BC Canada