There was a slow start to our bird count during our outing at Courtenay Airpark but birds began appearing at a faster rate as we progressed around the path.
We were excited to note the brief appearance of a Black-headed Grosbeak in a tree by the Lagoon while a Violet-green Swallow visiting a nesting box and several Common Merganser families in the Puntledge River made our day.
Our total species count was 29: Black-headed Grosbeak, Bald Eagle, Turkey Vulture, Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, European Starling, American Crow, Rock Pigeon, Spotted Towhee, American Robin, Woodpecker (Hairy or Downy), Violet-green Swallow, Barn Swallow, Northern Yellow Warbler (sound only), Song Sparrow, Lincoln Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, House Finch, Anna's Hummingbird, Great Blue Heron, Canada Geese, Common Merganser, Black Oystercatcher, Mallard, Bonaparte Gull, gull spp, Caspian Tern, Killdeer and Belted Kingfisher.
Photos by Dawn M.
1 Black-headed Grosbeak 2. group shot
3 European Starling 4 American Crow
5 House Finch male 6 House Finch female
7 Lincoln Sparrow 8 Song Sparrow
9 Violet-green Swallow 10 American Robin
11 Brown-headed Cowbird 12 Rock Pigeons hanging out
13 Common Merganser female with ducklings 14 Common Merganser ducklings
15 Great Blue Heron 16 Mallard male
