Birding Squamish, British Columbia

By Jim Meyer

It was a non-Ski day so I went birding with longtime Squamishite, Chris Dale, to a nearby ocean front Park. It was an unspring like 1st day of Spring with a steady drizzle and 45 degrees. To get us off to a good start, Chris spotted a Bald Eagle in the top of a snag just up the roadside cliff. Looking out into the Howe Sound, a lone Pelagic Cormorant was our 1st Ocean bird. Our next spotting was a group of Barrow's Goldeneye Ducks paddling around the Pier pilings. Upon closer observation, they were working the tidal exposed muscles that were attached to the pilings. Scoping offshore bagged a Red-necked Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, Pigeon Guillemot and Marbled Murrelet. Not to be outdone, a pair of Harlequin Ducks appeared at the waters edge feeding around the rocks and soon were joined by another pair.

Another interesting sight was a large group of California and Glaucous-winged Gulls in a tidal pool feasting on small starfish. They really looked funny walking around with these six inch starfish hanging out of their mouths. It must have been a bumper crop since most of the Gulls had them.

Walking down thru the camping area, we picked up the Ruby and Golden Crowned Kinglet, Stellar Jay, Spotted Towhee, Black-capped Chickadee, American Robin, Song Sparrow, and Dark-eyed Junco. My favorite bird of the day was a Varied Thrush sitting in a tree just 30 foot away. We also had a FOS Yellow-rumped Warbler.

Hiking down to the next bay, we got several Black Oystercatchers and, of course, a Great Blue Heron in its typical edge of the water pose. To finish our list of 26 species were the reliable Common Raven and Northwest Crow. It just goes to show you on a miserable weather day, theirs still some great birds out there!