Hi All

Some background first for those who may not have seen my first contacts
with the group.

I am a Conductor on freight trains that run, on the north side of the
Fraser river, between Vancouver and North Bend BC. The route runs
alongside water, in one form or another 90% of the way. It also threads
through riparian habitat as well as large tracts of farm land and
occasionally I run alongside the Vancouver harbour.

Consequently I do a lot of birding at speeds of up to 60 mph.

Today was good but not exceptional as a lot of birds are just starting
to trickle in to (or out of) the territory I cover.

Today's run covered the track from North Bend To Port Coquitlam (all
east of Vancouver). Noteworthy sightings were as follows:

American Kestrel- first time this year, at 25 mph near Spuzzum. They
return through Fraser Canyon in dribs and drabs but in the Fall they
leave in loose groups. Largest count so far at NB is 23 within a matter
of minutes of getting off the train.

American Dipper and Townsend's Solitaire- at 45 mph, mentioned together
because they just about merged when we flushed them as we went over a
small stream.

Osprey- 45 mph near the Harrison River. First of the year for me.

Band Tailed Pigeon- at 25 mph, not mentioned because they are anything
special but only to note that the main wave of these birds has not
arrived yet. It is not uncommon to flush flocks, of up to 50 birds, off
the tracks in front of the train.

The only other thing to report is that most of the migrant water fowl
seems to have departed from the small sloughs and ponds beside the
tracks within the last 3 days. The only ducks left in any number are
small clusters of Mallards.

Great Birding

Roger Craik
Maple Ridge BC
(East of Vancouver)