Hi Tweets,

I went to Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary in B.C. yesterday. When we
paid our entrance fee, a staff person said there were a Snowy Owls on
Iona Island. He thought with my scope I would be able to see them so
he directed me to the observation tower with a hand drawn map of
where to look for them. I laughed in amusement and disgust when I
positioned my scope on top of the tower and realized the distance we
were talking about. There is no way one could ID birds at that
distance. I did see two white things but could not confirm them as
owls. They could as easily have been white plastic shopping bags.
Nevertheless, the Vancouver rare bird alert mentions three--owls not
bags--of them on the Iona Island South Jetty last Wednesday.

If anyone is interested in trying to see these Snowies close enough
that they can be distinguished as birds versus white plastic bags,
one should head for iona Island. It really isn't that far on the
other side of the border. The Birder's Guide to Vancouver and the
Lower Mainland mentions construction, generally related to airport
expansion, that was going to cause some changes in directions for
several years. Basically, take the main border crossing at Blaine
and continue north on Highway 99. I think you proceed through the
Fraser River tunnel. Follow the signs for Vancouver International
Airport and watch for the signs for Iona Beach Regional Park. You
will eventually drive under the Arthur Laing Bridge and head west
past the airport on Grauer and Ferguson roads toward Iona Island.
Part way along Ferguson Road, take the only right turn heading
north. This is at McDonald Road. This road leads a short distance
to McDonald Beach where there are boat launch facilities and
washrooms. At the end of Ferguson Road, across the causeway that
links Sea Island and Iona Island, you will find Iona Beach Regional
Park.

I'm not quite sure how you get out on the jetty. Perhaps Wayne Weber
will weigh in here with better instructions for his Lower 48
brethren. I just might have to go searching on Saturday.

As to Reifel, it was The Day of the Mallard! With 36 species,
Mallards by far overwhelmed the day in the foreground. In the
background were thousands of Snow Geese. There was only one
shorebird that made an appearance and it was a lone Dowitcher,
probably a Short-billed but hard to tell. We enjoyed two adult and
two juvenal Black-crowned Herons in the usual spot on the first pond
on the right after entering. There were six Lesser Sandhill Cranes
comprising the current resident population, four adults and two
juvenals. The Kiwanis blind that was erected in 2004 permitted very
close viewing of the two crane families. There is supposed to be a
Golden Eagle on the grounds but all we saw were Northern Harriers and
a Red-tailed Hawk. We also enjoyed a Hermit Thrush and both Kinglets.

cheers,
Carol Riddell
Edmonds