Visiting birder Sal Salerno from Modesto, Ca. and I had planned to bird
Douglas and Okanogan Counties on February 25th and 26th. The pass conditions
and a daytime high of 18 degrees forecasted for Omak, made us change our
mind. We decided to try for the Northern Hawk Owl on Westham Island in
Ladner, British Columbia instead.
Our first stop was at the end of 64th Street and Boundary Bay in Ladner. On
the way there, we spotted an *American Kestrel* on the telephone wire and
had a nice male *Northern Harrier* fly across the road. The previously
reported American Tree Sparrow was not seen, but we were greeted by an adult
*Bald Eagle* in a tree by the parking lot. A *Short-eared Owl* was hunting
over the logs outside the dike despite bright early afternoon sunshine.
Also outside the dike and east of the parking lot, a *Northern Shrike* was
unsuccessful chasing a *Song Sparrow.* In addition, two *Western* *
Meadowlarks* were briefly seen. There were quite a few *Song
Sparrows*feeding in the open. Other birds at that location, were
*Great Blue Hero*n, *Mallard, Bufflehead,* *Northern Flicker*, *Black-capped
Chickadee. Golden-crowned Kinglet*, *Varied Thrush*, *Spotted Towhee*
and *Golden-crowned
Sparrow.
*We continued to Westham Island and along the way added *Double-crested
Cormorant*, *American Wigeon*, *Eurasian Wigeon*, *Northern Pintail*, *Northern
Shoveler,* *Green-winged Tea*l, *Common Goldeneye*, *Brewer's Blackbird* and
*Red-Tailed Hawk* to our growing list. We did not find the Northern Hawk Owl
on our way to the Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary. Once at the sanctuary, we
had difficulty getting through a large horde of mainly Mallards by the
visitors center. They were waiting to be fed and only reluctantly moved out
of the way, Once on the trail. we immediately found the three *Black-crowned
Night Herons* reported at this location. The sanctuary has several feeders
along the trail. They are being mobbed by *Red-winged Blackbirds*, *House
Sparrows*, *Fox Sparrows*, *Song Sparrows*, *Golden*- and *White-crowned
Sparrows*, *House Finches*, *Spotted Towhees* and *Dark-eyed Juncos.* All of
them are quite tame and I have never seen as many Towhees in one place. We
were able to locate one of the *Northern Saw-whet Owls* in a holly tree on
the right at the northeast corner of the trail. Also seen at the sanctuary,
were *American* *Coo*t, *Gadwall*, *Wood Duck*, *Common* - and *Hooded
Merganser,* *Canada *- and *White-fronted Goose* and *Red-breasted Nuthatch.
* On the way out of the sanctuary, we saw a nice adult *Sharp-shinned
Hawk*on the wire and more
*American Robins* and a* Hermit Thrush*. A large flock of *Snow
Geese,*numbering in the thousands, was feeding close to the road
across from the
sanctuary entrance.
By now it was mid-afternoon and we wanted to locate the Hawk Owl . When we
rounded the sharp bend on Westham Island Road, we found four photographers
with the those honkin' big lenses pointed out onto a field with a
hunting *Northern
Harrier*. When Sal asked a couple of them about the Hawk Owl, they very
casually pointed their thumbs over their shoulder. There it was! A beautiful
*Northern Hawk Owl,* halfway up in a tree on the front lawn of a residence,
swiveling its head and looking at us with those bright eyes and enjoying
the attention! What a beautiful bird! This was a life bird for Sal and only
my second, after the one in Mansfield a couple of winters ago. While
watching the owl, we had four *Trumpeter* Swans flying past. Crossing the
wooden bridge leaving the island, we had* Mew Gulls* cruising over the water
and three *Mute Swans* on the water west of the bridge.
Taking advantage of the remaining daylight, we drove over to the Tsawwassen
Ferry Terminal. En route we watched five *Short-Eared Owls* hunting over a
field south of 33 A Avenue. The tidal flats on both sides of the causeway
were teeming with gulls, ducks and shorebirds. We did add* Common
Loon,* *Horned
Grebe*, *Surf Scoter*,* Dunlin* and* Least Sandpiper* to our sightings. So
ended a crisp, sunny day of great birding!

Good Birding!
*
*--
*Hans Feddern*
Twin Lakes/Federal Way, WA
thefedderns at gmail.com
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