{"id":10981,"date":"2018-04-07T21:29:04","date_gmt":"2018-04-08T04:29:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/birdaz.com\/blog\/?p=10981"},"modified":"2018-04-07T21:54:15","modified_gmt":"2018-04-08T04:54:15","slug":"vancouver-day-five-steveston-richmond-nature-park-jericho-beach","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/birdaz.com\/blog\/2018\/04\/07\/vancouver-day-five-steveston-richmond-nature-park-jericho-beach\/","title":{"rendered":"Vancouver Day Five: Steveston &#8211; Richmond Nature Park &#8211; Jericho Beach"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a title=\"harbor seal\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/rickwright\/40412302845\/in\/dateposted\/\" data-flickr-embed=\"true\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/farm1.staticflickr.com\/871\/40412302845_6136d691a7_z.jpg\" alt=\"harbor seal\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" \/><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Perfect weather for harbor seals today here in Vancouver. For us, the rain was a welcome excuse for a late start &#8212; it was 9:30 by the time I picked Soheil up.<\/p>\n<p>We started in Steveston, where\u00a0<strong>mew gulls\u00a0<\/strong>streamed over on their way, I suppose, to feast on earthworms in the wet fields. There was a small selection of ducks on the river, including\u00a0<strong>red-breasted mergansers<\/strong>, and we enjoyed lingering close views of\u00a0<strong>glaucous-winged\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0<strong>Olympic gulls\u00a0<\/strong>loafing in the drizzle.<\/p>\n<p><a title=\"Olympic gull glaucous-winged\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/rickwright\/40595474074\" data-flickr-embed=\"true\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/farm1.staticflickr.com\/790\/40595474074_a35009fd1e_z.jpg\" alt=\"Olympic gull glaucous-winged\" width=\"640\" height=\"393\" \/><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Soon it was too damp for us, so we headed to a place I&#8217;d never visited, Richmond Nature Park.<\/p>\n<p><a title=\"Richmond Nature Park in the rain\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/rickwright\/27436582378\/in\/dateposted\/\" data-flickr-embed=\"true\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/farm1.staticflickr.com\/808\/27436582378_1446675af6_z.jpg\" alt=\"Richmond Nature Park in the rain\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" \/><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><a title=\"fox sparrow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/rickwright\/40594138934\/in\/dateposted\/\" data-flickr-embed=\"true\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/farm1.staticflickr.com\/795\/40594138934_73296d108a_z.jpg\" alt=\"fox sparrow\" width=\"640\" height=\"606\" \/><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>We found comfortably dry seats beneath one of the picnic shelters, and watched as\u00a0<strong>rufous\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0<strong>Anna hummingbirds\u00a0<\/strong>darted between rain drops and\u00a0<strong>fox\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0<strong>song sparrows\u00a0<\/strong>scratched up the seed knocked from the feeders by the\u00a0<strong>spotted towhees\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0<strong>purple finches<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><a title=\"purple finch\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/rickwright\/26435802917\/in\/dateposted\/\" data-flickr-embed=\"true\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/farm1.staticflickr.com\/884\/26435802917_523ebbd02c_z.jpg\" alt=\"purple finch\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" \/><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Among the many\u00a0<strong>Oregon juncos\u00a0<\/strong>was an especially pretty bird with symmetrical facial crescents, as if it were wearing a Prevost ground sparrow mask.<\/p>\n<p><a title=\"Oregon junco\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/rickwright\/26435875197\/in\/dateposted\/\" data-flickr-embed=\"true\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/farm1.staticflickr.com\/811\/26435875197_955c6e67e2_z.jpg\" alt=\"Oregon junco\" width=\"640\" height=\"460\" \/><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>To our surprise, at one point the sun came out, and the birds celebrated &#8212; with a bath, of course.<\/p>\n<p><a title=\"fox sparrow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/rickwright\/27435503598\/in\/dateposted\/\" data-flickr-embed=\"true\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/farm1.staticflickr.com\/872\/27435503598_650a08f47b_z.jpg\" alt=\"fox sparrow\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" \/><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><a title=\"sooty fox sparrow, Richmond, BC\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/rickwright\/39498486840\/in\/photostream\/\" data-flickr-embed=\"true\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/farm1.staticflickr.com\/783\/39498486840_57718c276b_z.jpg\" alt=\"sooty fox sparrow, Richmond, BC\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" \/><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>We took advantage of the sudden change in the weather for a quick walk in what looks like a very birdy area indeed, then hopped back into the car for the drive to Jericho Beach.<\/p>\n<p><a title=\"20180407_142425\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/rickwright\/40595186374\/in\/photostream\/\" data-flickr-embed=\"true\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/farm1.staticflickr.com\/809\/40595186374_5f8973bf24_z.jpg\" alt=\"20180407_142425\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" \/><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Just a short walk from our apartment in Kitsilano, <a href=\"http:\/\/birdaz.com\/blog\/?s=Jericho\">Jericho was my neighborhood &#8220;patch<\/a>&#8221; when we lived in Vancouver, and I was excited to see it again &#8212; even if the rain did set in again just as we arrived (and even if they still seem to have done nothing, absolutely nothing, about the off-leash dog problem).<\/p>\n<p><a title=\"20180407_142429\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/rickwright\/40595188404\/in\/photostream\/\" data-flickr-embed=\"true\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/farm1.staticflickr.com\/799\/40595188404_fe33529eec_z.jpg\" alt=\"20180407_142429\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" \/><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Though it wasn&#8217;t overly birdy, it was great to be walking a portion of my familiar route, watching\u00a0<strong>pelagic cormorants\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0<strong>common goldeneye\u00a0<\/strong>in the water of English Bay and\u00a0<strong>bushtits\u00a0<\/strong>in the blossoming trees. We were surprised to see only <strong>American wigeon<\/strong> on a first scan of the small flock, but eventually we found a single\u00a0<strong>Eurasian wigeon\u00a0<\/strong>on the edge of the pond; I remember excitedly reporting one here on our very first day in Vancouver, only to learn with some dispatch that the species is more <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/search\/?user_id=24908638%40N03&amp;sort=date-taken-desc&amp;view_all=1&amp;text=jericho%20wigeon\">common in this area<\/a> than just about anywhere else in North America.<\/p>\n<p>The rain grew steadier.<\/p>\n<p><a title=\"20180407_150030\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/rickwright\/26436944127\/in\/dateposted\/\" data-flickr-embed=\"true\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/farm1.staticflickr.com\/794\/26436944127_9d8d1b3d9b_z.jpg\" alt=\"20180407_150030\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" \/><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Of all the places to seek shelter in the city, the UBC Museum of Anthropology may still be my favorite.<\/p>\n<p><a title=\"20180407_150936\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/rickwright\/41266337922\/in\/photostream\/\" data-flickr-embed=\"true\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/farm1.staticflickr.com\/803\/41266337922_e01f7d282d_z.jpg\" alt=\"20180407_150936\" width=\"360\" height=\"640\" \/><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>There is vastly too much to look at in a single visit, and I long ago gave up trying, adopting the strategy instead of just looking at one object or two in the knowledge that I&#8217;ll be back. After all, it had been only seven years between this visit and the one before&#8230;.<\/p>\n<p><a title=\"20180407_153020\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/rickwright\/41266340642\/in\/photostream\/\" data-flickr-embed=\"true\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/farm1.staticflickr.com\/891\/41266340642_d798c4da6a_z.jpg\" alt=\"20180407_153020\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" \/><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Yes, tempus fugit, and this week fugit faster than most.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>Birds<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Canada Goose, Wood Duck, American Wigeon, Eurasian Wigeon, Gadwall, Mallard, Green-winged Teal, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Red-breasted Merganser<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>elagic Cormorant, Double-crested Cormorant<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Common Loon<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Great Blue Heron<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Northern Harrier, Cooper Hawk, Bald Eagle<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Mew Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Rock Pigeon, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Mourning Dove<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Anna\u2019s Hummingbird, Rufous Hummingbird<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Peregrine Falcon<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Northwestern Crow, Common Raven<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Violet-green Swallow, Purple Martin<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Black-capped Chickadee<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Bushtit<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Pacific Wren, Bewick Wren<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Ruby-crowned Kinglet<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>American Robin<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>European Starling<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Oregon Towhee, Song Sparrow, Sooty Fox Sparrow, Oregon Junco, White-crowned Sparrow<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Western Meadowlark, Red-winged Blackbird<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>House Finch, Purple Finch<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>Mammals<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Eastern Gray Squirrel<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>European Rabbit<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Harbor Seal<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Perfect weather for harbor seals today here in Vancouver. For us, the rain was a welcome excuse for a late start &#8212; it was 9:30 by the time I picked Soheil up. We started in Steveston, where\u00a0mew gulls\u00a0streamed over on their way, I suppose, to feast on earthworms in the wet fields. There was a &hellip; <\/p>\n<p class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"http:\/\/birdaz.com\/blog\/2018\/04\/07\/vancouver-day-five-steveston-richmond-nature-park-jericho-beach\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Vancouver Day Five: Steveston &#8211; Richmond Nature Park &#8211; Jericho Beach&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31,1,66,2,665],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/birdaz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10981"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/birdaz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/birdaz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/birdaz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/birdaz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10981"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"http:\/\/birdaz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10981\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10985,"href":"http:\/\/birdaz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10981\/revisions\/10985"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/birdaz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10981"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/birdaz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10981"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/birdaz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10981"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}