March 21, 2020 - Blakeburn Lagoons Park and Burns Bog

Blakeburn Lagoons Park

Once again I returned to this suburban park in Port Coquitlam. It's an awesome place to see Ducks and Geese up close. There's not much else there. The lagoons are located in a treed/grassy city park. But it does allow good access to the waterfowl.

First birds seen were a pair of Northern Shoveler's. These shots show the size of bill, used for scooping and filtering small critters and bugs from muddy water.


Northern Shoveler (F) - Blakeburn Lagoons Park, Port Coquitlam

The male looks a bit like a Mallard, but the head is a darker green and the black bill is much larger than the Mallard's yellow bill.


Northern Shoveler - Blakeburn Lagoons Park, Port Coquitlam

I'm fairly certain this is a Common Goldeneye based on peaked head shape and bill size.


Common Goldeneye (F) - Blakeburn Lagoons Park, Port Coquitlam

No mistaking this, although I assume the smaller goose is a juvenile Canada Goose and not a Cackling Goose.

Canada Geese - Blakeburn Lagoons Park, Port Coquitlam

I saw my first swallows here today. Didn't get a great photo, but assume they are both Tree Swallows.I'm not sure from the photo if the one on the right is coming or going.

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Tree Swallow - Blakeburn Lagoons Park, Port Coquitlam - 2020 Bird #69

I ended the visit with a couple of American Wigeon.

American Wigeon - Blakeburn Lagoons Park, Port Coquitlam

American Wigeon (F) - Blakeburn Lagoons Park, Port Coquitlam

Burns Bog

We live above Burns Bog on an Escarpment. Occasionally at night we can hear Owls calling in the bog. On this night, I distinctly heard the hoo-hoo call of a Great Horned Owl. Since ABA rules allow for counting a species if heard and identified, this was 2020 Bird#70.