15 September 2018 - Vancouver

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White-crowned Sparrow, Wood Ducks, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrows, Lincoln's Sparrow, Black-capped Chickadee, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Orange-crowned Warbler, Warbling Vireo, Red-shafted Flicker, House Finch, Pelagic Cormorants, California Gulls, Ring-billed Gulls, Caspian Terns

My first full birding experience in mainland North America, so lots of lifers, although unfortunately the weather was somewhat inclement. The Pacific clouds had drifted in and it rained for much of the morning. Walked from the Coal Coast Harbor hotel to Stanley Park and back in the morning. First lifer was a male White-crowned Sparrow in the gloom along the Coal Harbor walkway. In the harbour itself, a Belted Kingfisher was perched briefly on a boat, but had gone by the time I got my camera ready. Plenty of Glaucous-winged Gulls, North-western Crows and 1 Double-crested Cormorant were visible on the way to Stanley Park.

In Stanley Park itself, 3 Great Blue Herons were on the Lost Lagoon, and many Wood Duck, along with a Pied-billed Grebe. The light at this point was shocking, so the photos aren't great. As I walked around the Lost Lagoon, I came across a tree stump where someone had left some bird food, and this proved to be quite a passerine hotspot. My first Spotted Towhee, several Song Sparrows and at least one, maybe 2 Lincoln's Sparrow, with a few Black-capped Chickadees. I met a chap who said there'd been a Black-throated Gray warbler, and sure enough, as I waited, one appeared in the conifers above the stump and gave a pretty good performance. An Orange-crowned Warbler appeared behind the feeding birds and there were several Warbling Vireos around. A possible Nashville Warbler is in my notes but I can't recall it now. A party of Raccoons came out of the hedge close to where I was standing and ambled across in front of me. Walking back to the hotel for breakfast, I came across several Red-shafted Flickers feeding on the short grass in the rain, allowing close approach, though both they and I were soaked!

Joanne and I went for a walk after breakfast around the Coal Harbor area, visiting the Steam Clock and doing a circuit back to the hotel. Quite a lot of Pelagic Cormorants were perching on a jetty fairly closely, and a couple of House Sparrows were feeding by the path. Almost back at the hotel, we came across 5 or 6 House Finches in trees by the roadside.

Later on we went for a longer walk around Stanley Park, and the weather improved slightly in the afternoon. Similar species to earlier, but some highlights included c.10 California Gulls, a similar number of Ring-billed Gulls, and 4 or 5 relatively distant Caspian Terns offshore. Around the far side, from the seawall path, we saw quite a number of Salmon leaping from the water, apparently rather a rare occurrence according to locals. A Common Loon added to the species list.

Great Blue Heron - Lost Lagoon