<p><i>Tachycineta bicolor</i>, Hirundinidae<br />
Iona Beach Regional Park, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada<br />
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6<br />
May 19, 2013</p>

Tree Swallow

Tachycineta bicolor, Hirundinidae
Iona Beach Regional Park, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6
May 19, 2013

<p><i>Anas cyanoptera</i>, Anatidae<br />
Iona Beach Regional Park, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada<br />
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6<br />
May 19, 2013</p>

Male Cinnamon Teal

Anas cyanoptera, Anatidae
Iona Beach Regional Park, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6
May 19, 2013

<p><i>Stelgidopteryx serripennis</i>, Hirundinidae<br />
Iona Beach Regional Park, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada<br />
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6<br />
May 19, 2013</p>

Northern Rough-winged Swallow

Stelgidopteryx serripennis, Hirundinidae
Iona Beach Regional Park, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6
May 19, 2013

<p><i>Branta canadensis</i>, Anatidae<br />
Iona Beach Regional Park, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada<br />
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6<br />
May 19, 2013</p>

Canada Goose

Branta canadensis, Anatidae
Iona Beach Regional Park, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6
May 19, 2013

<p><i>Agelaius phoeniceus</i>, Icteridae<br />
Iona Beach Regional Park, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada<br />
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6<br />
May 19, 2013</p>

Male Red-winged Blackbird

Agelaius phoeniceus, Icteridae
Iona Beach Regional Park, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6
May 19, 2013

<p>Iona Beach Regional Park, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada<br />
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6<br />
May 19, 2013</p>

Iona Island Wastewater Treatment Plant

Iona Beach Regional Park, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6
May 19, 2013

<p>Iona Beach Regional Park, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada<br />
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6<br />
May 19, 2013</p>

A Brace of Ducks

Iona Beach Regional Park, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6
May 19, 2013

<p><i>Tachycineta thalassina</i>, Hirundinidae<br />
Iona Beach Regional Park, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada<br />
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6<br />
May 19, 2013</p>

Violet-green Swallow

Tachycineta thalassina, Hirundinidae
Iona Beach Regional Park, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6
May 19, 2013

<p><i>Rhionaeschna californica</i>, Aeshnidae<br />
Iona Beach Regional Park, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada<br />
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6<br />
May 19, 2013</p>

California Darner

Rhionaeschna californica, Aeshnidae
Iona Beach Regional Park, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6
May 19, 2013

<p><i>Iris pseudacorus</i>, Iridaceae<br />
Iona Beach Regional Park, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada<br />
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6<br />
May 19, 2013</p>

Pale Yellow Iris

Iris pseudacorus, Iridaceae
Iona Beach Regional Park, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6
May 19, 2013

<p><i>Rosa</i> sp., Rosaceae<br />
 Perhaps <i>Rosa nutkana</i> X <i>Rosa pisocarpa</i><br />
Iona Beach Regional Park, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada<br />
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6<br />
May 19, 2013</p>

Rose

Rosa sp., Rosaceae
Perhaps Rosa nutkana X Rosa pisocarpa
Iona Beach Regional Park, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6
May 19, 2013

<p>Iona Beach Regional Park, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada<br />
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6<br />
May 19, 2013</p>

Damselfly

Iona Beach Regional Park, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6
May 19, 2013

<p><i>Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus</i>, Icteridae<br />
Iona Beach Regional Park, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada<br />
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6<br />
May 19, 2013</p>

Yellow-headed Blackbird

Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus, Icteridae
Iona Beach Regional Park, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6
May 19, 2013

<p>Iona Beach Regional Park, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada<br />
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6<br />
May 19, 2013</p>

Seaspan Venture

Iona Beach Regional Park, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6
May 19, 2013

<p><i>Lathyrus japonicus</i>, Fabaceae<br />
Iona Beach Regional Park, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada<br />
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6<br />
May 19, 2013</p>

Beach Pea

Lathyrus japonicus, Fabaceae
Iona Beach Regional Park, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6
May 19, 2013

<p>Iona Beach Regional Park, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada<br />
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6<br />
May 19, 2013</p>

North Jetty

Iona Beach Regional Park, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6
May 19, 2013

<p><i>Pandion haliaetus</i>, Pandionidae<br />
Iona Beach Regional Park, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada<br />
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6<br />
May 19, 2013</p>

Osprey

Pandion haliaetus, Pandionidae
Iona Beach Regional Park, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6
May 19, 2013

<p>Iona Beach Regional Park, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada<br />
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6<br />
May 19, 2013</p>

Contrail

Iona Beach Regional Park, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6
May 19, 2013

<p>Iona Beach Regional Park, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada<br />
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6<br />
May 19, 2013</p>

Scotch Broom Patch

Iona Beach Regional Park, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6
May 19, 2013

<p>Iona Beach Regional Park, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada<br />
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6<br />
May 19, 2013</p>

Iona Beach Sunset

Iona Beach Regional Park, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6
May 19, 2013

<p>Iona Beach Regional Park, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada<br />
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6<br />
May 19, 2013</p>

Ship Silhouette

Iona Beach Regional Park, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6
May 19, 2013

<p><i>Lupinus polyphyllus</i>, Fabaceae<br />
Iona Beach Regional Park, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada<br />
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6<br />
May 19, 2013</p>

Big-leaved Lupine

Lupinus polyphyllus, Fabaceae
Iona Beach Regional Park, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada
Nikon D5100, 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6
May 19, 2013

A couple weeks ago I took another trip out to Iona Island in search of the many migratory shorebirds that had been reported. I spent a lovely afternoon and evening birding around the island seeing 50 species over my five and a half hours of birding. I was able to add six species to my year list. I parked south of the outer ponds where I saw one of the resident Osprey, the previously reported Ruddy Duck, and a number of Cliff Swallows mixed in with the Tree Swallows. I then headed to inner ponds but I was a bit disappointed by the number of shorebirds compared with some previous reports. I was able to pick out a single Semipalmated Sandpiper mixed in with a small group of Western Sandpipers. As you can see from my photos there were also a good variety of ducks and swallows in and around the ponds.

After leaving the ponds I walked north through the forest towards the river. While I didn’t catch the peak of the migration I did see large numbers of Wilson’s Warblers in the forest. I followed the river downstream to the north outer pond, where I saw my first Yellow-headed Blackbird of the year. I then continued down the north jetty where I saw a Northern River Otter and my first Spotted Sandpiper of the year. On the north shore of the river there was a large vocal mixed flock of Caspian Terns, Mew Gulls, and Glaucous-winged Gulls. As I headed back towards the beach, I was able to get some good shots of the Ospreys as they returned to their nests on the north shore of the river. As I was running out of daylight and I was hoping to see the Parasitic Jaegers that had been reported I cut across the intertidal area of the beach to the South Jetty. While I didn’t see the Jaegers I got some great photos of the sunset as I walked back to the car. All in all a great outing. For a full list of my sightings see he KMZ file below.


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