Herring Spawn at Point Roberts

On April 12th, my friend Ken Klimko texted me that the Herring Spawn was on and I headed down there. The year before there was double the amount of birds and more diversity of species but this was still very cool. You can see  how special and what it was like last year HERE.

This year there was over 3000 Surf Scoters, the Surfs were the predominate species but there was also White-winged and Black Scoters, Brant, Harlequins, Greater Scaup, Barrow's and Common Goldeneyes, Gadwall and Bufflehead. Not to mention a few Marbled Murrelets, Rhino Auklets, Red-throated, Pacific and Common Loons, many Sanderling, Killdeer, Black Turnstones, Oystercatchers, Long-tailed Ducks, Horned, Red-necked and Western Grebes and Brandt's, Pelagic and Double-crested Cormorants. Other birds seen on shore were Dark-eyed Juncos, Savannah Sparrows, Red Crossbills, Turkey Vultures, Belted Kingfisher, Eurasian Collared Dove, Black-capped and Chestnut-backed Chickadees, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Northern Harrier, Bald Eagle,Robins, Starlings, Red-winged Blackbirds, Crows, Ravens, Canada Geese, Merlin, Golden-crowned and White-crowned Sparrows, Song Sparrow,  Tree, Barn and Violet-green Swallows, Yellow-rumped and Orange-crowned Warblers, Bewick's Wrens, House Finches, American Goldfinches, Kinglets, Spotted Towhee and  Rufous and Anna's Hummingbirds. Gulls seen were 1 Kumlien's Iceland, Mew, California, Ring-billed and Glaucous-winged. Was nice to see Richard Swanston, John Gordon and many others out there, plus I got to meet many friendly people interested in knowing what types of birds they were and what they were feeding on.

Marine Mammals seen were 2 California Sea Lions and many Harbour Seals. Last week Brian Self had a pod of Orcas we weren't lucky. Also last week Ken had 800 Mew Gulls which was quite the sight. Richard Swanston had observed one day Herring Spawns at Boundary Bay Regional Park and at Point Roberts about 2 weeks back now.

At Lily Point I relocated John Peetsma's Townsend's Solitaire. Last Oct I found one there in the same spot with Ilya.

Herring Spawn in Point Roberts - Photos: Melissa Hafting

Sanderling eating Herring Roe at Point Roberts - Photo: Melissa Hafting


Comments

  1. Peter ZadoroznyApril 15, 2018 at 12:01 PM

    Seeing one of mother natures spectacles is always a special day, thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Mario LamApril 15, 2018 at 4:29 PM

    Since I am not in town, I have to experience it through your story and pictures! Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  3. LonelytravellerApril 15, 2018 at 7:46 PM

    Wonderful pictures! Must have been quite a sight to see all goes birds!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Melissa HaftingApril 16, 2018 at 10:13 PM

    Thanks guys it's truly a phenomenal spectacle and gone as quickly as it came... no trace since

    ReplyDelete

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