Birding in BC Community

So I checked out Brunswick Point today, looking for those black and white birds with huge orange beaks (you know what I'm talking about?). Didn't see much, but there were these white things quite far off, towards Roberts Bank. They were moving a little, but I couldn't make out any orange or black. I've only been to Brunswick Point once before this (3 or so years ago), so they may just be some kind of markers that are always there. But, they could also be pelicans. So, this is the worst possible picture, but could they be the pelicans? Mainly for people who have chased them and seen where they have been/what they look like from the dike.

I tried to count, and came up with about 50, which is more than previously reported, so that's also a reason for why I'm thinking otherwise.
Thanks! I completely understand if they are unidentifiable.

You'll probably have better luck visiting on a high-tide. If I had to guess I'd say those are Glaucous-winged Gulls. If they looked like they were walking, then that would clinch it.

Russ C
Revelstoke, BC

GWGU is a good guess. They're pretty colourless.

I went out twice to try for the Pelicans, the first attempt was just following a high tide which was receding and had no luck.In the distance there were large numbers of Gulls and Caspian Terns. The second time I tried was early in the morning. The tide was already quite far out and the Pelicans were distant but obvious with binoculars.
Rob

Hi Fancy,

I'm sorry you didn't see them. I saw them quite some time ago and I hear they are still around but you will need bins or a scope and when I saw them they were on the roberts bank facing side (way way out). Did you see any short-eared owls when you were there?

Cheers.

codarabbit wrote:I went out twice to try for the Pelicans, the first attempt was just following a high tide which was receding and had no luck.In the distance there were large numbers of Gulls and Caspian Terns. The second time I tried was early in the morning. The tide was already quite far out and the Pelicans were distant but obvious with binoculars.
Rob

From what I've heard they're hard to see well. As other people have been saying, the heat haze sort of messes around with what our eyes can make out.

birdergirl wrote:Hi Fancy,

I'm sorry you didn't see them. I saw them quite some time ago and I hear they are still around but you will need bins or a scope and when I saw them they were on the roberts bank facing side (way way out). Did you see any short-eared owls when you were there?

Cheers.

I had bins and that's how I saw the gulls. It is quite a far distance, even with binoculars!
No owls unfortunately. That was one of the other reasons I went there, and that was to look for owls. We didn't go at the right time for either birds though, the owls were probably waiting for evening, and the pelicans were probably waiting for high tide.

Hi Fancy,

Liron spotted them at the ferry jetty so perhaps you can try there as they were at the time close enough to get photos of.

Hope you catch them as they are fun birds to watch.

All the best.

birdergirl wrote:Liron spotted them at the ferry jetty so perhaps you can try there as they were at the time close enough to get photos of.

Like birdergirl said yesterday (at 10:10 AM) a flock of 50 of them flew over the ferry jetty. They were quite low down and the circled a few times before disappearing southwest over the Strait of Georgia. Though it is possible they will return I don't think it is likely as they flew so far away i couldn't see them anymore, but that being said flocks doing that were seen three days in a row recently at Jericho Park!

Here is a photo I got:

Wow, great capture, Liron! I saw from eBird that you had seen them at the ferry terminal. Maybe I will be able to try there or at Jericho... Jericho would be more likely, as it's closer. We'll be going away in three days though, so it's unlikely.
But, who knows, maybe I'll see them in Alberta!

That's a beautiful shot Liron! I think you are the only person who has seen them that close this year here!

Cheers.

I saw more pelicans today! First was when I was riding my bike on the way to Reifel, I saw a large flock of birds that looked like pelicans. I pulled over and got my bins on them just in time to ID them as pelicans before they disappeared behind some trees. They were along River Road near Wellington Point Park, and there were about 45 of them. Later I saw them or a different flock again way out on the water at Brunswick Point. They were so far away and it was through the heat but another birder was there with her scope and through it you could make out the large dark wing patches when they flew. It is quite cool seeing these rare visitors!

That's so awesome Liron! I agree they are such interesting birds to look at. I really miss watching them in Saskatoon. I'm very glad they are here.

Wow, now you're really making me jealous, Liron!

It appears I photographed a similar flock yesterday. Noticed them from my apartment and took a shot for a closer look (only 200mm). I could not have ID'd them if not for stumbling across this thread, so thank you!

Photo is a heavy crop but shows the colouration clearly enough.

American white pelicans (22) by Nic Bird, on Flickr
https://flic.kr/p/2nonvft