Colony Farms in Coquitlam - Part 1 on Sunday

I always plan a visit here sometime in the last half of May. It's a great place to see a number of spring migrants in this time period. This post details my visit on Sunday, I came back on the holiday Monday for more.

There is a small parking area just after the entrance that allows you to walk north parallel to Highway 7B. You're guaranteed to see and hear singing Black-headed Grosbeaks along the Munday Creek trail. Today was no exception.


Black-headed Grosbeak - Colony Farm Regional Park, Coquitlam BC - 2018 Bird #145

I also saw a group of Cedar Waxwings, they pop up all over the park at this time of year.


Cedar Waxwing - Colony Farm Regional Park, Coquitlam BC

I made the turn onto the Wilson Farm Dyke trail and saw my first Western Tanager of the year. This is one of my favourites to see with the mix of Yellow and Black colours plus the orange/red on the head area.


Western Tanager - Colony Farm Regional Park, Coquitlam BC - 2018 Bird #146

Further on the same trail I caught a brief glimpse of a Yellow Warbler. This would be my only sighting of that species on this weekend.


Yellow Warbler - Colony Farm Regional Park, Coquitlam BC - 2018 Bird #147

At this time of year it's common to see male Rufous Hummingbirds out in the open away from the nectar feeders.  I assume they are feeding on insects and probably getting nectar from flowering plants. They don't participate in rearing the young, they are free agents at this stage.


Rufous Hummingbird - Colony Farm Regional Park, Coquitlam BC

Not to be oudone, the Anna's hummingbirds deserve equal time.

Anna's Hummingbird - Colony Farm Regional Park, Coquitlam BC

It's terrible to see discarded items in a wildlife refuge, but i guess this Mallard mom and her chicks disagree with this sentiment.


Mallards - Colony Farm Regional Park, Coquitlam BC

Here's a shot of a Red-tailed Hawk flying over, I was able to get a couple of shots away as it went.


Red-tailed Hawk - Colony Farm Regional Park, Coquitlam BC

The Coquitlam River bisects the park. It's higher than normal, but not likely to flood.


Coquitlam River - Colony Farm Regional Park, Coquitlam BC

Finally, there had been a report of a Solitary Sandpiper at Blackburn Lagoons Park in Port Coquitlam. This is a brand new park that features three lagoons surrounded by walking trails. It had only been open for a  couple of weeks.

I didn't see the Sandpiper, but got a nice shot of a Killdeer. I also had the opportunity to educate some visitors on what kind of bird it was and detail some of its behaviours.


Killdeer - Blackburn Lagoons Park, Port Coquitlam BC