Cheam Wetlands Regional Park

We don’t often go over to Cheam Wetlands for the simple reason that although it is quite near to where we live, dogs aren’t allowed.  There is a reason for this of course as it is a preserve for birds but when you have dogs that like to go for walks too, you tend to find other places where dogs and birds can co-mingle.

However, last Sunday we decided to walk the dogs elsewhere first and then go to the wetlands to see what was happening.  This area must be a little higher in elevation as it always seems to be just a little behind the general area in terms of leafing out.

Here is the first view you get from the parking lot, of the lake area. 

walking along the shoreline, heading towards the viewing platform…

and here is the view, looking out from the viewing platform, with the snow capped mountains forming a backdrop.  One of those waterfalls would be Bridal Falls.

There were a couple of Tree Swallows flying around one of the nesting boxes….very shortly their numbers will increase dramatically…

there were also a number of Canada Geese, most of which were paired up but not quite at the nesting stage yet, although definitely staking out territory!  We could spot a lock raft of ducks at the far end of the lake but couldn’t ID them.

this sleepy pair of Hooded Mergansers, a skittish pair of Wood Ducks and about a dozen Ring Neck Ducks were the only other waterfowl we saw.

as we headed back and down towards the ‘Loop Trail’

I could hear, coming from this reed bed, the unmistakable ‘buzzy’ call of the Marsh Wren…

and there he was!  In fact there were a number of them calling from various spots in the reeds.  These guys are one of the earliest returning ‘migrants’.  The rest of the walk was fairly uneventful apart from what seemed like dozens of Black Cap Chickadees that all seemed to be paired up.

this quiet pond located along the walk had a pair of Canada Geese at the far end, along with a pair of Mallards.  Not quite the hot bed of bird activity there will be as spring progress’s.  Perhaps we’ll have to try to make another visit in a few weeks time.