The group was small today, but enthusiasm abounded. We met at the Little River Nature Park on Wilkinson Rd near the Powell River ferry terminal and made our usual, slow circuit to take in pond, marine shoreline, river and the landscape in between (check route map below). The birdlife was abundant and varied and we even sighted a muskrat (we think) swimming by in the pond and a salmon attempting to swim up the shallow river. This is an area well worth visiting by the birders amongst us. Birds noted were: Gulls, crow, Bald Eagles, American Coot, American Wigeons, Pied Grebes, Horned Grebes, Red-necked Grebes, Hooded Mergansers, Common Mergansers, Mallards, Ring-necked Ducks, Dark-eyed Juncos, Downy (Hairy?) Woodpecker, Killdeer, Black-bellied Plovers (I think), Surf Scoters, Buffleheads, Green-winged Teal female (I think) and a Northern Shoveler female.