Birdingonthe.Net Recent Postings from Brit Col Interior > Home > Mail > Alerts Updated on Thursday, September 2 at 12:12 AM ET The most recently received Mail is at the top.	Saw-billed Hermit,©Barry Kent Mackay

1 Sep Re: electrocuted osprey ["Peter Blokker" ] 1 Sep Re: electrocuted osprey ["Carol" ] 1 Sep electrocuted osprey ["Peter Blokker" ] 1 Sep Common Terna [Gwynneth Wilson ] 1 Sep late Western Wood-Pewee fledging ["Dick Cannings" ] 1 Sep RE: Salmon Arm Shorebirds for Aug 31 ["Rick Howie" ] 1 Sep RE: Salmon Arm Shorebirds for Aug 31 ["David Chapman" ] 01 Sep Re: Heather Trail; Manning Park ["srophoto" ] 1 Sep lack of killdeer [Tammy Proctor ] 1 Sep Robert Lake shorebirds [Chris Charlesworth ] 01 Sep Wild Turkeys in the North Okanagan ["jimander1720" ] 1 Sep Re: Heather Trail; Manning Park ["Dick Cannings" ] 1 Sep RE: Heather Trail; Manning Park [Jason Rogers ] 31 Aug RE: Salmon Arm Shorebirds for Aug 31 ["Rick Howie" ] 31 Aug Salmon Arm Shorebirds for Aug 31 ["Don Cecile" ] 31 Aug Re: Red-shafed Flicker pretending to be a Barn Swallow ["Dick Cannings" ] 31 Aug Red-shafed Flicker pretending to be a Barn Swallow [Laurie Rockwell ] 31 Aug Heather Trail; Manning Park ["Thor" ] 31 Aug red-necked phalaropes [Janna Leslie ] 31 Aug RE: Re: empid ["Rick Howie" ] 30 Aug RE: Cranes & Perlicans. ["Rick Howie" ] 30 Aug Olive-sided Flycatcher ["Dick Cannings" ] 30 Aug Re: Common Nighthawks [Laure Neish ] 29 Aug RE: empid ["Rick Howie" ] 29 Aug Re: empid [Laurie Rockwell ] 29 Aug Ruddy Turnstone photo ["Don Cecile" ] 29 Aug RE: Salmon Arm shorebirds for Aug 28 ["Don Cecile" ] 29 Aug Nanaimo,Vancouver Island, bird report--August 29, 2010, ["Colin" ] 29 Aug RE: Lewis Woodpeckers ["Rick Howie" ] 29 Aug RE: Salmon Arm shorebirds for Aug 28 ["Rick Howie" ] 28 Aug Lewis Woodpeckers ["Katharine Shewchuk" ] 29 Aug Salmon Arm shorebirds for Aug 28 ["Don Cecile" ] 29 Aug RE: Re: empid ["Rick Howie" ] 28 Aug RE: Re: empid ["Rick Howie" ] 29 Aug Vaseux Lake Bird Observatory ["douglasbrown01" ] 29 Aug Re: empid ["douglasbrown01" ] 28 Aug RE: empid ["Rick Howie" ] 28 Aug Re: empid ["Dick Cannings" ] 28 Aug empid [Gary Davidson ] 27 Aug answers to my photo quiz [Chris Siddle ] 27 Aug Re: photo quiz ["sue_thomson51" ] 27 Aug Re: photo quiz ["sue_thomson51" ] 27 Aug Re: Re: photo quiz [Gary Davidson ] 27 Aug Re: photo quiz ["sue_thomson51" ] 26 Aug Re: photo quiz [Russell Cannings ] 26 Aug Re: photo quiz [Chris Siddle ] 26 Aug RE: photo quiz ["Don Cecile" ] 26 Aug Re: photo quiz [Russell Cannings ] 26 Aug photo quiz [Chris Siddle ] 25 Aug Re: Salmon Arm shorebirds for 25 Aug [Ted Hillary ] 25 Aug Re: Salmon Arm shorebirds for 25 Aug ["Dick Cannings" ] 25 Aug Re: Salmon Arm shorebirds for 25 Aug [Ted Hillary ] 25 Aug RE: Salmon Arm shorebirds for 25 Aug ["Rick Howie" ] 25 Aug photo quiz posted? [Chris Siddle ] 25 Aug Salmon Arm shorebirds for 25 Aug ["Don Cecile" ] 25 Aug Ruddy Turnstone -- Salmon Arm Bay [Ted Hillary ] 24 Aug Bird Monitoring and Banding Workshop ["derekjmatthews" ] 24 Aug Tatlayoko rare bird ["srophoto" ] 23 Aug RE: Robert Lake birds ["David Chapman" ] 23 Aug Robert Lake lager-louts, was: Robert Lake birds [Michael Force ] 23 Aug Vaseux Lake Bird Observatory ["douglasbrown01" ] 22 Aug Nanaimo,Vancouver Island, bird report--August 22, 2010, ["Colin" ] 22 Aug RE: Robert Lake birds ["Rick Howie" ] 22 Aug RE: Robert Lake birds [Chris Charlesworth ] 22 Aug RE: Robert Lake birds ["Rick Howie" ] 22 Aug RE: North BX (Vernon) birding for 20 and 21 September ["Rick Howie" ] 21 Aug Re: North BX (Vernon) birding for 20 and 21 September [Janna Leslie ] 21 Aug North BX (Vernon) birding for 20 and 21 September [Chris Siddle ] 21 Aug Robert Lake birds [Chris Charlesworth ] 21 Aug Salmon Arm shorebirds for Aug 21 ["Don Cecile" ] 22 Aug Vaseux Lake Bird Observatory ["douglasbrown01" ] 21 Aug TLBO update ["srophoto" ] 21 Aug Re: A Lack of Ethics Amongst Authors: Was: Black Bond Books ["poecile06" ] 20 Aug Vaseux Lake Bird Observatory ["Dick Cannings" ] 20 Aug Re: Black Bond Books-Dick,Rick,Dan,Chris ["eleni h" ] 20 Aug Re: Black Bond Books-Dick,Rick,Dan,Chris [Roy Priest ] Subject: Re: electrocuted osprey From: "Peter Blokker" <pfblokker AT telus.net> Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 22:17:54 -0700 Thanks Carol, Just before 8 this evening the bird flew off,so we have to presume that it was not too badly hurt and did recover. Good to know what to do in future,though. I should have mentioned that the bird was at the north arm of Okanagan lake,north of Vernon. Thanks again! Peter ----- Original Message ----- From: Carol To: bcintbird AT yahoogroups.com Sent: Wednesday, September 01, 2010 7:57 PM Subject: Re: [bcintbird] electrocuted osprey Yes Peter, something can be done by a professional ,licensed rehabber..I have had a number of such cases. After a few weeks of intensive care ( depending upon severity) I was able to fly them out to OWL in Delta so that they could continue their healing. Where are they? Are they close to BEAKS, Castlegar? That bird needs dark, warm (75') and quite. NO FOOD< OR WATER! Those will damage their internal organs. It wasn't nature that hurt this bird..it was humans so is not fair to leave it to nature. Carol BEAKS ----- Original Message ----- ' From: Peter Blokker To: bcintbirds Sent: Wednesday, September 01, 2010 7:27 PM Subject: [bcintbird] electrocuted osprey Hi all, I just had a call from a Mrs McKinley(250-558-0474) who called me about an electrocuted osprey. The bird is alive and has no apparent injuries,but sits on the ground dazed and has been in that state a few hours. Has anyone had any experience with similar cases? Can anything be done besides keeping the bird safe and letting nature take its course? Thanks, Peter [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Internal Virus Database is out-of-date. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.23.16/1430 - Release Date: 5/13/08 7:31 AM [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Re: electrocuted osprey From: "Carol" <ctaffy2 AT shaw.ca> Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 19:57:36 -0700 Yes Peter, something can be done by a professional ,licensed rehabber..I have had a number of such cases. After a few weeks of intensive care ( depending upon severity) I was able to fly them out to OWL in Delta so that they could continue their healing. Where are they? Are they close to BEAKS, Castlegar? That bird needs dark, warm (75') and quite. NO FOOD< OR WATER! Those will damage their internal organs. It wasn't nature that hurt this bird..it was humans so is not fair to leave it to nature. Carol BEAKS ----- Original Message ----- ' From: Peter Blokker To: bcintbirds Sent: Wednesday, September 01, 2010 7:27 PM Subject: [bcintbird] electrocuted osprey Hi all, I just had a call from a Mrs McKinley(250-558-0474) who called me about an electrocuted osprey. The bird is alive and has no apparent injuries,but sits on the ground dazed and has been in that state a few hours. Has anyone had any experience with similar cases? Can anything be done besides keeping the bird safe and letting nature take its course? Thanks, Peter [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: electrocuted osprey From: "Peter Blokker" <pfblokker AT telus.net> Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 19:27:43 -0700 Hi all, I just had a call from a Mrs McKinley(250-558-0474) who called me about an electrocuted osprey. The bird is alive and has no apparent injuries,but sits on the ground dazed and has been in that state a few hours. Has anyone had any experience with similar cases? Can anything be done besides keeping the bird safe and letting nature take its course? Thanks, Peter [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Common Terna From: Gwynneth Wilson <gwynnethwilson AT yahoo.ca> Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 13:45:31 -0700 (PDT) Two common terns were at Sutherland Bay in north Kelowna Tuesday at 12.40 pm. flying around the log booms. Gwynneth Wilson Subject: late Western Wood-Pewee fledging From: "Dick Cannings" <dickcannings AT shaw.ca> Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 12:49:13 -0700 Hi birders: In a recent posting, Chris Siddle mentioned a late nesting for Western Wood-Pewee. I know this species does typically nest later than most songbirds, but I was surprised to see two fledglings being fed by an adult in my yard this morning. They were past the "bob-tailed" stage mentioned by Chris in his post, but were still obviously dependent on the adult, with a lot of noisy begging going on. On another late note, September hummingbirds are always nice to see, so I was happy to get a Black-chinned at the feeder here a few minutes ago. cheers Dick Cannings Penticton, BC [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: RE: Salmon Arm Shorebirds for Aug 31 From: "Rick Howie" <r.howie AT shaw.ca> Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 10:54:59 -0700 Thanks David. I have not been to some of our shorebird haunts very much this fall but I have not seen any large groups of killdeer as per usual. But some of our habitat is changing and actually not available as it was many years ago due to shifting river dynamics. Rick Howie [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: RE: Salmon Arm Shorebirds for Aug 31 From: "David Chapman" <chpmndavid AT hotmail.com> Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 09:21:32 -0700 Rick, There certainly have been unusual numbers of Killdeer (and shore birds) at Robert Lake for the last several weeks where usually it is very dry this time of year. I've seen 20 -50 there regularly. Maybe that's where they have gone. David [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Re: Heather Trail; Manning Park From: "srophoto" <ogle AT sfu.ca> Date: Wed, 01 Sep 2010 16:16:01 -0000 I remember seeing three Rough-legged Hawks at one time while doing fall alpine migration surveys in the Three Brothers area of Manning Park. Pretty cool. Steve Ogle www.steveogle.ca --- In bcintbird AT yahoogroups.com, Jason Rogers wrote: > > > There do appear to be dispersive or migratory movements of Rough-legged Hawks into southwestern Canada in August, though this doesn't seem to happen every year and may be related to lemming abundance in the North. There are about 20 fall records of Rough-legged Hawk for Banff-Jasper prior to the main passage in October, with perhaps half of these occurring in the latter two-thirds of August. > > And it's not just Rough-legged Hawks. Peregrines (origins unknown) regularly occupy Banff-Jasper during August and early September. Prairie Falcon is fairly common in the parks from late July through mid September. I even have a few Gyrfalcon records for the mid August to mid September period (a couple of these by reputable observers). > > Jason Rogers > Banff, AB > hawkowl AT ... > > > > > > > ________________________________ > > To: bcintbird AT yahoogroups.com > > From: thormanson AT ... > > Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 20:27:29 +0000 > > Subject: [bcintbird] Heather Trail; Manning Park > > > > > > > > Hi birders: > > Yesterday, I hiked the Heather Trail, in Manning Park to First Brother. > > The weather was variable, from briliant sunshine, and, beautiful clear > > air, to periodic snow showers at the top, both at the upper level > > parking lot, and by First Brother. > > The birding was a little slow, and species seen were much the same, as > > reported by Dick on his most recent blog. > > Mixed fleeding flocks included Red breasted Nuthatch, Mountain, and > > Boreal Chickadee. > > I didn't bump into any " Blue Grouses ", but managed to find one male > > Spruce Grouse. > > I didn't see a single warbler, or a Hermit's Thrush, to be expected at > > this time of year. > > There were American Pipits about, up on the plateau, and sparrow > > species were Savannah, and White crowned. Lots of Ravens, and a couple > > of Red tailed Hawks. > > Perhaps, the most interesting bird was a possible Rough legged Hawk. I > > hesitate to mention this sighting, except for the fact that three years > > ago, I saw this species on this trail, about the same time of year, and > > it was documented by photographs by a British birder, the editor of one > > of their birding journals, whom I was accompanying on the hike. It > > seems quite early for this species to appear " down south", but I > > wonder if it shows up earlier in the alpine/sub alpine habitat, and > > then migrates further down slope with the accompanying fall/winter > > weather. I wonder if any other birders have had experience with this > > bird this early? Cheers, Thor > > > > Thor Manson > > Gallagher Lake, B.C. > > > > > > > Subject: lack of killdeer From: Tammy Proctor <birdsonly4me AT yahoo.ca> Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 09:00:50 -0700 (PDT) I noticed a lack of Killdeer here in Ashcroft also. I may have heard one or two in the farm field adjacent to our backyard. We just had a great show of Common Nighthawks a few nights ago coming right into our backyard and missing me by at least 2 feet. But no Killdeer. Tammy Ashcroft ________________________________ From: Rick Howie To: bcintbird AT yahoogroups.com Sent: Tue, August 31, 2010 9:49:46 PM Subject: RE: [bcintbird] Salmon Arm Shorebirds for Aug 31 Nice list Don. I have recently been asked by some country-dwelling friends the same question you asked. Where were all the killdeer this summer? They did not have their usual pairs of Killdeer scattered around their ranch. I had no useful data or experiences to add. Have others noted a dearth of Killdeer this summer in addition to lower numbers in migration if that is happening as well? Rick Howie [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Robert Lake shorebirds From: Chris Charlesworth <c_charlesworth23 AT hotmail.com> Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 07:55:23 -0700 Robert Lake was quite good this morning in the rain! There were about 11 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, dozens of KILLDEER, a LESSER YELLOWLEGS, 2 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, 12 BAIRD'S SANDPIPERS, 4 WESTERN SANDPIPERS, 15 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS, 40 LEAST SANDPIPERS, 1 SPOTTED SANDPIPER and 5 RED-NECKED PHALAROPES. Lots of swallows, some AMERICAN PIPITS, an assortment of gulls and ducks also present at the lake. Chris Charlesworth Kelowna, BC [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Wild Turkeys in the North Okanagan From: "jimander1720" <jimander AT shaw.ca> Date: Wed, 01 Sep 2010 14:54:08 -0000 Last week I was surprised to find 5 wild turkeys beside the western end of the Commonage Road near Vernon. Have I missed earlier posts re this small group of gobblers? Subject: Re: Heather Trail; Manning Park From: "Dick Cannings" <dickcannings AT shaw.ca> Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 07:48:51 -0700 Hi birders: Also of hawks-in-the-mountains interest, I just had a report from a good Washington birder of a Ferruginous Hawk atop a peak on the US-Canada border just west of the Similkameen River (near Mt. Chopaka). cheers Dick Cannings Penticton, BC -------------------------------------------------- From: "Jason Rogers" Sent: Tuesday, August 31, 2010 10:44 PM To: Subject: RE: [bcintbird] Heather Trail; Manning Park > > There do appear to be dispersive or migratory movements of Rough-legged > Hawks into southwestern Canada in August, though this doesn't seem to > happen every year and may be related to lemming abundance in the North. > There are about 20 fall records of Rough-legged Hawk for Banff-Jasper > prior to the main passage in October, with perhaps half of these occurring > in the latter two-thirds of August. > > And it's not just Rough-legged Hawks. Peregrines (origins unknown) > regularly occupy Banff-Jasper during August and early September. Prairie > Falcon is fairly common in the parks from late July through mid September. > I even have a few Gyrfalcon records for the mid August to mid September > period (a couple of these by reputable observers). > > Jason Rogers > Banff, AB > hawkowl AT hotmail.com > > > > > > > ________________________________ >> To: bcintbird AT yahoogroups.com >> From: thormanson AT yahoo.com >> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 20:27:29 +0000 >> Subject: [bcintbird] Heather Trail; Manning Park >> >> >> >> Hi birders: >> Yesterday, I hiked the Heather Trail, in Manning Park to First Brother. >> The weather was variable, from briliant sunshine, and, beautiful clear >> air, to periodic snow showers at the top, both at the upper level >> parking lot, and by First Brother. >> The birding was a little slow, and species seen were much the same, as >> reported by Dick on his most recent blog. >> Mixed fleeding flocks included Red breasted Nuthatch, Mountain, and >> Boreal Chickadee. >> I didn't bump into any " Blue Grouses ", but managed to find one male >> Spruce Grouse. >> I didn't see a single warbler, or a Hermit's Thrush, to be expected at >> this time of year. >> There were American Pipits about, up on the plateau, and sparrow >> species were Savannah, and White crowned. Lots of Ravens, and a couple >> of Red tailed Hawks. >> Perhaps, the most interesting bird was a possible Rough legged Hawk. I >> hesitate to mention this sighting, except for the fact that three years >> ago, I saw this species on this trail, about the same time of year, and >> it was documented by photographs by a British birder, the editor of one >> of their birding journals, whom I was accompanying on the hike. It >> seems quite early for this species to appear " down south", but I >> wonder if it shows up earlier in the alpine/sub alpine habitat, and >> then migrates further down slope with the accompanying fall/winter >> weather. I wonder if any other birders have had experience with this >> bird this early? Cheers, Thor >> >> Thor Manson >> Gallagher Lake, B.C. >> >> >> > > ------------------------------------ > > To contact the moderator email > bcintbird-owner AT yahoogroups.com > Also, consider joining these groups. > bcbirds-subscribe AT yahoogroups.com an all BC group. > If you have pictures to share try this group. > http://groups-beta.google.com/ > From here you have to join the bcintbird-pics group before you can see the > pictures. > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > ------------------------------------ To contact the moderator email bcintbird-owner AT yahoogroups.com Also, consider joining these groups. bcbirds-subscribe AT yahoogroups.com an all BC group. If you have pictures to share try this group. http://groups-beta.google.com/ From here you have to join the bcintbird-pics group before you can see the pictures. Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bcintbird/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bcintbird/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: bcintbird-digest AT yahoogroups.com bcintbird-fullfeatured AT yahoogroups.com <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: bcintbird-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ Subject: RE: Heather Trail; Manning Park From: Jason Rogers <hawkowl AT hotmail.com> Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 05:44:19 +0000 There do appear to be dispersive or migratory movements of Rough-legged Hawks into southwestern Canada in August, though this doesn't seem to happen every year and may be related to lemming abundance in the North. There are about 20 fall records of Rough-legged Hawk for Banff-Jasper prior to the main passage in October, with perhaps half of these occurring in the latter two-thirds of August. And it's not just Rough-legged Hawks. Peregrines (origins unknown) regularly occupy Banff-Jasper during August and early September. Prairie Falcon is fairly common in the parks from late July through mid September. I even have a few Gyrfalcon records for the mid August to mid September period (a couple of these by reputable observers). Jason Rogers Banff, AB hawkowl AT hotmail.com ________________________________ > To: bcintbird AT yahoogroups.com > From: thormanson AT yahoo.com > Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 20:27:29 +0000 > Subject: [bcintbird] Heather Trail; Manning Park > > > > Hi birders: > Yesterday, I hiked the Heather Trail, in Manning Park to First Brother. > The weather was variable, from briliant sunshine, and, beautiful clear > air, to periodic snow showers at the top, both at the upper level > parking lot, and by First Brother. > The birding was a little slow, and species seen were much the same, as > reported by Dick on his most recent blog. > Mixed fleeding flocks included Red breasted Nuthatch, Mountain, and > Boreal Chickadee. > I didn't bump into any " Blue Grouses ", but managed to find one male > Spruce Grouse. > I didn't see a single warbler, or a Hermit's Thrush, to be expected at > this time of year. > There were American Pipits about, up on the plateau, and sparrow > species were Savannah, and White crowned. Lots of Ravens, and a couple > of Red tailed Hawks. > Perhaps, the most interesting bird was a possible Rough legged Hawk. I > hesitate to mention this sighting, except for the fact that three years > ago, I saw this species on this trail, about the same time of year, and > it was documented by photographs by a British birder, the editor of one > of their birding journals, whom I was accompanying on the hike. It > seems quite early for this species to appear " down south", but I > wonder if it shows up earlier in the alpine/sub alpine habitat, and > then migrates further down slope with the accompanying fall/winter > weather. I wonder if any other birders have had experience with this > bird this early? Cheers, Thor > > Thor Manson > Gallagher Lake, B.C. > > > ------------------------------------ To contact the moderator email bcintbird-owner AT yahoogroups.com Also, consider joining these groups. bcbirds-subscribe AT yahoogroups.com an all BC group. If you have pictures to share try this group. http://groups-beta.google.com/ From here you have to join the bcintbird-pics group before you can see the pictures. Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bcintbird/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bcintbird/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: bcintbird-digest AT yahoogroups.com bcintbird-fullfeatured AT yahoogroups.com <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: bcintbird-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ Subject: RE: Salmon Arm Shorebirds for Aug 31 From: "Rick Howie" <r.howie AT shaw.ca> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 21:49:46 -0700 Nice list Don. I have recently been asked by some country-dwelling friends the same question you asked. Where were all the killdeer this summer? They did not have their usual pairs of Killdeer scattered around their ranch. I had no useful data or experiences to add. Have others noted a dearth of Killdeer this summer in addition to lower numbers in migration if that is happening as well? Rick Howie [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Salmon Arm Shorebirds for Aug 31 From: "Don Cecile" <dcecile AT telus.net> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 20:21:57 -0700 Hi all a fresh batch of arriving shorebirds spruced things up just a bit for this morning's census. The most interesting find was this season's first Lapland Longspur. Sandhill Crane 6 in fields just south of Enderby Semipalmated Plover 1 Killdeer 1 (where are all the killdeer this year???) Lesser Yellowlegs 4 Spotted Sandpiper 1 Sanderling 6 juvs Semipalmated Sandpiper 8 juvs Western Sandpiper 3 juvs Least Sandpiper 54 juvs Baird's Sandpiper 33 juvs Pectoral Sandpiper 22 juvs Red-necked Phalarope 12 juvs Franklin's Gull 4; 3 were in juv plumage one was in advanced basic I Bonaparte's Gull 2 juvs American Pipit 4 Lapland Longspur 1 We'll see what September brings.... Don [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Re: Red-shafed Flicker pretending to be a Barn Swallow From: "Dick Cannings" <dickcannings AT shaw.ca> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 17:32:28 -0700 Hi Laurie: I remember a Tree Swallow nesting in a Barn Swallow nest at the Creston Wildlife Centre many years back. Dick Cannings Penticton, BC From: Laurie Rockwell Sent: Tuesday, August 31, 2010 4:38 PM To: bcintbird AT yahoogroups.com Subject: [bcintbird] Red-shafed Flicker pretending to be a Barn Swallow Birders, I have been monitoring a small colony of Barn Swallows (BASW)at the change/wash rooms at the Sun Oka Provincial Park in Trout Creek, Summerland for 5 years. As of today I am now up to 15 nest sites. Imagine my surprise to see a female House Finch comfortably ensconced in the same nest the last two (early)springs! She was there for only 2 weeks. Imagine my HUGE surprise today to find a female Red-shafted Flicker comfortably ensconced in an abandoned BASW nest,albeit briefly, as it flew off in my presence. We were both surprised to see each other ! Has has any birder out there had a similar experience with other birds usurping BASW nests? Cheers..........Laurie R -- Know Thyself Coaching Summerland, BC, Canada 250-494-7558; knowthyselfcoaching AT vip.net Member International Coach Federation If you do not go within,you will go without [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Red-shafed Flicker pretending to be a Barn Swallow From: Laurie Rockwell <hardrock AT vip.net> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 16:38:01 -0700 Birders, I have been monitoring a small colony of Barn Swallows (BASW)at the change/wash rooms at the Sun Oka Provincial Park in Trout Creek, Summerland for 5 years. As of today I am now up to 15 nest sites. Imagine my surprise to see a female House Finch comfortably ensconced in the same nest the last two (early)springs! She was there for only 2 weeks. Imagine my HUGE surprise today to find a female Red-shafted Flicker comfortably ensconced in an abandoned BASW nest,albeit briefly, as it flew off in my presence. We were both surprised to see each other ! Has has any birder out there had a similar experience with other birds usurping BASW nests? Cheers..........Laurie R -- Know Thyself Coaching Summerland, BC, Canada 250-494-7558; knowthyselfcoaching AT vip.net Member International Coach Federation If you do not go within,you will go without Subject: Heather Trail; Manning Park From: "Thor" <thormanson AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 20:27:29 -0000 Hi birders: Yesterday, I hiked the Heather Trail, in Manning Park to First Brother. The weather was variable, from briliant sunshine, and, beautiful clear air, to periodic snow showers at the top, both at the upper level parking lot, and by First Brother. The birding was a little slow, and species seen were much the same, as reported by Dick on his most recent blog. Mixed fleeding flocks included Red breasted Nuthatch, Mountain, and Boreal Chickadee. I didn't bump into any " Blue Grouses ", but managed to find one male Spruce Grouse. I didn't see a single warbler, or a Hermit's Thrush, to be expected at this time of year. There were American Pipits about, up on the plateau, and sparrow species were Savannah, and White crowned. Lots of Ravens, and a couple of Red tailed Hawks. Perhaps, the most interesting bird was a possible Rough legged Hawk. I hesitate to mention this sighting, except for the fact that three years ago, I saw this species on this trail, about the same time of year, and it was documented by photographs by a British birder, the editor of one of their birding journals, whom I was accompanying on the hike. It seems quite early for this species to appear " down south", but I wonder if it shows up earlier in the alpine/sub alpine habitat, and then migrates further down slope with the accompanying fall/winter weather. I wonder if any other birders have had experience with this bird this early? Cheers, Thor Thor Manson Gallagher Lake, B.C. Subject: red-necked phalaropes From: Janna Leslie <jannamles AT yahoo.ca> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 11:57:42 -0700 (PDT) Hi all. This morning I observed 9 red-necked phalaropes at Mahoney Lake.  I was surprised and very happy to see them. Cheers, Janna Leslie, Naramata [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: RE: Re: empid From: "Rick Howie" <r.howie AT shaw.ca> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 09:41:31 -0700 Hi Doug et al; following your thoughts on variation in juv. Willows, I offer the following ruminations sent to Barry Lancaster recently. I have been pondering your thoughts on variability in juv. Willow flycatcher as well as some comments made by Doug Brown. We all know that birds show variation across their range and amongst individuals within geographic areas. To some degree, this has been emphasized in recent field guides and web sites and yet can still remain a source of uncertainty. With the advent of widespread digital images being circulated that show extreme close-ups of birds, we have entered somewhat of a new detailed era that was once the realm of the museum men. With more banding stations providing even more micro views and measurement data, the field is even more complex. So with these new tools comes great opportunity to publish the details of these variations (just to confuse us all the more). You (Barry) are great at taking "in hand" shots of birds at the banding sites and I think this practice should be practiced as much as possible. I know that banding stations can be busy but what a good role for a volunteer photographer to embark on a project on empidonax for example. Take pictures of a large sample size or all of the positively identified empids and their ages and put them up on a web site and analyse them for variation. Fall warblers or many other potentially confusing plumages and variations would be great fodder for the photographer. I made a crude attempt to show variation in terminal bars in Dusky Grouse tail feathers a while back. I am pretty sure that I sent them to the group but perhaps not. I must check but could easily do so. If I did, the silence was quieter than a church parking lot on Wednesday morning. Perhaps no one thinks that they will ever be challenged to identify Dusky/Sooty grouse. Who knows but regardless, such projects for the curious I think are very interesting diversions into detail that we otherwise may miss. So there you have it. For what it's worth. Cheers Rick Howie [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: RE: Cranes & Perlicans. From: "Rick Howie" <r.howie AT shaw.ca> Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2010 20:37:35 -0700 HI Dick et al: on Aug. 27, Gary Davidson & I had 11 cranes fly low over us at Separation Lake just south of Kamloops. I suspect they had been on the ground overnight and had just jumped into the air from a small wetland over the hill from where we were standing. I have no doubt that these were migrants and not likely our local breeders. Today, there were at least 95 White Pelicans at Tranquille on sand bars and shallows in Kamloops Lake. This is over double the numbers that have been summering there this year so they likely include some migrants. This is just about the time we expect an influx of southbound birds. In recent years, the numbers of summering birds have made it a little more tricky to determine just when our migrants arrive. But our historical experience from times before we had summering birds, reveals that the last few days of August heralded arrivals here. Rick Howie Kamloops [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Olive-sided Flycatcher From: "Dick Cannings" <dickcannings AT shaw.ca> Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2010 18:52:07 -0700 Hi birders: I got an easy NMT bird this afternoon when an Olive-sided Flycatcher appeared on the top of our birch and stayed for about an hour. Obviously a migrant at this elevation. Also of migratory interest, a flock of Sandhill Cranes was reported over Penticton late yesterday morning. cheers Dick Cannings Penticton, BC [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Re: Common Nighthawks From: Laure Neish <natureneish AT gmail.com> Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2010 07:32:31 -0700 Wonderful story Tammy, wish I could have been there too. Laure On Sun, Aug 29, 2010 at 9:06 PM, Tammy Proctor wrote: > > > Tonight I had the most awesome experience in birding. It was around 8 pm > and we > were watching tv and all of a sudden a Common Nighthawk flew within 2 feet > of > our patio door. This went on for a few minutes and I then went to the back > corner of the house and just stood there watching. I was there for at least > 10 > minutes and about 4 or 5 Common Nighthawks flew through the yard catching > bugs. > They were going in between our house and our neighbour's no more than 2 or > 3 > feet above my head. I was mesmerized, then one flew about 2 feet straight > at my > face. I just couldn't believe it. I didn't want to move. At the last moment > it > realized I was there and "backpedalled" and flew off. > > It was one of the most entertaining nights I have had in a long time. I > could > have stayed there longer, but the clouds looked dark and stormy. We have > had > lots of Common Nighthawks flying around so I wasn't surprised that they > decided > to try at a lower elevation. My husband really enjoyed the experience and > the > fact that I got so excited. I recently introduced him to the world of > birding > and he is enjoying it a lot. I'm still excited and just may go out and have > > another look. This is what birding is all about. The little unexpected > things. > > Tammy > Ashcroft > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > -- Canon 50 D + Canon 300mm IS f/2.8 x 1.4 telex - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Laure Wilson Neish Penticton, BC Canada http://natureniche.zenfolio.com/ [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ To contact the moderator email bcintbird-owner AT yahoogroups.com Also, consider joining these groups. bcbirds-subscribe AT yahoogroups.com an all BC group. If you have pictures to share try this group. http://groups-beta.google.com/ From here you have to join the bcintbird-pics group before you can see the pictures. Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bcintbird/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bcintbird/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: bcintbird-digest AT yahoogroups.com bcintbird-fullfeatured AT yahoogroups.com <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: bcintbird-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ Subject: RE: empid From: "Rick Howie" <r.howie AT shaw.ca> Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2010 16:22:32 -0700 So, a mug in the ball park eh Laurie? Hope it is filled with a nice cold frothy liquid. Then any empid identification becomes suspect. Rick Howie [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Re: empid From: Laurie Rockwell <hardrock AT vip.net> Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2010 16:15:43 -0700 I agree, Dick,at Least I was in the ball park! Too bad one cannot see the prinary extension and.... Cheers...........Laurie Dick Cannings wrote: >Hi Gary: > >Well, trying to identify migrating Empidonax based on a single low-res photo that doesn't show the whole bird is a but of a mug's game, but based on the very poorly defined eyering, pale lower mandible, dull olive upperparts and buffy wingbars I'd guess it was a juvenile Willow. Or Alder. Or.... > >cheers >Dick Cannings >Penticton, BC > > > >From: Gary Davidson >Sent: Saturday, August 28, 2010 12:44 PM >To: bcintbird AT yahoogroups.com >Subject: [bcintbird] empid > > > >Yesterday while birding with Rick Howie near Kamloops, I photographed a (pesky) empid. We 'think' we know what it is, but would be interested in others' opinions. The photo is in my folder called Kootenay Country, labeled empid. >Gary > >[Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > >[Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > >------------------------------------ > >To contact the moderator email >bcintbird-owner AT yahoogroups.com >Also, consider joining these groups. >bcbirds-subscribe AT yahoogroups.com an all BC group. >If you have pictures to share try this group. >http://groups-beta.google.com/ >>From here you have to join the bcintbird-pics group before you can see the pictures. >Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > -- Know Thyself Coaching Summerland, BC, Canada 250-494-7558; knowthyselfcoaching AT vip.net Member International Coach Federation If you do not go within,you will go without Subject: Ruddy Turnstone photo From: "Don Cecile" <dcecile AT telus.net> Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2010 15:44:57 -0700 Hi all, I posted a photo of the Ruddy Turnstone in a folder called 'Salmon Arm'. Cheers, Don [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: RE: Salmon Arm shorebirds for Aug 28 From: "Don Cecile" <dcecile AT telus.net> Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2010 15:04:41 -0700 Hi Rick, I had the understanding that in Ring-billed Gulls, juveniles of the year were often found on the coast in July supporting the notion that these birds leave their nesting areas and acquire independence rather quickly. In the past, in Salmon Arm, I have had adults behave strangely on occasion, vocalizing and behaving as if territorial with one even dive-bombing me. This was however, the first time I could confirm that there was still some parental care going on... Cheers, Don From: bcintbird AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:bcintbird AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Rick Howie Sent: August-29-10 8:25 AM To: bcintbird AT yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: [bcintbird] Salmon Arm shorebirds for Aug 28 HI Don: interesting observations that chronicle the ebb and flow of shorebird migration. Close parental care in Ring-billed Gulls normally ends when the chicks are about 45 days old and the colony breaks up by early Aug I would think. Perhaps there was a late nest or perhaps there are always a few teenagers who won't jump out on their own along with all of the rest of their cohorts just like humans. Rick Howie [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Nanaimo,Vancouver Island, bird report--August 29, 2010, From: "Colin" <thebackyard AT shaw.ca> Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2010 21:12:03 -0000 NANAIMO BIRD REPORT ******************************************** To report your sightings phone the Store at 250-390-3669 e-mail us at thebackyard AT shaw.ca Also check the birdstore blog for the latest bird alerts and updates: www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com Post your sightings on this site: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bcbirdingvanisland/messages Birding in Central and South America: www.wildbirdtours.ca Identify backyard birds: National Geographic Bird Identifier Site http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birding/backyard-bird-identifier/ Birds of British Columbia: http://www.geog.ubc.ca/biodiversity/efauna/SpeciesChecklists.html International Birdwatching Guides http://www.guidedbirdwatching.com Birdwatching contacts and information find a local birder to go birdwatching with: http://www.birdingpal.org/ Please remember, when reporting a sighting, to leave your name and phone number, along with the date, the species and location of your sighting. Sunday August 29, 2010: The Sunday Bird Walk went to Neck Point in Nanaimo. The morning was cloudy but pleasant. The highlight of the morning was the sighting of two Wandering Tattler's and a Spotted Sandpiper along the shore at Sunset Beach. The mobbing call of the Northwestern Crows led us to a Great Horned Owl near the new walkway. We saw several flocks of Double-crested Cormorants, Pelagic Cormorants and Brandt's Cormorants moving up and down the Strait Of Georgia throughout the morning. Fourteen birders saw and heard the following thirty-six species of birds: Canada Goose, Harlequin Duck, Double-crested Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Brandt's Cormorant, Bald Eagle,Turkey Vulture, Great Horned Owl, Pigeon Guillemot, Marbled Murrelet, Least Sandpiper, Spotted Sandpiper, Wandering Tattler, California Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Black Oystercatcher, Belted Kingfisher, Anna's Hummingbird, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Warbling Vireo, Black-throated Grey Warbler, Orange-crowned Warbler, Western Tanager, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Bewick's Wren, American Robin, Spotted Towhee, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Saturday August 28: An albino House Finch has been observed at feeders in the 3200 block of Admirals Road, off Burnside Road and East of the Island Highway in Victoria. Friday August 27: Two Black-throated Grey Warblers were seen making their way west, from tree to tree, along Despard Avenue, near Meridian Way in Parksville. Seven Greater White-fronted Geese were seen at Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo. Wednesday August 25: A Steller's Jay was seen at the Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store on Metral Drive in Nanaimo. Monday August 23: A Parasitic Jaeger was spotted chasing Bonaparte's Gulls off Piper's Lagoon in Nanaimo. Sunday August 22: Two Common Nighthawks were seen feeding over the viewing platform on the waterfront at Neck Point in Nanaimo. Wednesday August 18: A Great Horned Owl was heard and then spotted in the 800 block of Flamingo Drive in Qualicum Beach. Monday August 16: Common Nighthawks were seen over Hamilton Avenue in Nanaimo. Saturday August 14: A pair of Bullock's Oriole's were seen in a birdbath in a backyard in the 5200 block of Tom's Turnabout off Hammond Bay Road in Nanaimo. For further information on these sightings or for help in identifying a bird please call The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store AT 250-390-3669 Toll Free AT 1-888-249-4145 e-mail: thebackyard AT shaw.ca ********************************** The Nanoose Naturalists meeting is on September 9th at 7 pm in the Library on Northwest Bay Road. Guest speaker--- Dr. Bill Weller's talk and slide presentation on Astronomy. Visitors and new members most welcome. ********************************** The Arrowsmith Naturalist meetings will resume in September, 2010 ******************************** Everyone is welcome to join us for a 2-3 hour bird walk on the Sunday and Tuesday mornings. We leave from the Store at 9 A.M. Sunday Mornings and go to a different location in and around Nanaimo and from the Parksville Beach Community Park at 9 A.M. on Tuesdays and go to different areas in and around the Oceanside area. ************************************************************** The Tuesday Bird Walks will resume on September 07, 2010. ************************************************** The Sunday Bird Walk on September 05, 2010 will be going to Columbia Beach. We will meet at The Backyard Bird Store at 9:00 A.M. or at the parking area off Admiral Tryon Boulevard at about 9:30 A.M. ******************************************************* Good birding Neil Robins THE BACKYARD Wildbird & Nature Store 6314 Metral Drive, Nanaimo, BC V9T 2L8 250.390.3669 250.390.1633 fax thebackyard AT shaw.ca CHECK OUT OUR BLOG---> www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com Subject: RE: Lewis Woodpeckers From: "Rick Howie" <r.howie AT shaw.ca> Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2010 08:30:58 -0700 HI Katharine: we still have Lewis's hanging out around Kamloops doing the flycatching thing or gobbling down fruit. I expect our birds to be gone by about the third week of September, apart from the odd straggler. Rick Howie [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: RE: Salmon Arm shorebirds for Aug 28 From: "Rick Howie" <r.howie AT shaw.ca> Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2010 08:25:26 -0700 HI Don: interesting observations that chronicle the ebb and flow of shorebird migration. Close parental care in Ring-billed Gulls normally ends when the chicks are about 45 days old and the colony breaks up by early Aug I would think. Perhaps there was a late nest or perhaps there are always a few teenagers who won't jump out on their own along with all of the rest of their cohorts just like humans. Rick Howie [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Lewis Woodpeckers From: "Katharine Shewchuk" <ka_shewchuk AT telus.net> Date: Sat, 28 Aug 2010 21:08:13 -0700 On a very quick trip to Keremeos today I saw two Lewis Woodpeckers on a telephone pole on 9th Avenue, near Boundary. Come to think of it, on a previous trip (urgent family affairs) I saw two LEWO in the same area in the tops of some fruit trees. Didn't see a nest tho'. Katharine [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Salmon Arm shorebirds for Aug 28 From: "Don Cecile" <dcecile AT telus.net> Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2010 06:22:04 -0700 Hi all, a quick trip to Salmon Arm yesterday evening produced very few shorebirds: 10 Lesser Yellowlegs 2 Greater yellowlegs 1 Pectoral Sandpiper 12 Red-necked Phalarope 4 Sanderling 2 Semipalmated Plover 3 Long-billed Dowitcher 2 Baird's Sandpiper 2 Semipalmated Sandpiper 2 Western Sandpiper 1 Least Sandpiper 1 Common Tern On the gull side, it was interesting to see a juvenile RBGU begging for food from a nearby adult which responded by feeding it regurgitate. I don't recall seeing juvs being fed this late in the season before... Cheers, Don [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: RE: Re: empid From: "Rick Howie" <r.howie AT shaw.ca> Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2010 01:06:01 -0700 I think that the subject bird shows some interesting characteristics that lean towards the bird being a juvenile Willow flycatcher. I appreciate the learned input Rick [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: RE: Re: empid From: "Rick Howie" <r.howie AT shaw.ca> Date: Sat, 28 Aug 2010 23:43:33 -0700 Thanks Doug: I think that the synergy between banders and field birders is very important and the experience you gain at the banding sites is very valuable. I realize that you do general field birding as well but there is a lot of information gleaned from handling birds that the rest of us do not get. Your sense of small Willow and the variation of breast colouration s is interesting and would certainly be off putting for field birders. Herein lies the difficulty of looking at field marks which in the field, cannot be compared against more definitive characteristics which can be gleaned in the hand. So the field birder is forced to make a decision which in some respects cannot be confirmed by other traits that may allow a more confident assignment to species. This is one of the aspects of the chat lines that I think is highly valuable and that is the sharing of perspectives that can allow us all to improve our knowledge bass and skill level. So far, including a private e-mail from another bander, the dominant opinion is that the quiz bird is a juvenile Willow Flycatcher. Much appreciated Rick Howie [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Vaseux Lake Bird Observatory From: "douglasbrown01" <douglasbrown01 AT yahoo.ca> Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2010 04:08:13 -0000 Hi all; Week 4 of the banding station ended today and it's been another highly successful week. For the week we banded 204 birds of 24 species and recaptured 70 birds of 12 species. This is the best week 4 banding total ever and is almost double the average banding numbers for the week. New banded species for the year were Sharp-shinned Hawk, Virginia Rail, Warbling Vireo, Western Tanager, Lincoln's Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Black-headed Grosbeak and Brown-headed Cowbird The daily observations have had a very good week as well with most days over 60 species being seen. Today we had a new species for the station, a BROAD-WINGED HAWK!!! Here's the banding numbers for the week and the season( ). Mallard-0(1 netted)(3rd netted station record) Cinnamon Teal-0(1)(3rd banding record) Sharp-shinned Hawk-1(1) Virginia Rail-1(1) Black-chinned Hummingbird-0(1 netted) Calliope Hummingbird-0(3 netted) Rufous Hummingbird-0(1)(2 netted)(2nd banding record) Mourning Dove-0(1)(5th fall banding record) Western Wood-pewee-1(3) Willow Flycatcher-18(57) Dusky Flycatcher-1(3) Pacific Slope Flycatcher-0(1) Bank Swallow-0(1)(1st banding record) Warbling Vireo-1(1) Black-capped Chickadee-0(14) House Wren-2(4)(ties season high) Marsh Wren-2(3) Veery-6(18) Swainson's Thrush-1(5) Gray Catbird-37(119) Cedar Waxwing-4(27) Orange-crowned Warbler-14(21) TENNESSEE WARBLER-0(1)(6th banding record) Nashville Warbler-5(18)(new season high) Yellow Warbler-30(90) Yellow-rumped (Audubon's) Warbler-12(31) Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warbler-0(1) Yellow-rumped (unidentified) Warbler-22(23) American Redstart-0(1) Northern Waterthrush-3(13) MacGillivray's Warbler-0(5) Common Yellowthroat-23(58) Wilson's Warbler-3(5) YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT-0(1)(8th banding record) Western Tanager-1(1) Spotted Towhee-0(2) Chipping Sparrow-0(3) LARK SPARROW-0(1)(2nd banding record) Song Sparrow-7(50) Lincoln's Sparrow-6(6) White-crowned Sparrow-1(1) Black-headed Grosbeak-2(2) Lazuli Bunting-0(12)(new season high) Bullock's Oriole-0(1)(5th fall banding record) Brown-headed Cowbird-1(1) Pine Siskin-0(5) American Goldfinch-0(15) Total birds banded-204(629), 24 species(42)(plus 3 additional species netted) Doug Brown bander-in-charge Vaseux Lake Bird Observatory Subject: Re: empid From: "douglasbrown01" <douglasbrown01 AT yahoo.ca> Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2010 03:12:32 -0000 Hi Rick; I agree the bird looks like a Willow, especially this season. I have never seen so many tiny Willow Flycatchers as this fall. The "vest" on the breast and the yellowish ventral area are quite subject to individual variation but are present on many juvenile Willows. Doug Brown --- In bcintbird AT yahoogroups.com, "Rick Howie" wrote: > > I have some sympathy for the notion of it being a Willow juv as the bill > seemed fairly wide and large. But it appeared in the field to be a small > dumpy bird with an angular head and the throat was not as white as I would > have expected for Willow. In the photo, it looks pretty white though. > Perhaps the juv. are duskier there? Front on, the bird had a distinctive > "vest coat" look and the lower abdomen and sides were quite yellowish. Do > juv willows have this lemon wash to the vent area as do adults? If you > enlarge the picture, the head appears to be spotted which I can't be sure > whether it is due to feather separation or real spots. Spots suggest Willow > juv of course. > > On second looks at the pictures, the bird appears quite plumpish. The bird > does appear more brownish than grayish suggesting more Willow than Hammond's > for example, and the bill does seem large for the latter species although > the primary extension & tail length ratio are about 1:2. Is this the case > for Willow? > > In the field, the bird was silent and the habitat was not revealing but > closer to locations for Willow than Hammonds. We had ruled out Dusky, > Pacific-slope and Least while in the field. > > Cheers > > > > Rick Howie > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > Subject: RE: empid From: "Rick Howie" <r.howie AT shaw.ca> Date: Sat, 28 Aug 2010 17:32:11 -0700 I have some sympathy for the notion of it being a Willow juv as the bill seemed fairly wide and large. But it appeared in the field to be a small dumpy bird with an angular head and the throat was not as white as I would have expected for Willow. In the photo, it looks pretty white though. Perhaps the juv. are duskier there? Front on, the bird had a distinctive "vest coat" look and the lower abdomen and sides were quite yellowish. Do juv willows have this lemon wash to the vent area as do adults? If you enlarge the picture, the head appears to be spotted which I can't be sure whether it is due to feather separation or real spots. Spots suggest Willow juv of course. On second looks at the pictures, the bird appears quite plumpish. The bird does appear more brownish than grayish suggesting more Willow than Hammond's for example, and the bill does seem large for the latter species although the primary extension & tail length ratio are about 1:2. Is this the case for Willow? In the field, the bird was silent and the habitat was not revealing but closer to locations for Willow than Hammonds. We had ruled out Dusky, Pacific-slope and Least while in the field. Cheers Rick Howie [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Re: empid From: "Dick Cannings" <dickcannings AT shaw.ca> Date: Sat, 28 Aug 2010 13:09:53 -0700 Hi Gary: Well, trying to identify migrating Empidonax based on a single low-res photo that doesn't show the whole bird is a but of a mug's game, but based on the very poorly defined eyering, pale lower mandible, dull olive upperparts and buffy wingbars I'd guess it was a juvenile Willow. Or Alder. Or.... cheers Dick Cannings Penticton, BC From: Gary Davidson Sent: Saturday, August 28, 2010 12:44 PM To: bcintbird AT yahoogroups.com Subject: [bcintbird] empid Yesterday while birding with Rick Howie near Kamloops, I photographed a (pesky) empid. We 'think' we know what it is, but would be interested in others' opinions. The photo is in my folder called Kootenay Country, labeled empid. Gary [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: empid From: Gary Davidson <gsd37 AT yahoo.ca> Date: Sat, 28 Aug 2010 12:44:28 -0700 (PDT) Yesterday while birding with Rick Howie near Kamloops, I photographed a (pesky) empid.  We 'think' we know what it is, but would be interested in others' opinions.  The photo is in my folder called Kootenay Country, labeled empid. Gary [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: answers to my photo quiz From: Chris Siddle <chris.siddle AT gmail.com> Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2010 17:20:33 -0700 Hi everyone, The duck lowest in the picture, with its head turned away from us, is a female REDHEAD. The photo makes it look smaller and darker than Redheads usually look so I can see why so many of you called it a female Ring-necked Duck. The duckling that apparently doesn't look like a duckling is the palest bird just below dead centre. It is a stage 1-C downy REDHEAD duckling, the palest of all our local ducklings. Only Canvasback and Ring-necked ducklings come anywhere close to the unmarked yellow of Redheads, but both Canvasbacks and Ring-necks show dark backs, wing tops, napes and crowns. The two teals immediately above the duckling present some problems. The bird in the back showed a brown face without much of a pale loral spot. Its eye crescents were also minimal suggesting that it is a Cinnamon Teal. The bird in the foreground has a pale face, a well defined but incomplete eyeline, and a well defined loral spot, suggesting that it is a Blue-winged Teal. Why, then, do I want to call it a Cinnamon? How about a hybrid between the two? The teal steaming off to the right is another Blue-winged Teal, but it looks in this photo an awful lot like a female Green-winged Teal, so if that's what you said, I can see your point. Teals in female-type plumage make me want to abandon birding and take up model trains or maybe gardening. The bird in the upper left with its head tucked into its back feathers is a GADWALL (not Gadwell as someone wrote) as are the two in the upper right. They were the easiest of all the ducks in the photo because their images came out pretty accurately. If you called them Mallards, it's time to brush up on your female-type ducks. A good book that shows downy ducklings is Colleen Helgeson Nelson's The Downy Waterfowl of North America (Delta Station Press, 1993) which is probably available from Buteo Books. Molting into eclipse, I remain nonetheless Chris S. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Re: photo quiz From: "sue_thomson51" <s_thomson AT telus.net> Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2010 19:10:37 -0000 Am taking another stab at that duckling. One of the scaups has a white eye ring, too - doesn't it? The female?? I don't know which one, though, but it's either the Greater or the Lesser .. :D Heck of an interesting picture, Chris, and a tough quiz. Cheers, Sue --- In bcintbird AT yahoogroups.com, "sue_thomson51" wrote: > > > Thank you, Gary. What a difference that makes!!! > > So, now that I can see it better, I am going to make a stab at that duckling ... is it a Wood Duck? It appears to have a white eye ring. > > Cheers, > Sue > > > --- In bcintbird AT yahoogroups.com, Gary Davidson wrote: > > > > Hi Sue, > > At the bottom of this email, you will see a few links, one of them is 'visit your group'.  Select this link.  Then select 'photos' from the links down the left side, then find Chris Siddle's folder, then click on the picture.  Once it comes up, you will see three 'view' options on the left hand side above the picture: medium, large and original.  > > Gary > > > > --- On Thu, 8/26/10, sue_thomson51 wrote: > > > > > > From: sue_thomson51 > > Subject: [bcintbird] Re: photo quiz > > To: bcintbird AT yahoogroups.com > > Received: Thursday, August 26, 2010, 9:48 PM > > > > > >   > > > > > > > > Well, for a beginner birder, it's nice to know I managed to get 3 of them right :D > > > > I don't see any other choices to make the picture any bigger. Sorry. Do you have instructions to do that - or give me a clue where to find my options??? Thanks for that. > > > > Cheers, > > Sue > > > > --- In bcintbird AT yahoogroups.com, Russell Cannings wrote: > > > > > > I'll toss out Ring-necked Duck and Mallard in addition to the gadwalls.  I'll leave the teals for the next person! > > > > > > Russ Cannings > > > Steaming towards Prince Rupert > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > From: Chris Siddle > > > Date: Thursday, August 26, 2010 7:05 pm > > > Subject: [bcintbird] photo quiz > > > To: bcintbird AT yahoogroups.com > > > > > > > Hi Sue and others, > > > > > > > > You're the first birder to make a (partially) correct response > > > > to my quiz > > > > photo. Three of the eight birds in the photo are GADWALLS. Did > > > > you know that > > > > there are four choices on the page for photo size? > > > > > > > > Chris S. > > > > > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > Subject: Re: photo quiz From: "sue_thomson51" <s_thomson AT telus.net> Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2010 19:00:28 -0000 Thank you, Gary. What a difference that makes!!! So, now that I can see it better, I am going to make a stab at that duckling ... is it a Wood Duck? It appears to have a white eye ring. Cheers, Sue --- In bcintbird AT yahoogroups.com, Gary Davidson wrote: > > Hi Sue, > At the bottom of this email, you will see a few links, one of them is 'visit your group'.  Select this link.  Then select 'photos' from the links down the left side, then find Chris Siddle's folder, then click on the picture.  Once it comes up, you will see three 'view' options on the left hand side above the picture: medium, large and original.  > Gary > > --- On Thu, 8/26/10, sue_thomson51 wrote: > > > From: sue_thomson51 > Subject: [bcintbird] Re: photo quiz > To: bcintbird AT yahoogroups.com > Received: Thursday, August 26, 2010, 9:48 PM > > >   > > > > Well, for a beginner birder, it's nice to know I managed to get 3 of them right :D > > I don't see any other choices to make the picture any bigger. Sorry. Do you have instructions to do that - or give me a clue where to find my options??? Thanks for that. > > Cheers, > Sue > > --- In bcintbird AT yahoogroups.com, Russell Cannings wrote: > > > > I'll toss out Ring-necked Duck and Mallard in addition to the gadwalls.  I'll leave the teals for the next person! > > > > Russ Cannings > > Steaming towards Prince Rupert > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: Chris Siddle > > Date: Thursday, August 26, 2010 7:05 pm > > Subject: [bcintbird] photo quiz > > To: bcintbird AT yahoogroups.com > > > > > Hi Sue and others, > > > > > > You're the first birder to make a (partially) correct response > > > to my quiz > > > photo. Three of the eight birds in the photo are GADWALLS. Did > > > you know that > > > there are four choices on the page for photo size? > > > > > > Chris S. > > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > Subject: Re: Re: photo quiz From: Gary Davidson <gsd37 AT yahoo.ca> Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2010 06:21:19 -0700 (PDT) Hi Sue, At the bottom of this email, you will see a few links, one of them is 'visit your group'.  Select this link.  Then select 'photos' from the links down the left side, then find Chris Siddle's folder, then click on the picture.  Once it comes up, you will see three 'view' options on the left hand side above the picture: medium, large and original.  Gary --- On Thu, 8/26/10, sue_thomson51 wrote: From: sue_thomson51 Subject: [bcintbird] Re: photo quiz To: bcintbird AT yahoogroups.com Received: Thursday, August 26, 2010, 9:48 PM   Well, for a beginner birder, it's nice to know I managed to get 3 of them right :D I don't see any other choices to make the picture any bigger. Sorry. Do you have instructions to do that - or give me a clue where to find my options??? Thanks for that. Cheers, Sue --- In bcintbird AT yahoogroups.com, Russell Cannings wrote: > > I'll toss out Ring-necked Duck and Mallard in addition to the gadwalls.  I'll leave the teals for the next person! > > Russ Cannings > Steaming towards Prince Rupert > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Chris Siddle > Date: Thursday, August 26, 2010 7:05 pm > Subject: [bcintbird] photo quiz > To: bcintbird AT yahoogroups.com > > > Hi Sue and others, > > > > You're the first birder to make a (partially) correct response > > to my quiz > > photo. Three of the eight birds in the photo are GADWALLS. Did > > you know that > > there are four choices on the page for photo size? > > > > Chris S. > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Re: photo quiz From: "sue_thomson51" <s_thomson AT telus.net> Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2010 04:48:54 -0000 Well, for a beginner birder, it's nice to know I managed to get 3 of them right :D I don't see any other choices to make the picture any bigger. Sorry. Do you have instructions to do that - or give me a clue where to find my options??? Thanks for that. Cheers, Sue --- In bcintbird AT yahoogroups.com, Russell Cannings wrote: > > I'll toss out Ring-necked Duck and Mallard in addition to the gadwalls.  I'll leave the teals for the next person! > > Russ Cannings > Steaming towards Prince Rupert > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Chris Siddle > Date: Thursday, August 26, 2010 7:05 pm > Subject: [bcintbird] photo quiz > To: bcintbird AT yahoogroups.com > > > Hi Sue and others, > > > > You're the first birder to make a (partially) correct response > > to my quiz > > photo. Three of the eight birds in the photo are GADWALLS. Did > > you know that > > there are four choices on the page for photo size? > > > > Chris S. > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > Subject: Re: photo quiz From: Russell Cannings <russellcannings AT shaw.ca> Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2010 21:39:19 -0700 Hi Chris, I'm afraid I can't see a duckling, probably because of the poor resolution on this computer... and I can't seem to enlarge the photo.  Will have to get back to you in a week or so! Good stuff, Russ ----- Original Message ----- From: Chris Siddle Date: Thursday, August 26, 2010 7:59 pm Subject: Re: [bcintbird] photo quiz To: bcintbird AT yahoogroups.com > Russell, > > Here's my reply to Gary Davidson. It will help you. There are no > MALLARDS in > this photo. And yes, it's a tough quiz. It took me hours to > decide which > teals I was looking at, and I was THERE for heavens sake. > > Hi Gary, > > OK, Blue-winged Teal is RIGHT for two of the eight birds. GADW > was right for > another three of eight. Correct on Aythya, incorrect on RNDU. > Clue - check > out the duckling. It will tell you which Aythya it is. Another > clue - > there's a species you've given up on but take another look. > > On Thu, Aug 26, 2010 at 7:42 PM, Russell Cannings > wrote: > > > I'll toss out Ring-necked Duck and Mallard in addition to the > gadwalls.>  I'll leave the teals for the next person! > > > > Russ Cannings > > Steaming towards Prince Rupert > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: Chris Siddle > > Date: Thursday, August 26, 2010 7:05 pm > > Subject: [bcintbird] photo quiz > > To: bcintbird AT yahoogroups.com > > > > > Hi Sue and others, > > > > > > You're the first birder to make a (partially) correct response > > > to my quiz > > > photo. Three of the eight birds in the photo are GADWALLS. Did > > > you know that > > > there are four choices on the page for photo size? > > > > > > Chris S. > > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > > > > ------------------------------------ > > > > To contact the moderator email > > bcintbird-owner AT yahoogroups.com > > Also, consider joining these groups. > > bcbirds-subscribe AT yahoogroups.com  an all BC group. > > If you have pictures to share try this group. > > http://groups-beta.google.com/ > > From here you have to join the bcintbird-pics group before you > can see the > > pictures. > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Re: photo quiz From: Chris Siddle <chris.siddle AT gmail.com> Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2010 19:59:43 -0700 Russell, Here's my reply to Gary Davidson. It will help you. There are no MALLARDS in this photo. And yes, it's a tough quiz. It took me hours to decide which teals I was looking at, and I was THERE for heavens sake. Hi Gary, OK, Blue-winged Teal is RIGHT for two of the eight birds. GADW was right for another three of eight. Correct on Aythya, incorrect on RNDU. Clue - check out the duckling. It will tell you which Aythya it is. Another clue - there's a species you've given up on but take another look. On Thu, Aug 26, 2010 at 7:42 PM, Russell Cannings wrote: > I'll toss out Ring-necked Duck and Mallard in addition to the gadwalls. > I'll leave the teals for the next person! > > Russ Cannings > Steaming towards Prince Rupert > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Chris Siddle > Date: Thursday, August 26, 2010 7:05 pm > Subject: [bcintbird] photo quiz > To: bcintbird AT yahoogroups.com > > > Hi Sue and others, > > > > You're the first birder to make a (partially) correct response > > to my quiz > > photo. Three of the eight birds in the photo are GADWALLS. Did > > you know that > > there are four choices on the page for photo size? > > > > Chris S. > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > ------------------------------------ > > To contact the moderator email > bcintbird-owner AT yahoogroups.com > Also, consider joining these groups. > bcbirds-subscribe AT yahoogroups.com an all BC group. > If you have pictures to share try this group. > http://groups-beta.google.com/ > From here you have to join the bcintbird-pics group before you can see the > pictures. > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: RE: photo quiz From: "Don Cecile" <dcecile AT telus.net> Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2010 19:50:59 -0700 I'll take a stab, although I'm terrible at ID'ing birds from photos but I trust this will be an educational experience. Going from left to right in the photo I think the bird top left is a Mallard, Middle left a male Gadwall, Two middle birds warm-faced and pale faced are fem/juv Pintail Next bird closest to bottom of photo is a juv/fem Ring-necked Duck Top right birds are fem/juv Gadwall Bird headed to the right a fem/juv Green-winged Teal And the one swimming under the surface is a juv Ruddy Duck. J Cheers, Don From: bcintbird AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:bcintbird AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Chris Siddle Sent: August-26-10 7:05 PM To: bcintbird AT yahoogroups.com Subject: [bcintbird] photo quiz Hi Sue and others, You're the first birder to make a (partially) correct response to my quiz photo. Three of the eight birds in the photo are GADWALLS. Did you know that there are four choices on the page for photo size? Chris S. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Re: photo quiz From: Russell Cannings <russellcannings AT shaw.ca> Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2010 19:42:17 -0700 I'll toss out Ring-necked Duck and Mallard in addition to the gadwalls.  I'll leave the teals for the next person! Russ Cannings Steaming towards Prince Rupert ----- Original Message ----- From: Chris Siddle Date: Thursday, August 26, 2010 7:05 pm Subject: [bcintbird] photo quiz To: bcintbird AT yahoogroups.com > Hi Sue and others, > > You're the first birder to make a (partially) correct response > to my quiz > photo. Three of the eight birds in the photo are GADWALLS. Did > you know that > there are four choices on the page for photo size? > > Chris S. > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: photo quiz From: Chris Siddle <chris.siddle AT gmail.com> Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2010 19:04:47 -0700 Hi Sue and others, You're the first birder to make a (partially) correct response to my quiz photo. Three of the eight birds in the photo are GADWALLS. Did you know that there are four choices on the page for photo size? Chris S. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Re: Salmon Arm shorebirds for 25 Aug From: Ted Hillary <hillaryted AT yahoo.ca> Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2010 19:43:20 -0700 (PDT) Yes Dick they are stilt sandpipers. I have looked in vain for black necked stilts this year. Maybe later on in the fall ? !!!    Ted    ________________________________ From: Dick Cannings To: bcintbird AT yahoogroups.com Sent: Wed, August 25, 2010 6:49:19 PM Subject: Re: [bcintbird] Salmon Arm shorebirds for 25 Aug   Hi Ted: I assume you mean Stilt Sandpipers (rather than Black-necked Stilts)? Dick Cannings Penticton, BC From: Ted Hillary Sent: Wednesday, August 25, 2010 6:04 PM To: bcintbird AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [bcintbird] Salmon Arm shorebirds for 25 Aug Hello All, I have just gotten back from a trip to the Bay and most of what Don has listed, including the turnstone and the sanderling, are still there.I can add 2 stilts, and also the 7 pelicans which flew in as I was looking. Ted Hillary ________________________________ From: Don Cecile To: bcintbird AT yahoogroups.com Sent: Wed, August 25, 2010 12:27:31 PM Subject: [bcintbird] Salmon Arm shorebirds for 25 Aug Hi all, I had the pleasure of finding shorebird species # 33 today in Salmon Arm. It seems remarkable to me that an interior location can boast 36 species of shorebirds on its checklist! Today's highlight was my first ever Ruddy Turnstone for this location. I see that the last Ruddy Turnstone to show up in Salmon Arm was 9 years ago almost to the day (Aug 24)... Other highlights below: Semipalmated Plover 7 juvs Killdeer and Pectoral Sandpipers conspicuously absent Lesser Yellowlegs 27 juvs Ruddy Turnstone 1 juv Sanderling 1 juv Semipalmated Sandpiper 1 juv Western Sandpiper 26 juvs Least Sandpiper 16 juvs Baird's Sandpiper 35 juvs Long-billed Dowitcher 3 Red-necked Phalarope 32 Franklin's Gull 2 juv Bonaparte's Gull 3 juv Cheers, Don [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Re: Salmon Arm shorebirds for 25 Aug From: "Dick Cannings" <dickcannings AT shaw.ca> Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2010 18:49:19 -0700 Hi Ted: I assume you mean Stilt Sandpipers (rather than Black-necked Stilts)? Dick Cannings Penticton, BC From: Ted Hillary Sent: Wednesday, August 25, 2010 6:04 PM To: bcintbird AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [bcintbird] Salmon Arm shorebirds for 25 Aug Hello All, I have just gotten back from a trip to the Bay and most of what Don has listed, including the turnstone and the sanderling, are still there.I can add 2 stilts, and also the 7 pelicans which flew in as I was looking. Ted Hillary ________________________________ From: Don Cecile To: bcintbird AT yahoogroups.com Sent: Wed, August 25, 2010 12:27:31 PM Subject: [bcintbird] Salmon Arm shorebirds for 25 Aug Hi all, I had the pleasure of finding shorebird species # 33 today in Salmon Arm. It seems remarkable to me that an interior location can boast 36 species of shorebirds on its checklist! Today's highlight was my first ever Ruddy Turnstone for this location. I see that the last Ruddy Turnstone to show up in Salmon Arm was 9 years ago almost to the day (Aug 24)... Other highlights below: Semipalmated Plover 7 juvs Killdeer and Pectoral Sandpipers conspicuously absent Lesser Yellowlegs 27 juvs Ruddy Turnstone 1 juv Sanderling 1 juv Semipalmated Sandpiper 1 juv Western Sandpiper 26 juvs Least Sandpiper 16 juvs Baird's Sandpiper 35 juvs Long-billed Dowitcher 3 Red-necked Phalarope 32 Franklin's Gull 2 juv Bonaparte's Gull 3 juv Cheers, Don [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Re: Salmon Arm shorebirds for 25 Aug From: Ted Hillary <hillaryted AT yahoo.ca> Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2010 18:04:34 -0700 (PDT) Hello All,    I have just gotten back from a trip to the Bay and most of what Don has listed, including the turnstone and the sanderling, are still there.I can add 2 stilts, and also the 7 pelicans which flew in as I was looking.    Ted Hillary   ________________________________ From: Don Cecile To: bcintbird AT yahoogroups.com Sent: Wed, August 25, 2010 12:27:31 PM Subject: [bcintbird] Salmon Arm shorebirds for 25 Aug   Hi all, I had the pleasure of finding shorebird species # 33 today in Salmon Arm. It seems remarkable to me that an interior location can boast 36 species of shorebirds on its checklist! Today's highlight was my first ever Ruddy Turnstone for this location. I see that the last Ruddy Turnstone to show up in Salmon Arm was 9 years ago almost to the day (Aug 24)... Other highlights below: Semipalmated Plover 7 juvs Killdeer and Pectoral Sandpipers conspicuously absent Lesser Yellowlegs 27 juvs Ruddy Turnstone 1 juv Sanderling 1 juv Semipalmated Sandpiper 1 juv Western Sandpiper 26 juvs Least Sandpiper 16 juvs Baird's Sandpiper 35 juvs Long-billed Dowitcher 3 Red-necked Phalarope 32 Franklin's Gull 2 juv Bonaparte's Gull 3 juv Cheers, Don [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: RE: Salmon Arm shorebirds for 25 Aug From: "Rick Howie" <r.howie AT shaw.ca> Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2010 17:30:11 -0700 HI Don: I agree with you. Salmon Arm is a very special place in the interior and now being well documented by you, Ted and others before you. As a staging ground in the southern interior part of the province, it is unequalled and deserves careful management and protection of the resources there. The data being collected will no doubt be very important in the future if development further pinches into the bay. There are some good protected areas on the margins but unfortunately, the boundaries do not protect the all-important mudflats. This really should change and there is a need to determine how this could happen. Provincial wildlife area? NGO Preserve such as NCC or Nature Trust who already have an important presence there? From some trial balloon comments that I have heard from the odd quarter, dyking and reclamation of foreshore areas is not outside of the thinking pattern of some groups. There would be lots of obstacles such as lost fisheries habitat etc, but having a bank of data on use of the flats by birds will be a strong source of counter-argument why we need to manage the bay for its natural values. As I have opined before, I can't think of any other delta entering a large lake that provides this richness of habitat and use. The South Thompson entering Kamloops lake has some of those values but not nearly as well represented. Does anyone know of any other place? This is the Fraser estuary of the interior and possibly of the entire interior. Rick Howie Kamloops [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: photo quiz posted? From: Chris Siddle <chris.siddle AT gmail.com> Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2010 15:05:01 -0700 Hi everyone, I THINK I posted a photo quiz (1 photo) on the bcintbird yahoo group. If someone is very brave, he or she could try to find the posted photo. Good luck. Let me know how you do. Chris S. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Salmon Arm shorebirds for 25 Aug From: "Don Cecile" <dcecile AT telus.net> Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2010 12:27:31 -0700 Hi all, I had the pleasure of finding shorebird species # 33 today in Salmon Arm. It seems remarkable to me that an interior location can boast 36 species of shorebirds on its checklist! Today's highlight was my first ever Ruddy Turnstone for this location. I see that the last Ruddy Turnstone to show up in Salmon Arm was 9 years ago almost to the day (Aug 24)... Other highlights below: Semipalmated Plover 7 juvs Killdeer and Pectoral Sandpipers conspicuously absent Lesser Yellowlegs 27 juvs Ruddy Turnstone 1 juv Sanderling 1 juv Semipalmated Sandpiper 1 juv Western Sandpiper 26 juvs Least Sandpiper 16 juvs Baird's Sandpiper 35 juvs Long-billed Dowitcher 3 Red-necked Phalarope 32 Franklin's Gull 2 juv Bonaparte's Gull 3 juv Cheers, Don [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Ruddy Turnstone -- Salmon Arm Bay From: Ted Hillary <hillaryted AT yahoo.ca> Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2010 09:42:43 -0700 (PDT) Good Morning All,   Don Cecile phoned me at 8:45 this morning from the mud flats of the Salmon Arm Bay to report seeing a juvenile ruddy turnstone. This is the first one he has ever seen here in all the years he has been coming to the Bay. It is located on the mud flats looking toward the  mouth of the Salmon River. It is quite tame and will stay put when all the birds around it fly off when frightened,making it relatively easy to see.    Ted Hillary [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Bird Monitoring and Banding Workshop From: "derekjmatthews" <Derek AT birdvancouver.com> Date: Tue, 24 Aug 2010 23:17:59 -0000 Hi Birders and Banders, There are two places available for our last Bird Monitoring and Banding Workshop of the year to be held on September 10 – 12. The 2010 Workshops have been a great success - Everyone has had a great time and agreed they have taken their bird knowledge, ageing/sexing and handling skills to a whole new level. Most of all, these workshops are designed to be a fun and interesting experience and a way to take your interest in birds and the environment to the next level. Workshop participant testimonials can be seen by clicking here: http://www.birdvancouver.com/testimonials.html Thank you for your interest and if you would like to attend please click on the workshop link below and complete the registration form at the bottom of the page. http://www.birdvancouver.com/workshops.html Thanks again. Derek Derek Matthews Master Bander / Bander-in-Charge Vancouver Avian Research Centre www.birdvancouver.com [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Tatlayoko rare bird From: "srophoto" <ogle AT sfu.ca> Date: Tue, 24 Aug 2010 20:53:18 -0000 On the last net round today we pulled out an adult (second year) male Indigo Bunting. Details forthcoming on the blog- tatlayokobirds.wordpress.com. Good year for those. Steve Subject: RE: Robert Lake birds From: "David Chapman" <chpmndavid AT hotmail.com> Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2010 12:17:52 -0700 Living overlooking the landfill, I have been trying to follow these developments as well but also with limited clarity. I have seen plans showing where the future UBCO connector alignment to Glenmore Rd. is proposed however the plans did not show Robert Lake or the other smaller Lake to the North. So it was not clear but appears that it would at least be very difficult to not significantly impact Robert Lake. Part of the plans include relocating the existing entrance to the Landfill off of Glenmore Rd. and onto this new connector Rd. The City has recently paved a huge flat area to the South of Alki Lake possibly in preparation for this relocation. David [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Robert Lake lager-louts, was: Robert Lake birds From: Michael Force <pagodroma AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2010 10:25:57 -0700 (PDT) Hi Birders, Good point, Chris. I've visited Robert Lake a lot over the years, although nowhere near as often as you. My last visit was essentially ruined by a loud, beer-swilling, obnoxious, border-line violent drunk and his girlfriend (or was she his mother, couldn't be sure). That was my first experience of that sort at Robert Lake. Needless to say, I didn't stay long, nor did I see many birds. I think putting a road through there is a terribly bad idea. happy birding, Michael Force currently aboard NOAA ship McArthur II Pier 9 Aloha Tower, Honolulu pagodroma AT yahoo.com --- On Sun, 8/22/10, Chris Charlesworth wrote: From: Chris Charlesworth Subject: RE: [bcintbird] Robert Lake birds To: "bc intbird" Received: Sunday, August 22, 2010, 1:53 PM Hi Rick, UBC has purchased some land on the N.E. side of the lake as far as I know. The lake itself remains owned by the residents of the area whos property lines were actually drawn before the lake existed. UBC wants to put a road through the area for access to the university. Environmentalists and birders alike may be interested in this idea since it will undoubtedly have some sort of impact on Robert Lk. For the moment, residents of the area protect Robert Lk, keep access and disturbance to a minimum and seem to be interested in the long term protection of their piece of habitat. Another problem at hand here is how to rid the Robert Lk parking area of partiers who use the area to drink, intimidating many birders from visiting. Chris Charlesworth Kelowna, BC To: bcintbird AT yahoogroups.com From: r.howie AT shaw.ca Date: Sun, 22 Aug 2010 08:56:21 -0700 Subject: RE: [bcintbird] Robert Lake birds                         An enjoyable list of birds at Roberts Lake Chris. I understand that UBC Okanagan has purchased the land around & including Roberts Lake as part of the university expansion plans and that they intend to protect the ecological values there. This sounds like good news for the future of the site. Rick Howie  [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]                                                [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ To contact the moderator email bcintbird-owner AT yahoogroups.com Also, consider joining these groups. bcbirds-subscribe AT yahoogroups.com  an all BC group. If you have pictures to share try this group.  http://groups-beta.google.com/ From here you have to join the bcintbird-pics group before you can see the pictures. Yahoo! Groups Links [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Vaseux Lake Bird Observatory From: "douglasbrown01" <douglasbrown01 AT yahoo.ca> Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2010 03:20:10 -0000 Hi all; As Dick fortold it has indeed been a busy weekend at the station. Saturday we caught 52 birds(39 banded) and today we had 72 birds(53 banded). Today's bird total is the largest since the huge bird fallout in 2006 and for these numbers to be present at this time of the season is unprecedented. The most abundant species right now is Yellow-rumped Warbler and they are obviously not local breeders as many of them are Audubon's/Myrtle intergrades. Normally we get very few Yellow-rumps until late September but I suspect the fires to the north are affecting the migration patterns. Normally we get our largest numbers each day in the first few hours of the day but right now the biggest numbers are hitting late in the morning. Today we caught 33 birds on the last 2 rounds. Doug Brown bander-in-charge Vaseux Lake Bird Observatory Subject: Nanaimo,Vancouver Island, bird report--August 22, 2010, From: "Colin" <thebackyard AT shaw.ca> Date: Sun, 22 Aug 2010 22:19:39 -0000 NANAIMO BIRD REPORT ******************************************** To report your sightings phone the Store at 250-390-3669 e-mail us at thebackyard AT shaw.ca Also check the birdstore blog for the latest bird alerts and updates: www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com Post your sightings on this site: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bcbirdingvanisland/messages Birding in Central and South America: www.wildbirdtours.ca Identify backyard birds: National Geographic Bird Identifier Site http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birding/backyard-bird-identifier/ Birds of British Columbia: http://www.geog.ubc.ca/biodiversity/efauna/SpeciesChecklists.html International Birdwatching Guides http://www.guidedbirdwatching.com Birdwatching contacts and information find a local birder to go birdwatching with: http://www.birdingpal.org/ Please remember, when reporting a sighting, to leave your name and phone number, along with the date, the species and location of your sighting. Sunday August 22, 2010: The Sunday Bird Walk went to Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo. The morning was cloudy with calm winds. We spotted a nest on the marsh with a Pied-billed Grebe and four colorfully marked nestlings cuddling under the adult's wings near the start of the walk. A Merlin perched high up on a snag giving us great looks. A Lesser Scaup, a large number of Wood Ducks, a Hooded Merganser and a female Pintail were on the water. We heard a Greater Yellowlegs calling. We saw a Warbling Vireo and a Orange-crowned Warbler moving in the bushes. Thirteen birders, including two visiting birders from California, saw and heard the following thirty-six species of birds: Mallard, Wood Duck, American Coot, Pied-billed Grebe, Hooded Merganser, Greater Yellowlegs, Great Blue Heron, Turkey Vulture, Merlin, Coopers Hawk, Rock Pigeon, Belted Kingfisher, Rufous Hummingbird, Northern Flicker, Barn Swallow, Common Raven, Northwestern Crow, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Bushtit, Orange-crowned Warbler, Warbling Vireo, Common Yellowthroat, Cedar Waxwing, American Robin, Spotted Towhee, Dark-eyed Junco, Song Sparrow, Brown-headed Cowbird, Red-winged Blackbird, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Purple Finch, American Goldfinch, House Finch, Pine Siskin and House Sparrow. A Black-footed Albatross; Northern Fulmar; Sooty and Pink-footed Shearwaters; Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel; Common Murre; Glaucous-winged, California, Herring and Sabine's Gulls; Pelagic and Brandt's Cormorants; Pomarine Jaeger and Red-necked Phalarope were seen along Finger Bank off Ucluelet on the west side of Vancouver Island. Friday August 20: A Black-headed Grosbeak is visiting feeders in the 1200 block of Roseanne Drive in Nanaimo. A Eurasian Collared Dove with two Band-tailed Pigeons, over forty American Goldfinch, a Downy Woodpecker, two Hairy Woodpeckers, three Pileated Woodpeckers, Pine Siskins, Spotted Towhees and House Finch are visiting feeders in the 100 block of Meridian Way in Parksville. Tuesday August 17: Twelve Black-headed Grosbeaks, American Goldfinch, Chestnut-backed Chickadees, Spotted Towhees, Song Sparrows, eight Band-tailed Pigeons, Hairy Woodpeckers, Downy Woodpeckers, five Northern Flickers, Northwestern Crows, American Robins, House and Purple Finch, a Great Blue Heron and Rufous Hummingbird have been visiting a backyard in the 6900 block of Lancewood Avenue in upper Lantzville. Monday August 16: A Pigeon Guillemot within twenty feet of shore, a Common Loon further offshore and two Western Sandpipers was seen at Port Renfrew on the west side of Vancouver Island. Sunday August 15: Two male Pine Grosbeaks, a female Blockheaded Grosbeak, eight American Goldfinch, Chestnut-backed Chickadees, Red breasted Nuthatch, Rufous-sided Towhees and a Song Sparrow are visiting feeders in a yard on Thetis Island. For further information on these sightings or for help in identifying a bird please call The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store AT 250-390-3669 Toll Free AT 1-888-249-4145 e-mail: thebackyard AT shaw.ca ********************************** The Arrowsmith Naturalist meetings will resume in September, 2010 ********************************** The Nanoose Naturalists meetings will resume in September, 2010 ******************************** Everyone is welcome to join us for a 2-3 hour bird walk on the Sunday and Tuesday mornings. We leave from the Store at 9 A.M. Sunday Mornings and go to a different location in and around Nanaimo and from the Parksville Beach Community Park at 9 A.M. on Tuesdays and go to different areas in and around the Oceanside area. ************************************************************** The Tuesday Bird Walks will resume on September 07, 2010. ************************************************** The Sunday Bird Walk on August 29, 2010 will be going to Neck Point in Nanaimo. We will meet at The Backyard Bird Store at 9:00 A.M. or at the parking off Hammond Bay Road at about 9:20 A.M. ******************************************************* Good birding Neil Robins THE BACKYARD Wildbird & Nature Store 6314 Metral Drive, Nanaimo, BC V9T 2L8 250.390.3669 250.390.1633 fax thebackyard AT shaw.ca CHECK OUT OUR BLOG---> www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com Subject: RE: Robert Lake birds From: "Rick Howie" <r.howie AT shaw.ca> Date: Sun, 22 Aug 2010 14:10:05 -0700 Thanks Chris: I was reading a press release which was somewhat vaguely worded and did not show boundaries. It did mention the desire to put in another road access and indicated that they would protect the ecological values of Roberts Lake & one other unnamed pond. Clearly the story is more complex than the release implied. I am glad to see that others are on top of issues. Sounds as if the campus is set for some major development which will consume some further habitats towards Glenmor Rd in the future. Rick Howie Subject: RE: Robert Lake birds From: Chris Charlesworth <c_charlesworth23 AT hotmail.com> Date: Sun, 22 Aug 2010 13:53:14 -0700 Hi Rick, UBC has purchased some land on the N.E. side of the lake as far as I know. The lake itself remains owned by the residents of the area whos property lines were actually drawn before the lake existed. UBC wants to put a road through the area for access to the university. Environmentalists and birders alike may be interested in this idea since it will undoubtedly have some sort of impact on Robert Lk. For the moment, residents of the area protect Robert Lk, keep access and disturbance to a minimum and seem to be interested in the long term protection of their piece of habitat. Another problem at hand here is how to rid the Robert Lk parking area of partiers who use the area to drink, intimidating many birders from visiting. Chris Charlesworth Kelowna, BC To: bcintbird AT yahoogroups.com From: r.howie AT shaw.ca Date: Sun, 22 Aug 2010 08:56:21 -0700 Subject: RE: [bcintbird] Robert Lake birds An enjoyable list of birds at Roberts Lake Chris. I understand that UBC Okanagan has purchased the land around & including Roberts Lake as part of the university expansion plans and that they intend to protect the ecological values there. This sounds like good news for the future of the site. Rick Howie [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ To contact the moderator email bcintbird-owner AT yahoogroups.com Also, consider joining these groups. bcbirds-subscribe AT yahoogroups.com an all BC group. If you have pictures to share try this group. http://groups-beta.google.com/ From here you have to join the bcintbird-pics group before you can see the pictures. Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bcintbird/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bcintbird/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: bcintbird-digest AT yahoogroups.com bcintbird-fullfeatured AT yahoogroups.com <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: bcintbird-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ Subject: RE: Robert Lake birds From: "Rick Howie" <r.howie AT shaw.ca> Date: Sun, 22 Aug 2010 08:56:21 -0700 An enjoyable list of birds at Roberts Lake Chris. I understand that UBC Okanagan has purchased the land around & including Roberts Lake as part of the university expansion plans and that they intend to protect the ecological values there. This sounds like good news for the future of the site. Rick Howie [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: RE: North BX (Vernon) birding for 20 and 21 September From: "Rick Howie" <r.howie AT shaw.ca> Date: Sun, 22 Aug 2010 00:44:38 -0700 Nice list of birds Chris. I did get to Pied-billed Grebe but even there, my hoped for attack on someone to get the adrenalin pumping just never materialized. The absence of a good spirited debate does not diminish the full-blown enjoyment of a lengthy list of birds and the accompanying prose. You could perhaps enter politics with your skill for chewing rawhide and chanting a mantra at the same time. If you can walk while performing such oral feats I suspect you could be premier before long. Rick Howie Spoiling for a debate in Kamloops [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Re: North BX (Vernon) birding for 20 and 21 September From: Janna Leslie <jannamles AT yahoo.ca> Date: Sat, 21 Aug 2010 19:40:42 -0700 (PDT) Certainly well behaved and a foreseer of the future, no less.  I'm wondering if you will find them all again when Sept 20,21 comes around!? Cheers, Janna Leslie, Naramata --- On Sat, 8/21/10, Chris Siddle wrote: From: Chris Siddle Subject: [bcintbird] North BX (Vernon) birding for 20 and 21 September To: bcintbird AT yahoogroups.com Received: Saturday, August 21, 2010, 10:25 PM   Hi everyone, In an effort (major effort) to return the thread to birds, I am biting hard on a piece of rawhide as I type this message. Also I'm chanting Serenity Now! which is not easy to do considering that metaphorically I have already given my mouth something to do. Most locations in the following synopsis are "local patch" sites within my greater neighbourhood of North BX, which is east of Swan Lake and north of about 43 Avenue, Vernon. On Friday, 20 August, the falling water levels at Cools Pond caused (I presume) the Redheads to leave. All the ducks that are left on this temporarily shrinking pond are Mallards, muddling out an existence in the centre where the water is deepest. Three SOLITARY SANDPIPERS around the edges was a high count for the site. At the far dead-end of Glenhayes Road there's access to the north end of the Grey Canal Trail which runs north-south from BX Creek. On the trail between Glenhayes and McKoryk Roads were a flock of about 6 EASTERN KINGBIRDS, a worn looking SAY'S PHOEBE (anyone know about timing of molt in this species? Was I looking at a worn adult? His head and back were very ratty.) and a WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE feeding a bob-tailed fledgling. From the few nests of WWPE I have had experience with, I'd say the chick had been out of the nest 5-7 days, making this a late breeding record. Other birds included 5 SWAINSON'S THRUSHES (there could have been 50 hiding in the thickets for all I know), 1 WESTERN TANAGER, 10 SPOTTED TOWHEES (mostly juveniles molting into adult-like plumage), 8 EVENING GROSBEAKS, and 3 BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAKS (2 of them juveniles muttering the whistle-like "whee-oo" notes that they give when they first fledge), and a CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD. There are extensive Douglas Hawthorn thickets growing under a hydro transmission corridor beside the tiny Glenhayes parking area. These were full of fruit-eating birds as usual including CASSIN's FINCHES. Other species included a HOUSE WREN, a DUSKY FLYCATCHER, a WARBLING VIREO and several GRAY CATBIRDS. On Friday afternoon we took a Danish cousin to Silver Star Village. From the lower half of Milky Way Trail which climbs the main ski-runs I saw a STELLER'S JAY, a PINE GROSBEAK, and about 10 BARN SWALLOWS. An adult PINE SISKIN fed an incessantly calling fledgling, for another late breeding record. The most unusual bird was a young HOUSE WREN in tall weeds along the edge of the woods. At about 5000 feet (elevation, not the height of the weeds) this is beyond the usual elevation limit given for this species. Today (Saturday 21 August) I found a migrant OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER atop a dead D-fir at Hitchcock Road, as well as a fresh looking CASSIN'S VIREO and a skulky MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLER. EVENING GROSBEAKS were heard here too. At Star Road lookout (over BX Creek valley) a RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD attended a feeder someone was keeping half full (notice my optimism). A wild cherry bush of either the pin or choke variety was attractive to a WESTERN TANAGER in gorgeous fresh female-type plumage and 2 WARBLING VIREOS, one with the pale yellowish buff underparts of a juv. At the Haynes Road entrance to the BX Creek Trail was a family of PACIFIC WRENS. Last time I saw these little guys there were six chicks and their parents. The BX Dog Park has hawthorn bushes along its south edge. These were being visited by CEDAR WAXWINGS, AMERICAN ROBINS, HOUSE SPARROWS, and a few EUROPEAN STARLINGS which were resting between foraging in the Ponderosa Pine across BX Road. This was a good tactic in light of the presence of a large SHARP-SHINNED HAWK motionless on a snag. Also seen was a LAZULI BUNTING and my only RED-EYED VIREO of these two days, plus a husky, three Labs, 2 Golden Recliners, a feisty Brussls Griffon, a mini pin, and a maxi pin. Along L and A Cross Road just north of Swan Lake 13 TURKEY VULTURES, 4 BLACK-BILLED MAGPIES and 4 COMMON RAVENS were hanging around a fence line where something must have died. In the scummy cow pond were 2 CINNAMON TEALS and a HOODED MERGANSER. Speaking of molt, isn't it amazing how a HOODED MERGANSER can go from looking so neat, colourful and attractive in winter and spring, to a strangely field-markless mud-coloured, slippery, reptilian creature of the black lagoon by late summer? No wonder ancient people used to believe that some birds were engendered by the mud of the swamps they inhabited, "they" being either the birds or the people, either way works. OK, I am going on WAY TOO LONG. Only Rick will have had the patience to have read this far. I know you, readers, you just skip from species to species, ignoring my gems between. At Otter Lake a GREAT BLUE HERON caught a small frog. One late WESTERN KINGBIRD mixed it up with a flock of 10 EASTERN KINGBIRDS. My only YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS, only 2 of them, were here in some field-side weeds. Near Otter Lake I had my first LINCOLN'S SPARROW of the fall. FINALLY, Okeefe Pond was home to all ages of RUDDY DUCKS, big, little, old, young, and a juvenal PIED-BILLED GREBE. Whew! Good birding everyone. No wisecracks at anyone's expense were made during the production of this email. I have been very well behaved if I do say so myself. Chris S. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: North BX (Vernon) birding for 20 and 21 September From: Chris Siddle <chris.siddle AT gmail.com> Date: Sat, 21 Aug 2010 19:25:17 -0700 Hi everyone, In an effort (major effort) to return the thread to birds, I am biting hard on a piece of rawhide as I type this message. Also I'm chanting Serenity Now! which is not easy to do considering that metaphorically I have already given my mouth something to do. Most locations in the following synopsis are "local patch" sites within my greater neighbourhood of North BX, which is east of Swan Lake and north of about 43 Avenue, Vernon. On Friday, 20 August, the falling water levels at Cools Pond caused (I presume) the Redheads to leave. All the ducks that are left on this temporarily shrinking pond are Mallards, muddling out an existence in the centre where the water is deepest. Three SOLITARY SANDPIPERS around the edges was a high count for the site. At the far dead-end of Glenhayes Road there's access to the north end of the Grey Canal Trail which runs north-south from BX Creek. On the trail between Glenhayes and McKoryk Roads were a flock of about 6 EASTERN KINGBIRDS, a worn looking SAY'S PHOEBE (anyone know about timing of molt in this species? Was I looking at a worn adult? His head and back were very ratty.) and a WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE feeding a bob-tailed fledgling. From the few nests of WWPE I have had experience with, I'd say the chick had been out of the nest 5-7 days, making this a late breeding record. Other birds included 5 SWAINSON'S THRUSHES (there could have been 50 hiding in the thickets for all I know), 1 WESTERN TANAGER, 10 SPOTTED TOWHEES (mostly juveniles molting into adult-like plumage), 8 EVENING GROSBEAKS, and 3 BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAKS (2 of them juveniles muttering the whistle-like "whee-oo" notes that they give when they first fledge), and a CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD. There are extensive Douglas Hawthorn thickets growing under a hydro transmission corridor beside the tiny Glenhayes parking area. These were full of fruit-eating birds as usual including CASSIN's FINCHES. Other species included a HOUSE WREN, a DUSKY FLYCATCHER, a WARBLING VIREO and several GRAY CATBIRDS. On Friday afternoon we took a Danish cousin to Silver Star Village. From the lower half of Milky Way Trail which climbs the main ski-runs I saw a STELLER'S JAY, a PINE GROSBEAK, and about 10 BARN SWALLOWS. An adult PINE SISKIN fed an incessantly calling fledgling, for another late breeding record. The most unusual bird was a young HOUSE WREN in tall weeds along the edge of the woods. At about 5000 feet (elevation, not the height of the weeds) this is beyond the usual elevation limit given for this species. Today (Saturday 21 August) I found a migrant OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER atop a dead D-fir at Hitchcock Road, as well as a fresh looking CASSIN'S VIREO and a skulky MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLER. EVENING GROSBEAKS were heard here too. At Star Road lookout (over BX Creek valley) a RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD attended a feeder someone was keeping half full (notice my optimism). A wild cherry bush of either the pin or choke variety was attractive to a WESTERN TANAGER in gorgeous fresh female-type plumage and 2 WARBLING VIREOS, one with the pale yellowish buff underparts of a juv. At the Haynes Road entrance to the BX Creek Trail was a family of PACIFIC WRENS. Last time I saw these little guys there were six chicks and their parents. The BX Dog Park has hawthorn bushes along its south edge. These were being visited by CEDAR WAXWINGS, AMERICAN ROBINS, HOUSE SPARROWS, and a few EUROPEAN STARLINGS which were resting between foraging in the Ponderosa Pine across BX Road. This was a good tactic in light of the presence of a large SHARP-SHINNED HAWK motionless on a snag. Also seen was a LAZULI BUNTING and my only RED-EYED VIREO of these two days, plus a husky, three Labs, 2 Golden Recliners, a feisty Brussls Griffon, a mini pin, and a maxi pin. Along L and A Cross Road just north of Swan Lake 13 TURKEY VULTURES, 4 BLACK-BILLED MAGPIES and 4 COMMON RAVENS were hanging around a fence line where something must have died. In the scummy cow pond were 2 CINNAMON TEALS and a HOODED MERGANSER. Speaking of molt, isn't it amazing how a HOODED MERGANSER can go from looking so neat, colourful and attractive in winter and spring, to a strangely field-markless mud-coloured, slippery, reptilian creature of the black lagoon by late summer? No wonder ancient people used to believe that some birds were engendered by the mud of the swamps they inhabited, "they" being either the birds or the people, either way works. OK, I am going on WAY TOO LONG. Only Rick will have had the patience to have read this far. I know you, readers, you just skip from species to species, ignoring my gems between. At Otter Lake a GREAT BLUE HERON caught a small frog. One late WESTERN KINGBIRD mixed it up with a flock of 10 EASTERN KINGBIRDS. My only YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS, only 2 of them, were here in some field-side weeds. Near Otter Lake I had my first LINCOLN'S SPARROW of the fall. FINALLY, Okeefe Pond was home to all ages of RUDDY DUCKS, big, little, old, young, and a juvenal PIED-BILLED GREBE. Whew! Good birding everyone. No wisecracks at anyone's expense were made during the production of this email. I have been very well behaved if I do say so myself. Chris S. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Robert Lake birds From: Chris Charlesworth <c_charlesworth23 AT hotmail.com> Date: Sat, 21 Aug 2010 18:52:18 -0700 Birders, I stopped in at Robert Lake this afternoon and there were plenty of shorebirds to keep me busy for a while: Semipalmated Sandpiper 20 Least Sandpiper 50 Baird's Sandpiper 30 Pectoral Sandpiper 10 Solitary Sandpiper 1 Lesser Yellowlegs 12 Greater Yellowlegs 4 Red-necked Phalarope 8 juv. A short stop at the Chichester Bird Sanct. in Rutland was depressing as several large dogs ran rampant through the sanctuary, splashing through the water and chasing the birds away. Birds of note here were about 6 YELLOW WARBLERS, a nice NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH, many CEDAR WAXWINGS, a DOWNY WOODPECKER and a couple of VIRGINIA RAILS. In Rutland, an adult MEW GULL has returned to the McDonald's parking lot at Hwy 33 and Hollywood Rd....this must be about the 10th year in a row these birds have returned to this lot. Chris Charlesworth Kelowna, BC [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Salmon Arm shorebirds for Aug 21 From: "Don Cecile" <dcecile AT telus.net> Date: Sat, 21 Aug 2010 17:51:54 -0700 Hi all, after a week absence, I was able to get back to Salmon Arm, missed the peak of the peep migration but the mud is now much more exposed...Here are the highlights: American White Pelican 7 Sandhill Crane 5 in field just South of Enderby Greater Yellowlegs 2 juvs Lesser Yellowlegs 62 juvs Spotted Sandpiper 2 juvs Semipalmated Sandpiper 2 juvs Least Sandpiper 15 juvs Baird's Sandpiper 6 juvs Pectoral Sandpiper 10 juv, 1 ad Stilt Sandpiper 18 ( the highest number I've had since fall 2007) Short-billed Dowitcher 5 juvs Wilson's Snipe 2 Red-necked Phalarope 1 juv Franklin's Gull 3 juvs Bonaparte's Gull 10 juvs Cheers, Don [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Vaseux Lake Bird Observatory From: "douglasbrown01" <douglasbrown01 AT yahoo.ca> Date: Sun, 22 Aug 2010 00:39:03 -0000 Hi all; Week 3 of the banding season ended today and it's been one of the best week 3s ever with the 3 highest banding totals this year. We banded 181 birds of 22 species and recaptured 66 birds of 9 species. This is our 3rd highest banding total for week 3 but ties for the lowest number of species banded. Here's the banding totals for the week and the season( ). Mallard-0(1 netted)(3rd netted station record) Cinnamon Teal-0(1)(3rd banding record) Mourning Dove-0(1)(5th fall banding record) Black-chinned Hummingbird-0(1 netted) Calliope Hummingbird-0(3 netted) Rufous Hummingbird-1 banded(1)(2 netted) Western Wood-pewee-1(2) Willow Flycatcher-18(39) Dusky Flycatcher-0(2) Pacific Slope Flycatcher-0(1) Bank Swallow-0(1)(1st banding record) Warbling Vireo-1(1) Black-capped Chickadee-2(14) House Wren-0(2) Marsh Wren-1(1) Veery-6(12) Swainson's Thrush-1(4) Gray Catbird-33(82) Cedar Waxwing-12(23) Orange-crowned Warbler-5(7) TENNESSEE WARBLER-0(1)(6th banding record) Nashville Warbler-0(13) Yellow Warbler-23(60) Yellow-rumped (Audubon's) Warbler-18(19) Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warbler-1(1) Yellow-rumped (Unidentified) Warbler-1(1) American Redstart-1(1) Northern Waterthrush-5(10) MacGillivray's Warbler-0(5) Common Yellowthroat-20(35) Wilson's Warbler-2(2) YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT-0(1)(8th banding record) Spotted Towhee-0(2) Chipping Sparrow-2(3) LARK SPARROW-0(1)(2nd banding record) Song Sparrow-15(43) Lazuli Bunting-8(12)(new season high) Bullock's Oriole-0(1)(5th fall banding record) Pine Siskin-1(5) American Goldfinch-3(15) Total birds banded-181(425),species-22(35)(4 additional species netted) Doug Brown bander-in-charge Vaseux Lake Bird Observatory Subject: TLBO update From: "srophoto" <ogle AT sfu.ca> Date: Sat, 21 Aug 2010 21:49:08 -0000 19 days into our season, we continue to update our daily blog: www.tatlayokobirds.wordpress.com. We've been getting an average of around 60 visitors per day- join the club! The last three days have been relatively busy (been a somewhat slow year) with 40+ birds per day, and included at least one highlight- the banding of a YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER. Photos and measurements are on the site. We've banded 547 birds so far this season. See you on the interweb... Steve Ogle Tatlayoko Lake, BC Subject: Re: A Lack of Ethics Amongst Authors: Was: Black Bond Books From: "poecile06" <guylmonty AT gmail.com> Date: Sat, 21 Aug 2010 19:30:31 -0000 Mr. Siddle, Although I don't know anything about the specific matter you mention, I do agree with you in principle. For similar reasons, I refuse to subscribe to Wildlife Afield. thanks for bringing the matter to our attention, Guy L. Monty Parksville, Vancouver Island, BC Subject: Vaseux Lake Bird Observatory From: "Dick Cannings" <dickcannings AT shaw.ca> Date: Fri, 20 Aug 2010 20:20:11 -0700 Hi all: A reminder that the Vaseux Lake Bird Observatory is running every morning in August and September. This weekend might prove interesting with the weather change--and Doug reports a busy day today. Just drop in any time before 11 a.m.; the station is located on the west side of Hwy. 97, 1 km north of Vaseux Lake and 3 km south of Okanagan Falls. Mosquito populations have dropped significantly! I wrote a piece on the the Observatory for my blog at http://bit.ly/b3lB7d . cheers Dick Cannings [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Re: Black Bond Books-Dick,Rick,Dan,Chris From: "eleni h" <eharvalias AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 20 Aug 2010 22:45:27 -0000 I had a similar issue with the 3rd volume of The Birds of BC (UBC Press). A painting of a Crested Myna attributed to me was used without my permission. The painting was not even mine, it was painted by Dale Zimmerman who was also unaware of it being used. The excuse the author gave me was that he had sent a letter to me asking permission (which I never received). He felt that no reply gave him permission to use it, simply outrageous. I was promised a correction in volume 4, which I believe was never done. Regards, Mark Wynja --- In bcintbird AT yahoogroups.com, Roy Priest wrote: > > Thanks for the replies.  I have had similar experiences in my life and if I had known the history of the book I wouldn't have bought it, even for $2.   I do realize I have to wait 'til next year for the Bobolinks. > On a positive note I did buy Birds of the Interior B.C. and the Rockies, to add to my Birds of Southewest B.C. Are there more in the series? > On a birding note I had an immature tiercel peregrine stooping pigeons about 80 feet above our heads yesterday while having lunch.  He was inexperienced and didn't use the advantage of height , these were quality homers that live not far away and he was beaten very soundly.  We see peregrines very often above our house.  We also have Merlins somewhere in the neighbourhood for the last couple of years and they too snag house finches about 40' above our heads in the yard.   > > Roy Priest > Cloverdale > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > Subject: Re: Black Bond Books-Dick,Rick,Dan,Chris From: Roy Priest <rop AT shaw.ca> Date: Fri, 20 Aug 2010 10:21:29 -0700 Thanks for the replies.  I have had similar experiences in my life and if I had known the history of the book I wouldn't have bought it, even for $2.   I do realize I have to wait 'til next year for the Bobolinks. On a positive note I did buy Birds of the Interior B.C. and the Rockies, to add to my Birds of Southewest B.C. Are there more in the series? On a birding note I had an immature tiercel peregrine stooping pigeons about 80 feet above our heads yesterday while having lunch.  He was inexperienced and didn't use the advantage of height , these were quality homers that live not far away and he was beaten very soundly.  We see peregrines very often above our house.  We also have Merlins somewhere in the neighbourhood for the last couple of years and they too snag house finches about 40' above our heads in the yard.   Roy Priest Cloverdale [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]