• Red-throated Loons now appear to be rare but regular migrants in the central interior.  Nine were on Stuart Lake at Fort St. James April 30 (Randy Rawluk).  Eight Pacific Loons were also present.  A Pacific Loon in basic plumage, observed at Gellatly Bay, Westbank April 20-22 (Michael Force et al.) provided a rare spring record for the Okanagan.  The Yellow-billed Loon frequenting the West Vancouver shoreline was last observed April 4.  Other singles were reported from Tofino April 7 (Adrian Dorst) and near the Little River ferry terminal, Comox April 11 (Ron Beal).  On April 29 Chris Charlesworth estimated 4000 to 5000 Western Grebes on Okanagan Lake off Maude Roxby Sanctuary.  300+ were on Stuart Lake April 30 (Randy Rawluk) as were 400+ Red-necked Grebes.
• Unusual on the outer coast, a Green Heron was at the Long Beach Airport April 19 (Adrian Dorst), and a Turkey Vulture at Tofino the same day (Adrian Dorst).

WATERFOWL

• A few Ross's Geese were noted this spring.  One was near Quilchena April 21 (Rick Howie et al.) and two were at Nauchachapt Lake on the Douglas Plateau April 28 (Rick Howie, Syd Roberts).  An amazing flight of Greater White-fronted Geese was noted over Duncan.  Derrick Marven reported flocks of 50-200 passing over more or less continuously from the late afternoon of April 19 through into the evening of April 20, for an estimated total of 10,000+ birds.  Numerous SW BC observers reported higher than normal numbers of this species in the Lower Mainland and along the eastern shores of Vancouver Island.
• Relatively large number of Eurasian Wigeon remained in the Boundary Bay area until at least April 13 when 110 were tallied near the foot of 112th Street (Rick Toochin, Mitch Meredith).
• Impressive numbers of waterbirds continued to feed and stage in the Baynes Sound/Comox area.  Highlights of an April 5 count off Goose Spit, Comox included 12,125 Greater Scaup, 443 Harlequin Ducks, 9360 Surf Scoters, 1950 White-winged Scoters, 272 Black Scoters and 4387 Long-tailed Ducks (Guy Monty).  On April 7, the goodly number 700 Greater Scaup were on Stump Lake in the Nicola Valley (Chris Charlesworth et al.).  Long-tailed Ducks were apparently more common than usual in the Okanagan.  Two were on Okanagan Lake at Kelowna April 1 (Ryan Tomlinson), with several more reported in the Kelowna area at the end of the month.

HAWKS, FALCONS

• Rare on Vancouver Island, a Swainson's Hawk (dark phase) was over Admirals/McKenzie in Saanich April 24 (David Allinson).  A Ferruginous Hawk, one of the rarest raptor species in the province, was at Anarchist Mountain April 5 (Doug Brown).  Another was found at field south of Nakusp April 13 (Gary Davidson).  An amazing passage of 54 Rough-legged Hawks was noted at Prince George Airport April 7 (Cathy Antoniazzi et al.).

SHOREBIRDS

• Good numbers of American Avocets were back in the Kelowna area by the end of April.  Ryan Tomlinson counted 25 at Alki Lake and 26 at Robert Lake on April 26.  Much rarer on the coast, two were at Maplewood Flats, North Vancouver on April 27.  Black-necked Stilts arrived in the Okanagan in early April, with 8 appearing at the Gordon Drive pond April 5 (Judy Latta, Chris Charlesworth et al.).  This species is now apparently of annual occurrence in the province.  Rare on Vancouver Island, a Long-billed Curlew was at Somenos Marsh April 16 (Derrick Marven).  Even more outstanding was the record of a single bird in Dawson Creek April 25-26 (Mark Phinney).  Marbled Godwits have been scarce so far this year.  Three migrants were at Tofino Inlet April 22 (Brian Slater) and up to five were at Blackie Spit late in the month.  Most unusual in spring on the coast, an alternate-plumaged Hudsonian Godwit was at Iona Island April 28 (John Chandler et al.).  The loyal Willet, first found at the base of the Tsawwassen Jetty in 1997, was last reported April 13.  Also on April 13, at the foot of 112th Street (Boundary Bay), were 200 Greater Yellowlegs.  An early Solitary Sandpiper was at Somenos Marsh April 15 (Derrick Marven).

OWLS, HUMMINGBIRDS

• Although widespread in the southwest corner of the province much of the month, the big push of Rufous Hummingbirds didn't seem to happen until late April.  By the end of the month, they had been reported as far north as Prince George and Vanderhoof.  Calliope Hummingbirds flooded in during the last week of the month as well.  Most noteworthy was a rare coastal observation of one (a male) at Iona Island April 26 (Rick Toochin).

PASSERINES

• Extremely rare outside the Okanagan drainage, a Sage Thrasher was at Duck Lake, Creston April 27 (Michael McMann, Bob Hendricks, Roy King.
• The Palm Warbler overwintering in Kelowna remained at Waterfront Park until at least April 4.   On the coast, this species was scarce during the past winter.  One, possibly a migrant was at Pitt Meadows April 20 (Rick Toochin).  At least one Northern Waterthrush was still present at Reifel Island April 7 (Rick Toochin, Mitch Meredith).  A Spotted Towhee at Quesnel April 13 (Verna Cummins) was very near the northern edge of its range.
• The Kelowna GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE first observed in the spring of 2000, was last reported April 22.
• Fairly large numbers of Common Redpolls remained as far south as Fernie until about the middle of the month, at which time almost vacated the southern half of the province.  An apparent migrant flock of 300 was in Dawson Creek April 16 (MP).  For west of the Rockies the 100 redpolls tallied in Vanderhoof  April 28 was extraordinary.  Click HERE to view Common Redpoll distribution maps for fall 2001 to present.

Click HERE to view the March 2002 summary
Click HERE for a list of other observation summaries