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| Click on a hyperlinked (underlined) species name to view
the associated species account. |
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
When known, we have cited observers for each listing. Unacknowledged
observations for the Lower Mainland are from the Vancouver RBA, and those
from southern Vancouver Island from the Victoria RBA. |
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| LOONS |
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- The loon and grebe show on Stuart Lake at Fort St. James continued
into early May. On May 1 Randy Rawluk tallied the
following peak numbers: Red-throated
Loon 68 on May 9, Common Loon
300-400 on May 8, Red-necked
Grebe 400+ on May 1, and Western
Grebe 1000+ on May 6-7. Pacific
Loon migration normally occurs mainly along the west coast of
Vancouver Island and not via the Strait of Georgia. Unprecedented
numbers passed by the Vancouver area at the beginning of the
month. Rick Toochin and Mitch Meredith tallied 100,000+ off Iona Island on May 3.
HERONS, EGRETS |
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- Great Egrets began their
spring and summer invasion that now appears to be an annual
event. One was at Reifel Island May 12.
WATERFOWL |
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- A smattering of non-Canada Geese was reported around the
province. Noteworthy were two Ross's
Geese near Duck Lake, Creston on May 8 (Marc-André Beaucher).
HAWKS, FALCONS |
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- A Broad-winged Hawk
was reported from UNBC, Prince George May 13. This species
probably breeds in the vicinity.
CRANES, SHOREBIRDS |
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- A DEMOISELLE CRANE of
unknown origin was photographed along the Telkwa High Road near Smithers
May 2 (Dave Evans).
- Black-necked Stilts
were reported as far north as Kamloops, where two were present from May 10
onwards(Wayne Weber, Ian Barnett et al.).
- On May 5, Giscome hosted an unusual array of shorebirds including a
probable Pacific Golden-Plover
(Laird Law et al.) and 21+ Hudsonian
Godwits (Jack Bowling, Laird Law et al.). Even more amazing, was the flock of 30 Hudsonian
Godwits in the Kispiox Valley the same day (Ray Sturney).
On the coast a single bird in alternate plumage was at 112th Street,
Boundary Bay May 11 (Rick Toochin, Mitch Meredith et al.). This species is virtually unheard of west of the Rockies in
spring. Observers apparently missed the northward migration of
Alaska bound Marbled Godwits.
The high count was 18 birds at Stubbs Island near Tofino May 8 (Adrian
Dorst).
At this season, Pectoral Sandpipers, like
Hudsonian Godwits, tend to migrate east of the Rockies. However
this spring, unusually high numbers were reported throughout the
province (and in Oregon as well). Peak counts included the 106
tallied at 112th Street Boundary Bay May 11 (Rick Toochin, Mitch
Meredith). Huge numbers of Western
Sandpipers were observed on the west coast of Vancouver
Island. Adrian Dorst et al. eastimated 50,000+ in the Tofino area May 7.
Adrian Dorst also found 4,000
Short-billed
Dowitchers there the same day. Goodly numbers of
Red
Knots passed by Tofino as well. Adrian Dorst counted a spectacular 73 on May 14.
JAEGERS, GULLS |
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- An unseasonable gathering of 12 Parasitic Jaegers was off Iona
Island May 9 (Rick Toochin). A first
year Little Gull was along the
Iona Island west jetty May 15 (Keith Riding).
OWLS, HUMMINGBIRDS |
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- There was an unusually large influx of Calliope
Hummingbirds into the Lower Mainland at the beginning of the
month, with reports from Burnaby Mountain, Queen Elizabeth Park, Stanley
Park and Cecil Green Park, UBC.
PASSERINES |
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- A Brewer's Sparrow,
providing only the second record for the Victoria checklist area, was at
Clover Point May 14-16 (Chris Saunders et
al.). Rare west of the Rockies, a Common
Grackle was at Johnsons Landing May 2 (Gail Spitler).
Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches
were apparently much more widespread and abundant than normal this past
winter. Large flocks were reported as late as May 6 with 150 in
Prince George (Colleen Kelly, Lois Withers).
Click HERE to view the
April 2002 summary
Click HERE for a list of other observation summaries |
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