British Columbia and Yukon Region
Summary of Observations - Fall 1998
(report submitted to North American Birds)

Compiled by Michael G. Shepard

Click HERE to view the Summer 1998 summary
Click HERE for a list of other observation summaries

El Nińo may have disappeared but its effects lingered long into the fall season. The scorching weather of early August gradually withered away into September but both months were sunnier and drier than normal just about everywhere. October saw clouds and precipitation increase gradually as Pacific storms began to penetrate inland. This trend would become a steamroller off the ocean in November as storm after storm battered the southern third of British Columbia. Areas farther north escaped most of the rain and remained dry.

Pacific Loons are rare in the southern interior of the province.  A single bird was near Castlegar Nov 15-17 (BK, RWe, GN).  On Sep 23, 2586 Red-necked Grebes were counted at their Boundary Bay staging area (BES), with the majority off Crescent Beach and off Lilly Point WA.  A Clark's Grebe, the first of the fall on the coast, was off Point Grey Sep 20 (MP).  Two pelagic birding trips off the BC coast provided few noteworthy sightings.  However, Pink-footed Shearwaters were slightly more abundant than usual with 100 in the vicinity of La Perouse Bank Oct 10 (RFo et al.).  Small numbers of Fork-tailed Storm-Petrels turned up in Juan de Fuca and Georgia Straits with a high count of 45 at Rocky Point Oct 10 (DEA).   The main fall movement of American White Pelicans was pretty much on time, with small flocks moving southward through the interior. About 20 white pelicans were seen circling Mamette Lake near Merritt Sep 23 (KAS) and 56 were in the Creston Valley Sep 26 (BK et al.). A coastal straggler perhaps the same bird as seen in July, was in Langley Sep 22 (JSt).   There were very few sightings of Brown Pelicans until Sep, when small numbers were reported in Juan de Fuca Strait.  In Oct larger flocks were found, including 42 off Jordan River Oct 7 (CBr) and 23 at Carmanah Point Oct 22 (GE). A few Brown Pelicans lingered through the end of the season. Double-crested Cormorants, rare in the interior, were reported as far north as Summit Lake near Prince George, where one was present for about a week around Oct 13 (KL). Cattle Egrets appeared on schedule again this fall with one appearing in Sandspit Oct 25 (MH, PH).  This was the first reported from the Queen Charlotte Islands since 1992.  The fall Turkey Vulture migration peaked Sep 26, when 650 birds were over East Sooke Park/Rocky Point Sep 26 (DEA et al.).

An Emperor Goose, possibly the same individual seen at Porteau Cove in July, was on the Sunshine Coast in August (fide DBr).  Another rare goose, a Ross's, was near Campbell River from Nov 24 through into December (JIb et al.).   At least one Tufted Duck was in the Vancouver area Oct 28 (RT, JT) to Nov 7 (fide Vancouver RBA).  At Lake Laberge, a White-winged Scoter Nov 22 (HG) and an imm male Surf Scoter Nov 27 (CE) were the latest ever recorded for the Yukon. A concentration of over 2000 Common Mergansers at Quamichan Lake Nov 22 (DVM) was amazing.  Three Ruddy Ducks on Schwatka Lake Oct 9 (CE) provided the Yukon's only fall record this year.

Two imm Northern Harriers just south of Lake Laberge Nov 22 (CE, PS) provided a record late date for the Yukon.  Broad-winged Hawks, very rare in BC, put in their biggest showing yet, with at least six birds appearing at the southern tip of Vancouver Island.  Four adults were seen together at Rocky Point Sep 20 (DEA).  Extremely rare was a light-morph "Harlan’s" Hawk at McIntyre Creek in Whitehorse Sep 20 & 23 (CE).   A Prairie Falcon, a rare visitor to the coast from drier climes, was between Roberts Bank Jetty and Brunswick Point Nov 13 (RT) through the end of the month.

An American Coot, rare in the Yukon during the fall, was seen at Swan Lake Aug 30 (HG). Large numbers of Sandhill Cranes moved through the southern interior in late Sep and early Oct. The largest number reported was 1120 observed over White Lake near Okanagan Falls Sep 19 (JSh et al.).  The normal assortment of "rare but regular" shorebirds appeared again in the Vancouver area, and remained through the end of Nov.  Included were an American Avocet at Reifel Island from Sep 23 (JIr), a Willet at the base of the Tsawwassen Jetty from Nov 6, a Long-billed Curlew at Blackie Spit from Nov 9 (RFi), and up to five Marbled Godwits in the Boundary Bay area from Oct 26 (ENR et al.).  More exceptional was a single Marbled Godwit at the Delkatla Wildlife Sanctuary, Masset Nov 4 (MH, PH).  The only report of an Upland Sandpiper this fall was one over Grey Canal Trail near Vernon Aug 20 (CRS).  An incredible total of 21 shorebird species was tallied Aug 16 at the Nisutlin Delta, Yukon (CE, HG, PS).   Particularly noteworthy there were a juv Hudsonian Godwit and a juv Wilson's Phalarope. Early reports of Sharp-tailed Sandpipers this fall included a juv at the Nisutlin Delta Sep 5 & 6 (CE, HG) and one at the Beck Creek Estuary, Nanaimo Sep 20 (GMo et al.).  A Common Snipe at Jackfish Bay, Lake Laberge on Oct. 25 (CE, YBC) was the last Yukon shorebird reported this season.  This tied the previous record late date.  Putting in a rare interior was a Red Phalarope at Tranquille Sep 13-20 (GMi, NS, HS, SR, EM).

Although rare in British Columbia waters, South Polar Skuas can be regularly found in offshore waters.   Single birds were observed Oct 10 in the vicinity of La Perouse Bank (RFo et al.) and off Port Renfrew (BW et al.).   Adult Little Gulls, rare visitors to B.C., were reported off Entwhistle Drive, Nanaimo Oct 2-4 (GMo et al.), Edye Point Nov 1 (DEA), and the Iona South Jetty Nov 30 (RT).  The Yukon’s second documented Iceland Gull, a juvenile, which frequented the Whitehorse landfill from Oct 12-25 was a thrill for Yukon gull enthusiasts (CE, HG, PS et al.). Another rarity, the Slaty-backed Gull, was reported Nov 29 into Dec at Delta (fide Vancouver RBA) and Nov 28 into Dec near Duncan (DVM).   Sabine's Gulls were unusually widely reported in the interior of B.C.  Records included one at Nulki Lake Sep 5 (CA, NK), one at Tranquille Sep 8 (SR), one near the mouth of Vernon Creek Sep 18 (PG), and one near the Kamloops airport dike Sep 19 (SR).   Another bird, first found at Vaseux Lake Sep 21 (ILR), was found dead on Sep 26 (PA).  A Black Tern was at Iona Island Oct 8 (RWo).

Yellow-billed Cuckoos are casual summer visitors to British Columbia.  Almost all records are from near the coast, therefore one seen in Kamloops Sep 14 (CR) was most noteworthy.  A Long-eared Owl found dead in Nanaimo in late Nov (GMo), provided the first well- documented record for that area. A record-late Common Nighthawk was at Nisutlin Delta Sep 13 (MW).  The Xantus's Hummingbird which had been present in Gibsons since Nov 1997 was last seen Sep 21 (fide Vancouver RBA).   An Anna's Hummingbird, a rare visitor to the interior, was at Westbank Nov 11-30 (CC et al.).   An influx of immature Lewis's Woodpeckers into the Lower Mainland occurred in September.  One was in Port Coquitlam Sep 12 & 13 (LC), two in Bradner Sep 19 (fide Vancouver RBA) and 2 at the University of British Columbia Sep 18-20 (fide Vancouver RBA).

The almost annual occurrence of Tropical Kingbirds in the Tofino area continued this fall. Two were there in early Oct with one still there Oct 31 (RP).  Elsewhere, one was at Esquimalt Lagoon on Oct 18-25 (GK et al.) and one at Weirs Beach Nov 21 (AY).  Although rare, a few Western Kingbirds turn up on the coast each fall.   One was at Port Renfrew Sep 20 (DBu) and a rather late straggler in South Delta Oct 25 (NH) & 26 (BK). A minor invasion of Steller’s Jays in the Whitehorse area late Sep through Oct included reports of single birds at Mary Lake (LJo), Wolf Creek (AJ, LK, HL), and Tagish (WH).  These were the first Yukon records since a similar invasion in 1994.  Many species of swallows lingered late into the fall this year, with most reports coming from Reifel Island: one Tree Swallow Nov 22, one Violet-green Nov 28, eight Barns Nov 28 and three Cliff Swallows the same day.  More unusual was a single Cliff Swallow at Westbank Nov 11 (CC), providing the latest report ever for the B.C. interior. Extralimital White-breasted Nuthatches were reported from Cedar September 5 (TFl) and Smithers November 8 (TH).   A Brown Creeper at Pine Lake near Haines Junction on Aug 8 provided one of very few documented Yukon records (CE, PS).  A Mountain Bluebird was at Porter Creek, Yukon on the late date of Nov 11 (EG, KG).  The summer invasion of Northern Mockingbirds in the BC interior gradually tapered off, with last two birds reported from the Greenstone Mountain Road near Kamloops Sep 18 (EM, LMc).

Although abundant in the north, Tennessee Warblers are relatively rare in southern B.C. One was seen along the Grey Canal Trail near Vernon Aug 27 (PG).  A huge fallout of 150 Yellow Warblers was observed at Iona Island Aug 23 (SM).  A female Yellow, photographed at Entry Point, Masset Nov (PH, MH) provided the latest record ever for the Queen Charlottes and one of the very few Nov reports for the province.  A female Chestnut-sided Warbler was observed feeding young at Puntchesakut Lake west of Quesnel Aug 21 (GSD, MSD).  This is the first breeding record west of the Rocky Mountains.  Large numbers of Yellow-rumped Warblers were moving south in the Yukon in mid-August, with 200 at Nisutlin Bay Aug 18 (CE, PS).  An unprecedented invasion of Black-throated Blue Warblers occurred this fall in the Pacific Northwest. One was near the north end of Osoyoos Lake on Oct 10 (LJe, DJ) and one in Kelowna the same day (AG).  Fall Palm Warbler records included single birds at Squamish Oct 4 (RR) and Iona Island Oct 17 (RT).  An American Redstart, a rare species on the coast, was banded at Iona Island Aug 22 (LMi).  Northern Waterthrushes put on an unusual showing on the coast this summer and fall.  In Aug, at least four were at Rocky Point (DGD, DEA et al.) and two at Iona Island (LMi, SM).  The last report was of a single bird at Reifel Island Sep 20 (DSB).  Mourning Warblers rarely turn up west of the Rockies.  The single bird found at Sea Island Oct 26 (RT, MM et al.) was far from its South American wintering grounds, and was apparently still present in Dec. Two Wilson's Warblers at Williams Lake Nov 1 (PR) provided an exceptionally late interior record.

Clay-colored Sparrows were reported in the Vancouver area on several occasions this summer and fall.  Two were at Iona Island in Aug, the first found Aug 16 (RT, DEA). One was banded there Sep 20 (LMi).  Rare on the coast, a Vesper Sparrow was near Boundary Bay Sep 20 (BS).  A Le Conte’s Sparrow, rare in B.C., particularly west the Rockies, was near the Trail Airport Sep 26 (GN).  A vagrant Lark Sparrow was in Tofino Oct 25 (RP).  Swamp Sparrows were widespread in southern B.C. this fall.  A rather early one was banded at Iona Island Sep 12 (LMi).  Unusual was the rash of Rose-breasted Grosbeak observations this fall. Records of this vagrant from east of the Rockies included one at a feeder in Oliver Sep 21-24 (TFo, m.ob.), one at 100 Mile House in Oct (TG), and one at the Wineglass Ranch on the Chilcotin River Oct 8-13 (LD). A tremendous irruption of Bramblings occurred in B.C. this fall.  One was at Tofino Oct 28 to Nov 1 (RP), one at Williams Lake Oct 29 to Nov 3 (joined by a second bird Nov 3)(JW, AR et al.), one at Sicamous Nov 24-26 (BM et al.), one at Masset Nov 1 (MH, PH), one at Ridley Island near Prince Rupert Nov 1 (fide RRW), and one at Lavington Nov 26 to Dec 1 (PM et al.).   A Purple Finch frequenting a Whitehorse feeder Nov 25-28 (CE, HG) bettered the Yukon's previous late date by about two months.  A Hoary Redpoll, rarely reported from southern B.C., was at Lavington Nov 28 (CRS).

Sub-regional Compilers: Burke Korol (BK) - Kootenays, Max Gotz (BMG) - Whistler, Bryan Gates (BRG) - Victoria, Cameron Eckert (CE) - Yukon, David Allinson (DEA) - Victoria, Don Cecile (DGC) - Vernon, Helmut Grünberg (HG) - Yukon, Hank vander Pol (HVP) - Victoria, John Chandler (JC) - Vancouver, Jack Bowling (JCB) - Prince George & weather summaries, Larry Cowan (LC) - Vancouver, Peter Hamel (PH) - Queen Charlotte Islands, Phil Ranson (PR) - Cariboo, Richard Cannings (RJC) - Okanagan, Michael Shepard (MGS) - Southern Vancouver Island, Steve Baillie (SJB) - Nanaimo, Sandy McRuer (SMcR) - Alberni Valley, Tony Greenfield (TGr) - Sunshine Coast.

Other Observers
Al Gemmell (AG), Afan Jones (AJ), Anna Roberts (AR), Arlene Yaworsky (AY), Bonnie Stout (BES), Bob McVicar (BM), Brian Self (BS), Bruce Whittington (BW), Cathy Antoniazzi (CA), Chris Charlesworth (CC), Chris Siddle (CRS), Clara Ritcey (CR), Doug Brown (DBr), Don Buskirk (DBu), Dan Derbyshire (DGD), Dian Jellicoe (DJ), Daniel Bastaja (DSB), Derrick Marven (DVM), Elaine Gustafson (EG), Eric McAlary (EM), Noel Russell (ENR), Gerry Epscorn (GE), Grant Keddie (GK), Gary Mitchell (GMi), Guy Monty (GMo), Gwen Nicol (GN), Gary Davidson (GSD), Henry Lewandowski (HL), Helen Saemerow (HS), Laurie Rockwell (ILR), Jim Ibbs (JIb), John Ireland (JIr), Jim Shaver (JSh), Jeff Starchuck (JSt), John Toochin (JT), Jean Waite (JW), Katharine Shewchuk (KAS), Kris Gustafson (KG), Ken Lipinski (KL), Linda Durrell (LD), Len Jellicoe (LJe), Lois Johnson (LJo), Leslie Knight (LK), Libor Michalak (LMi), Lois McAlary (LMc), Margo Hearne (MH), Mitch Meredith (MM), Michael Price (MP), Marie Davidson (MSD), Mary Whitley (MW), Neil Hughes (NH), Nancy Krueger (NK), Nels Saemerow (NS),  Peter Axhorn (PA), Phil Gehlen (PG), Pat McAllister (PM), Phil Ranson (PR), Pam Sinclair (PS), Randy Findlay (RFi), Roger Foxall (RFo), Rory Patterson (RP), Reto Riesen (RR), Robin Weber (RRW), Rick Toochin (RT), Rita Wege (RWe), Robert Worona (RWo), Steve Mlodinow (SM), Syd Roberts (SR), Terry Flammand (TFl), Thelma Forty (TFo), Tom Godin (TG), Todd Heakes (TH), Vicki Hansen (VH), Yukon Bird Club (YBC).

Click HERE to view the Summer 1998 summary
Click HERE for a list of other observation summaries