British Columbia
and Yukon Region
Summary of Observations - Summer 1998
(report submitted to North American Birds)
Compiled by Michael G. Shepard
Click HERE for a list of observation summaries
Even with El Nino on the wane, this was a long, hot season across the Region, with Yukoners basking in one of the sunniest, most bug-free summers in recent memory. The first six weeks of the period were warm but unsettled with the southernmost parts of BC receiving the most frequent rainfalls. High summer kicked in the middle of July as a massive ridge of high pressure gained strength along the west coast producing frequent and widespread scorching weather. Predictably, this caused forests to become tinder dry with numerous large forest fires scattered about. Woodpeckers should have a good crop of beetle larvae to pick through in a couple of years!
A Pied-billed Grebe at Coot Lake near Pelly Crossing Jun 17 (RDM, WP) -Jul 4 (CE, PS) provided the first c. Yukon record of this species. The Eared Grebe, first found at Swan Lake near Whitehorse in May, was present until at least Jul 1 (HG). There were very few reports of pelagic birds this season, the highlight being a well-described Manx Shearwater at Laskeek Bank in Hecate Strait Jun 6 (MF). An American White Pelican, rare west of the Coast Mountains, was in Langley Jul 23 (DN). The discovery of a Double-crested Cormorant nest on Jun 7 near Richthofen Is. on Lake Laberge (GW, MW) provided the Yukon's first and much anticipated confirmed breeding record for this species. Up to four adult Double-crests were seen in the area subsequently. Turkey Vultures are normally restricted in range to the southern fringe of the region, therefore the extralimital record of a single bird at Cedarvale Jun 9 (MH, PH) was extraordinary.
An Emperor Goose was at Reifel Island Jun 2 (JI) and one at Porteau Cove Provincial Park Jul 19-31 (BP, m.ob.). There are no previous summer regional records of this species. The observation of a male Eurasian Wigeon at Coot Lake, YT (RDM, WP) was a very rare summer sighting. Rare at any season, a Tufted Duck was at Iona Island July 18-31 (RT, m.ob.). Six male Ruddy Ducks at Lee Lake Jun 13 (CE, MGi) provided the first documented sighting for the SE Yukon.
Extremely rare was a Swainson's Hawk seen during an alpine survey on McIntyre Mountain, YT in early Jul (MGi). Two adult Sandhill Cranes with a 1/4 grown young were near the Mossvale Forest Service Road, approximately 50km NW of Prince George (TW). This was the first documented breeding record for the species in the Prince George area. A Red-necked Stint (adult in alternate plumage), a rare but regular Asian visitor to the Lower Mainland, was at Iona Island Jul 2 (RT, ST, KK, TP). On Jul 28, a bird identified as a Laughing Gull was discovered at Iona Island (CN, JL, RT). If accepted, this will be the first record for British Columbia. A first summer Thayer's Gull at Whitehorse Jun 30 (CE) provided an unusual summer record for that area. An unusal inshore gathering of Sabine's Gulls was observed off the Iona South Jetty Jun 5 (MP). The first British Columbia record of Least Tern was of an adult at the north end of Osoyoos Lake June 6 & 7 (MT, KL, m.ob.). It was photographed Jun 7 (JAM).
Mourning Doves are rare in the Yukon. A single bird foraging on the La Biche River airstrip in the extreme southeast Yukon Jun 14-15 (CE, MGi) had apparently been in the area for a few weeks. Another Mourning Dove frequented a yard near Judas Creek at least through the last two weeks of Jun (AH). The Xantus's Hummingbird, first reported in Nov 1997 was still at Gibsons throughout the summer (m.ob.). At least two Rufous Hummingbirds (rare in the Yukon) frequented a Teslin Lake yard Jul 19-27 (MGa), and at least one was doing the rounds in downtown Whitehorse this summer (JBa). A male Pileated Woodpecker, rarely reported in the YT, was near Upper Liard Jun 18 (AG).
This summer, a number of Empidonax species were observed well outside their usual ranges. A Yellow-bellied Flycatcher was at km 33 Dempster Highway Jun 11 (RDM, WP), a Willow Flycatcher 70km SW of Dawson Creek Jul 8 (RF, AF), and four Dusky Flycatchers in the Kotaneelee Range Jun 20 (CE, MGi).
Purple Martin nest box programs were quite successful this year. It appears that martins have been dispersing from Vancouver Island and setting up housekeeping in the Lower Mainland. Three colour-banded martins at Blackie Spit, Jun 16 to Jul 31 (fide DT) apparently originated at Vancouver Island colonies. At the Maplewood Flats Conservation Area, twelve nest boxes produced 40 young (Roberts 1998). Three Marsh Wrens were discovered at Lee Lake Jun 14 (CE, MGi), providing just the second record for the YT. Three completed nests were found there, but did not contain eggs or young and therefore fell short of a confirmed breeding record.
The Northern Mockingbird invasion that began in May continued through the summer with reports coming from as far north as Prince George. Six Yellow Wagtails were at Shingle Point on the Yukon Coast in mid-June (RDM, WP). Three Cedar Waxwings seen Jun 27 at Lake Laberge were the first reported from the Whitehorse area since 1995 (CE,PS).
A female Chestnut-sided Warbler, rare in B.C., appeared at the Cheam Wetlands near Rosedale Jul 14 (SG). Just 99 years after the first Yukon record of the species, a pair of Townsend’s Warblers feeding one dependent young at the Yukon River Campground in Dawson City Jul 7 provided the Yukon’s first confirmed breeding record for this species (CE,PS). Other sightings of Townsend’s Warbler included two at McIntyre Mountain Jun 7 (CE) and one at Jake’s Corner in late June (PS). Blackburnian Warblers are vagrants west of the Rockies. One was found dead at the Thuja Lakes on the Cariboo Plateau in the third week of Jun (fide RRH). A single Palm Warbler at Vancouver International Airport Jul 18 (MKM) provided an unusual coastal summer record.
Rare on the coast, a Vesper Sparrow turned up at Colony Farm, Coquitlam Jun 19 (JG). Unusually dry conditions in the extreme southeast Yukon may have been responsible for the complete lack of Le Conte’s Sparrows at their usual location along the La Biche River airstrip. However, one Le Conte’s was heard at the Beaver River wetland on Jun 12 (MGi), and four were singing at a higher elevation wetland just west of the La Biche River on Jun 17 (CE, MGi). Quite extraordinary was the occurrence of three Zonotrichia species, White-throated Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow and Golden-crowned Sparrow which could all be heard singing on territories from one location at treeline in the Kotaneelee Range Jun 20-21 (CE, MGi).
The summer of 1998 produced a rash of male Indigo Buntings reports in the Victoria area, the first being reported from Mary Hill, Metchosin Jun 30 (MGS). Another male was in the Upper Clearwater Valley near Wells Gray Park Jul 31 (TG).
Sub-regional Compilers: Cameron Eckert (CE) - Yukon, Danny Tyson (DT) - Vancouver, Helmut Grünberg (HG) - Yukon, Jack Bowling (JCB) - Prince George & weather summaries, Peter Hamel (PH) - Queen Charlotte Islands, Richard Cannings (RJC) - Okanagan, Michael Shepard (MGS) - Southern Vancouver Island, Steve Baillie (SJB) - Nanaimo.Other Cited Observers: Alex Gray (AG), Al Hughes (AH), Bonnie Plunkey (BP), Claude Nadeau (CN), Dale North (DN), Gerry Whitley (GW), Jo Ann MacKenzie (JAM),
Jeremy Baumbach (JBa), Jude Grass (JG), John Ireland (JI), Jacques Lachance (JL), Ken Klimko (KK), Kevin Lydford (KL), Michael Force (MF), Margaret Garolitz (MGa), Mike Gill (MGi), Margo Hearne (MH), Martin K. McNicholl (MKM), Michael Price (MP), Mike Toochin (MT), Mary Whitley (MW), Pam Sinclair (PS), Doug McRae (RDM), Roger Foxall (RF), Rick Howie (RRH), Rick Toochin (RT), Simon Gavin (SG), Sharon Toochin (ST), Trevor Goward (TG), Tom Plath (TP), Tony Waycheshen (TW), W. Peterson (WP). Literature CitedClick HERE for a list of observation summaries