Birding June 2017 Edition 27 (2)
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Newsmagazine of the British Columbia Field Ornithologists ISSN 1206-1611 BCFO.ca Volume 27 Number 2 / June 2017 Pacific Loon photographed by John Gordon during the WildResearch pelagic trip out of Ucluelet, May 7, 2017 BC Birding June 2017 Edition 27 (2) Publisher BC Birding is published four times a year by the British Columbia Field Ornithologists, PO Box 45111, Dunbar, BCFO Officers & Vancouver BC V6S 2M8. A subscription to this quarterly is a benefit of member- ship in the society. Members will also receive a copy of the Directors annual journal, British Columbia Birds. Officers President: Mike McGrenere, Victoria, 250-658-8624, About the BCFO [email protected] Membership in BCFO is open to anyone interested in the Vice President: Larry Cowan, Pitt Meadows, 604-465-1402, study and enjoyment of wild birds in British Columbia. [email protected] BCFO objectives include: fostering cooperation between Secretary: Marian Porter, Salt Spring Island, 250-653-2043, amateur and professional ornithologists, promoting cooper- [email protected] ative bird surveys and research projects, and supporting Treasurer: Mike Fung, Vancouver, 604-266-0238, conservation organizations in their efforts to preserve birds [email protected] and their habitats. Other Directors Membership Jude Grass, Surrey, 604-538-8774, [email protected] See the website (http://bcfo.ca) for details, or write to the Clive Keen, Prince George, 250-963-9520, BCFO address given above under “Publisher.” clive_keen@ hotmail.com Adrian Leather, Quesnel, 250-249-5561, q-birds@xplornet. Annual Membership Dues com General Membership (Canada): $30 Art Martell, 250-334-2979, Courtenay, [email protected] Junior Membership (Canada): $20 Monica Nugent, New Westminster, 604-220-8816, U.S. and International Membership: $35 [email protected] Newsmagazine Submissions Ex Officio To submit material to this publication, contact the Editor by Immediate Past President: George Clulow, Burnaby, 604-438 email ([email protected]) or by mail at 10790 -7639, [email protected] Grassland Road, Prince George, BC V2K 5E8. BCFO Committees & Representatives Submissions may include articles about birding experi- AGM Planning Committee: TBA ences, casual observations about bird behaviour, site guides, Archivist: Les Gyug photographs, and other topics of broad interest to birders, British Columbia Birds (Journal) Editor: Art Martell preferably, but not necessarily, in British Columbia. Dead- BC Birding Editor: Clive Keen; Associate Editor: Virginia lines are: Rasch BC Bird Records Committee Chair: Nathan Hentze • March edition: February 15 BCFO two-day trips: Adrian Leather • June edition: May 15 Canadian International Joint Venture: Wayne Weber • September edition: August 15 Cannings Award Committee: Wayne Weber Featured Photographer Committee: Carlo Giovanella • December edition: November 15 IOC Vancouver 2018: George Clulow Librarian: Andy Buhler Advertising Rates Membership Committee: Larry Cowan Full page: $125 per issue or $112.50 each for 4 or more Website: George Clulow, Neil Dawe issues Young Birder Awards Committee: Carlo Giovanella Half page: $75 per issue or $67.50 each for 4 or more issues Young Birders Program: Melissa Hafting Quarter page: $40 per issue or $36 each for 4 or more issues BCFO members are welcome to include classified ads, of up to 25 words, at no cost. Photographs Back Cover: Painted Bunting at La Penita, Nayarit, Mexi- co, by John Gordon Right: Peter McAllister notes that an unusually large num- ber of Townsend’s Solitaires were spotted over the winter and spring on Vancouver Island. This is one he photo- graphed on Salt Spring Island. Page 2 BC Birding June 2017 Edition 27 (2) Contents Notices & Notes President’s Message ................................................................................................ 4 Laurie Rockwell ...................................................................................................... 4 Short Notes 1 .......................................................................................................... 5 Welcome New Members ........................................................................................ 5 Short Notes 2 .......................................................................................................... 7 Short Notes 3 ........................................................................................................ 21 BCFO Two-day Trips Quesnel Area. June 7-8, 2017 ................................................................................. 6 Report: Birds of the Herring Spawn ....................................................................... 6 Young Birders Program First Pelagic Trip .................................................................................................... 8 Future YB Trips ...................................................... 9 Upcoming Meetings & Events .................... 10 Location Review Introduction to Birding in Western Mexico .......... 11 Trips Reports Easter in Arizona................................................... 13 Birding Volcan Tacana ......................................... 15 An Australian Birding Odyssey ............................ 18 Avian Encounters Sharp-shinned Impact ........................................... 22 An Avian Q-tip ..................................................... 22 Identifications & Misidentifications ..................... 23 Book Review Best Places to Bird in British Columbia ............... 24 Regular Columns Gone Pishing ......................................................... 25 The Reflective Birder ........................................... 26 For several weeks in April this Burrowing Owl hung around the inside of YVR airport. Then it took up residence on one of the busiest corners of Sea Island where it allowed itself to be photo- graphed and viewed by many. After a month in the Vancouver area the bird moved on. When not posing for photographs it hid in a concrete block. — John Gordon Page 3 BC Birding June 2017 Edition 27 (2) are elected for a two-year term and can Marian Porter is our Secretary responsi- serve a maximum of three consecutive ble for recording board and AGM President’s terms (six years). The current board minutes. Jude Grass and Monica members are spread around the prov- Nugent will be handling the organiza- ince and live in the northern interior (2), tional responsibilities for registration Message the lower mainland (4) and Vancouver and field trips at the Tumbler Ridge Island and the Gulf Islands (3). AGM. Two of our board members have George Clulow is our Past President The Annual General Meeting and Con- served for six consecutive years and and is very busy assisting the organiza- ference in Tumbler Ridge is the next will be stepping off the board. Larry tion. George has been arranging BCFO- major event on the BCFO calendar. Cowan is the Vice-President and is re- led field trips for the 2018 International Field trips have been arranged to pro- sponsible for Membership. We have all Ornithological Congress in Vancouver. vide opportunities to observe a wide received an email or two from Larry for Also, he is the board contact for the BC variety of bird species which nest on various reminders or notices. He has Bird Records Committee and assists the the eastern side of the Rocky Moun- done an exceptional job handling this board with the Young Birders Program. tains as well as species that spend the responsibility and we are very fortunate Other non-board members who con- breeding season at higher elevations. that Larry has indicated he will contin- tribute to the organization are: Les If you are driving to Tumbler Ridge, ue to handle the membership duties as a Gyug, Archivist and Librarian; Virginia you will have the opportunity to do non-board member. Rasch assists with the newsmagazine; some birding with other BCFO mem- The other board member stepping Wayne Weber, Chair of the Cannings bers in the Quesnel area as part of our down is our Treasurer, Mike Fung. Award Committee; Melissa Hafting, two-day field trip program (field trip is Mike has been the Treasurer for six Young Birders Program; Carlo Gio- now full). This will offer some great years and kept us on track financially vanella, Featured Photographer Com- birding in areas where many members over that time. Mike assisted in estab- mittee and Young Birders Awards; Na- have not been before. After the AGM, lishing our online payment system and than Hentze, BC Bird Records Commit- the extension trip to the Dawson Creek, most recently reformatted the spread- tee Chair; and Neil Dawe and George Fort St. John and Pink Mountain areas sheet of our finances to show an operat- Clulow who handle the website. I will take participants to fabulous bird- ing account and a conservation/ would like to thank Andy Buhler who ing areas where they should be able to education account. recently stepped down as our Librarian. observe species that spend the breeding Other board members are making Andy and his wife, Marilyn, were long- season in northeastern BC. valuable contributions to the organiza- time editors of BC Birding. The AGM offers a great opportunity tion. Two of the board members serve I look forward to seeing our mem- for birding and to reacquaint with fel- as publication editors — Clive Keen, bers in Tumbler Ridge and to the won- low members but it also signals the end editor of our news magazine, BC Bird- derful birding opportunities in this area. of a financial year for the BCFO and ing, and Art Martel,