BritishColumbia

quimah Lagoonfurnished a first Victoria theKootenays, 9 BlueJays were tallied on the recordin 20 years(fide DA), andyet another Creston C.B.C. 29 Dec. American Crows was at the Little QualicumEstuary 13 Dec rarelystay the winter in thePeace R. area,but % Athn (GLM et al.); probablythe sameindividual 6 werestill in Chetwynd2 Dec (MP). Com- ' - •,• DeaseFortß wasseen at the mouthof the EnglishmanR. mon Ravens tallied at a roost near Bessbor- "•i"- LakeßNelson Estuary4Jan (GLM). Turkey Vultures return- oughcame to an astounding2697 on 25 Feb ing to theinterior tied last year's record-early (MP), by far thelargest roost ever recorded in datewith a singlebird in Naramata10 Feb the province.Northern Rough-winged Swal- •:'•C Ma•enz•e D,• ßFoiSt. John0T). Gyrfalcons were more prevalent in thes. lows have occasionallyparticipated in the M•set ePrin•Ru• ß ß DawsonCreek interior this winter than last, with at least 3 late-winterswallow invasion, and thisyear 2 •ado•e G•r• present,one just n. of Vernon3 Dec(DGC). werefound at the CarmanahPoint Lightsta- Is•nds•_• • Williams Dunlin is very rare in the interiorin winter; tion 15 Feb (JE). Two Barn Swallowswere at Qu• onewas found at Castlegat30 Dec-3Jan (MJ, SwanL., Victoria23 Jan (CSa);3 werealong Charlo•e City JA). In a flooded corn stubble field near the S. ThompsonRd. e. of Karoloops26 Jan K•loopse eVern• Parksville, a Ruff was discovered23 Dec (JBr);and a singleendured -4 ø C weatherin Tofinoe • Va•o•r ß Kelo•a (?GLM);winter sightings of thisspecies are Fort St. James 12 Feb (RR). This winter's • ß Pen•cton rare,and thismay represent the firstwinter swallowinvasion was modestcompared to Is/and Vi•oria Crabrookrecord for the province. Winter coastal storms thepast few winter seasons'; whether this per- in mid-lateDec resultedin Red Phalaropes tainsto lessreporting or anactual decrease in Donald G. Cecile wreckingin coastalareas: at least 10 birds the number of birds involved is unknown. werefound onshore at CarmanahLight Sta- Ruby-crownedKinglets were present in un- tion 23 Dec (JE), and flocksof live birds re- precedentednumbers in the s. interior,with a snaps.but the bulk of the winter was yet portedincluded 54 atJordan R. and19 at Wif- highcount of 7 alongMission Cr., Kelowna 7 heanotherseason mild began one.and Theended mostwith notable cold fin Spit 30 Dec (GD et al.). This was a fine Jan (RyT).An AmericanRobin that probably eventwas the month-long spate of rainin the yearfor coastalSlaty-backed Gulls, with sin- stayedthe winter in DawsonCreek, where very SouthCoastal sections beginning mid-Decem- gleads. near Courtenay 4-5 Dec0B, GLM)in rare,was found 22 Feb(MP). An exceptionally ber.Valley snowfall was meager everywhere in Chilliwack22Jan (ph. GG);others were not- lateGray Catbird was hiding out in oneof the theinterior. It wasa stormyseason for the out- ed in early spring.Vernon's Lesser Black- oxbowsjust n. of Osoyoos8 Dec (?LN). A er coast,with SolanderIsland off the north- backedGull reappeared2 Dec-14 Jan (ph. ratherstunning find was a NorthernMocking- westernside of VancouverIsland recording DGC)at themouth of VernonCr; it laterap- bird on theMerritt C.B.C. 3Jan (ph. MoMcet peakgusts exceeding 130 km/h on 14days be- pearedalong the Pentictonwaterfront 2-3 al.), which had been in the area in late Dec tween1 Decemberand 4 Februa• toppingout Feb (ph. LN) andwas sporadically seen back feedingon MountainAsh berries; yet another at a wild 172km/h on 31January. The general- in Vernonthrough the end of the period wasin Cranbrook7 Jan(GR). Ameriean Pipits ly mildweather allowed many species to remain (DGC). The smallCawston resident popula- arevery rare in winterin the interior;5 were farther north than usual. Most notable this win- tion of Eurasian Collared-Doves was counted alongthe OkanaganRiver Channel just n. of ter, however,was the absenceof finches. at a record-high174 on 29 Dec(fide DB). Osoyoos8 Dec (LN), andone was along the NechakotL 18 Dec (ph. DD, TH, HA), a first WATERFOWLTHROUGH DOVES OWLSTHROUGH FINCHES localwinter record. A CapeMay Warblerwas Hangingout with both Trumpeter and Tundra SnowyOwls had a goodshowing this winter a terrificwinter find in Nakusp2-27 Jan (CC, Swans,an ad. Bewick'sSwan was in Delta 20 throughoutthe interiorand were particularly KS;ph. GSD).Also late in Nakuspwas a Myr- Jan-21 Feb (ph. RToet al.). A maleGadwall prevalentin the BoundaryBay area. Northern deWarbler 2Jan (CC, KS).The province's first was late in Williams L. 2 Dec (PR). Northern Hawk Owlswere reportedin singlesfrom Pine Warbler,found at the tail end of the fall Pintailsremained unusually far n. and late around the interior in averagenumbers, season,was last seenat Lillooet 2 Dec (vt. IR). thiswinter. A malewas in PrinceGeorge 10 whereasNorthern Pygmy-Owlswere very A WesternMeadowlark spent mid-Dec-mid- Dec (SL,CA), laterjoined by a female7 Jan scarce. Northern Saw-whet Owls were numer- Janat CluculzL. (ph. DW et al.), andanother (SL, NK), a first winter checklistrecord; one ous,especially in the s. Okanagan,where a 5 winteredin Quesnel(fide PR), both sites wasat the n. endof KootenayL. 6 Jan(MJ); stunning52 weretallied 27 Dec (RJC,RCa, ratherfar n. for winteringmeadowlarks. Al- and 3 overwintered at Williams L. for the first CD, BS)during the Vaseux Lake C.B.C. While thoughCommon Grackles are a relativelycom- timeever (PR). Long-tailed Ducks are rare in this doublesthe previousCanadian C.B.C. monsight in thePeace 1L area in summer,they the s. interior,so a femalewas notable at Rob- record,it is just shy of the overallC.B.C. areextremely rare in winter;one spent 1-7Jan son 16 Dec (MMc). Few scoterswere report- recordof 61 (fideRJC). Anna's Hummingbirds in Arras(MP). Despite the lack of winter finch- ed from the interiorthis winter,one excep- wanderas far n. asPrince George almost an- esacross the province,American Goldfinches tionbeing a White-wingedScoter rather late nually,but theyrarely survive; one was in PG. werestill foundin rdativelygood numbers, in Williams L. 2 Dec (PR). SeveralRed-breast- 16 Dec(fide EL). A RufousHummingbird was e.g.,46 at MilburnL. 26 Feb(fide CA) and5-6 ed Mergansersfound in inlandlocations re- very late in Victoria3 Dec (DA). A hybrid at Buckhorn11 Feb(ph. MK), thelatter a first mainedinto Feb,such as one at Lardeau(MJ). maleNorthern Flicker may not havesurvived winterrecord for thePrince George area. Casu- An imm. Yellow-billed Loon was on the winter n. of Dawson Creek had it not al in theprovince, a Brambling was discovered WoodsLake 14 Dec (CC, GW, CS), rare for learnedto feed on suet (MD). in Duncan28 Jan+ (DM). the interior,particularly in thewinter season. Twoexceptionally late Say's Phoebes were ClarkgGrebes were more numerous along the foundalong the w. side of Osoyoosi Jan Contributors(subregional editors in bold- coast this winter; one offshore from Es- (DH). Indicatingan increasein numbersin face):David Allinson, Janice Arndy, Cathy

274 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS BRITISHCOLUMBIA

Antoniazzi(Prince George), Helen Antoni- Gadsden, Todd Heakes, Donna Heard, Mar- Ian Routley,Bill Sampson,Chris Saunders, azzi,Jack Bowling (weather summary), Jan lene Johnson, Elsie Lafreniere, Marilyn Chris Siddle, Kathy Smith, Rick Toochin Bradshaw,John Brighton, Doug Brown, Kamp,Nancy Krueger, Steve Lawrence, Der- (Vancouver),Jim Turnbull, Dick Webster, Richard J. Cannings, Russell Cannings, rick Marven, Morva McMahon, Mike Mc- GwynethWilson. • Chris Charlesworth,Chris Dale, GabeDavid, Mann, Guy L. Monty, Laure Neish, Mark Gary Davidson(Kootenays), Molly Donald- Phinney(Peace River), Phil Ranson(Cari- DonaldG. Cecile,7995 Wilson-Jackson Road, Vernon, son, Dan Dunlop, Jerry Etzkorn, Gordie boo-Chilcotin),Randy Rawluk, Greg Ross, BritishColumbia V1133N5, ([email protected]) Oregon&Washington

WATERFOWLTHROUGH RAILS cans x bernicla), appearedin the Puget EmperorGeese "invaded"[or the first time Trough,this one at UselessBay, Island 31 Dec since 2001-2002, with 8 detected,all in w. (ph.SM); in 1997,five mixed colonies ofber- Oregon,including 3 at Astoria22 Feb (MP) niclaand nigricans were found in Siberia,and and2 at Eugene12 Feb(C. Haskell).Prior to nigricansbanded in Siberiahave appeared in ol 1995, there were but two westsideBlue Goose North America (Kear 2005, Duchs,Geese, and records,yet this yearone was foundagain Swans;N.A.B. 59: 133). Two GreaterWhite- amongthe hordesof SnowGeese on Fir frontedx Canada/CacklingGeese hybrids Shagit12-25 Feb(CCx, SM, JB); these Snow stoppednear Moses L 16 Feb (MB),while a Geesebreed on Siberia•Wrangel I., andover Greater White-frontedGoose x Cackling thepast decade, small numbers of BlueGeese Goosevisited McNary N.W.R. 25 Feb (SM, haveoccurred annually at bothWrangel I. (K. BF);there is onlyone prior Regional record of Litvin) and thatpopulations wintering areas this cross.Two DuskyCanada Geese (sub- in Shagit/Snohomish.As many as 10 peculiar speciesoccidentalis) at Nisqnally 15 Jan-7 Feb geese,all of similarlineage, have appeared werein the ET., wherevery rare duringwin- duringlate winter/early spring over the past ter (T. Leukering,CCx, SM). Five minima StevenMlodinow • DavidIrons fewyears in e. WashingtonsColumbia Basin CacklingGeese, rare in e. Washington,were Bill Tweit (see N.A.B. 58:423 and 59: 317). Careful at McNaryN.W.R. 25 Feb(BF, SM, M&MLD), studyhas revealed that theseare hybrids,or and 8 visited Moses L. 26 Feb (SM, DSc); '• uringDecember, most of the Region backcrosses,between Snow (or Blue) and thesebirds were likely migrants,and one -t was 2-4 ø F below normal,except CanadaGeese. This wintersbirds appeared wonderswhere they spent the winter. coastalregions, which were slightly morelike Blue Goosex CanadaGoose hy- TrumpeterSwans continue to thrive,with warmerthan average.The first few weeks brids than Snow x Canada:one near MosesL., 1500near Clear L., Shagit12 Feb (B. Boyd) werevery dry (thoughin manyplaces, very Grant 16 Feb (ph. MB) and 2 at McNary and an Oregon-record62 at Airle,Polh 9 Jan foggy),and thenthe rain began.From mid- N.W.1L, Walla Walla 25 Feb (ph. SM, BF, (JG).It wasa banneryear for Bewick's Swans, Decemberthrough January, the Regionwas M&MLD). Ross•Geese showed poorly away with an ad. and an imm. near Mt. Vernon, drenched,Seattle having its thirdwettest Jan- their normalse. Oregonhaunts, with only4 agit2 Jan(DD, ph. SM),a differentad. near naryever, while precipitation in Oregonwas singlesfound, all on thewestside; the Region Bow,Shagit 7 Jan (tSM, M. Axelson),an ad. 86%above normal. February was a touchdri- hasaveraged 10 perwinter over the past five on Fir I. 25 Feb (JB,tCCx), and an ad. near er thantypical and had near-normal tempera- years.Three interior westside Black Brant rep- Centralia,Lewis 26 Feb (vt. BT); 4 or 5 birds tures,allowing birders to returnto the field. resentedan averagewinter: Eugene, through wereinvolved, adding to onlythree previous The season's main event went almost un- thewinter (S. Maulding),Shillapoo Bottoms, Washingtonrecords, the first of whichwas in noticed. From Sofa to Pacific Golden-Plover Clarh 13 Jan (P&RS), and near Corvallis31 2002.This change appears real, not just a re- to Williamson'sSapsucker to WesternTanag- Jan (M. Monroe). For the 2nd consecutive flectionof increasedobserver effort. A gather- er, speciesconsidered mega-rarities during year,an apparent intergrade Brant, thought to ingof 300Wood Ducks at Springfield,Lane 8 the winter seasona decadeago are now al- be BlackBrant x Dark-belliedBrant (nigri- Febwas exceptional (LM). Themale Falcated most greetedwith yawns.The absenceof northernspecies from this list, alongwith !•i:ihesepage•:,•ve &ta.._,d •h•enon mard, mng• ex.l•,..,•n Ofmanyspe•.es; butonej.•s esca• theseoverwintering birds, implies a realand climate-relatedphenomenon. lyB.:h.tc',emen•:suddeply aPl•aredin:theW. V.(Bi,•rvis),,;lfi tlielate?1980s;th:ese:.wetejoined,by•r-•mateh'20) )OB.•- Abbreviations:ER.R. (Fern Ridge Res., Lane), N.S.C.B. (N. Spit Coos Bay, Coos);O.S. (OceanShores, Grays Harbor); ET. (Puget 160kmfarth•r,O• at;Nis•ally, with•the,fio•k increasing to:abo•t •500 I• .theyear2000 (P&RS)j thiswinter;the flockwas ap: Trough),W.V. (WillametteValley), W.W.R.D. (Walla Walla R. delta, Walla Walla). "East- proximately'•/om•;im,an•l, '40øk!t ..•'(SMi; AL•t,800:Cacklii•gs;:wiil• asi:mil• mix,.ap• 80• f.:afther:n. ir•Ke% side" and "westside" indicate locations east andwest of theCascade crest, respectively.

VOLUME 60 (2006) NUMBER 2 275