chorageall season(TGT, RLS).These are locatedin eadyNovember (q.v.), remained about doublethe expectednumbers. A in thearea to Feb.12+ (SCH). Another ap- Northwestern Crow, first located in An- pearedat Blind Slough on MitkofI., Jan.15 British chorageOct. 4 (LJO),was seen sporadically for a 2ndlocal winter record (pJW). There to Feb.21 (TGT, RLS, GJT). There are arenow about8 AlaskaSwamp Sparrow now11 UpperCook Inlet records for this records,all but 2 from Southeastfrom late- Columbia/ SitkaSpruce-W. Hemlock forest species; fall into mid-winter. Three White-throated thiswas the first overwintering bird. Sparrowswas average for winter,with sin- Casual in fall in Southeast, Mountain glesnoted at Seward Dec. 26+ (RES, DWS, Bluebirds were noted into December: TGT), at Homerall season(BM, PM), and YukonRegion Threeat Juneau to Dec. 17+(RLS) and one at Ketchikanlate-December+ (TG, SCH). nearPetersburg Dec. 18-21 (WHP, PJW) It wasnoteworthy that Zonotrichia reports wasa firstMitkofI. winterreport. The Re- werebelow-average or missing from tradi- gion's2nd-latest Hermit Thrushskulked tional overwinteringcoastal sites; maxi- CHRIS SIDDLE aboutKetchikan berry thickets to Dec. 18 mum was sevenat AnchorageDec. 18 BritishColumbia, westof the Rockies,en- (SCH). AlthoughHermit Thrushes regu- (DFD). The season'sonly McKay's Bunt- joyedan exceptionally mild winter. Prince larlylinger to earlyNovember, we have only ingswere reported from Cold Bay, where George,for example, had litde snow until the oneprevious December record. Up to two annual in winter, with at leastfive scattered NewYear. Flocks of PurpleFinches and sev- Townsend'sSolitaires took advantage of the around the area Dec. 26-Feb. 27 (CFZ, eralCedar Waxwings stayed north to Prince exoticberry trees around Anchorage, at MGZ, RPS,SDS). George,providing new winter records leastthrough the firsthalf of the season, AlthoughRusty Blackbird numbers were EurasianSkylarks were singing around Vic- whenone each was found Dec. 19 (fide belowaverage, other icterids made news. At toriaby the middleof January.American RLS)and Jan. 14 (LS).Totally unexpected Homer,the 5?Red-winged Blackbird that Dippersenjoyed ice-free streams inthe high- weretwo Cedar Waxwings flycatching in appearedat a feederJan. 1-mid-month+ landsand generally avoided valleys. Very few mild conditions in downtown Seward Dec. (ph.EE, GCW) provideda first local winter Red-breastedSapsuckers were forced out of 26 (TGT, RLS, DWS). These were cer- report,and at Ketchikan,Heinl caughtup the coastal woods. Unusual numbers of tainlySeward's first ever and Southcoastal's with a shyWestern Meadowlark, which shorebirdsthat normally migrate south from firstwinter records. Essentially all of South- waspresent Jan. 26-Feb. 18+ (ph. •SCH). theprovince wintered along the Fraser fore- coastal'shandful of previousrecords had There are now about 3 true winter W. shoreand in BoundaryBay. beenin mid-autumn.Other noteworthy Meadowlarkrecords, all from Southeast. The QueenCharlotte Islands reported CedarWaxwing sightings included agroup Two Brewer's Blackbirds remained from excellentwild food crops, the result of the often around Ketchikan Dec. 18-Feb. 14 Dec. 1 to at least Feb. 2 (SCH, *) in a warmest,driest summer in 20 years.The (SCH) and up to two in Petersburg Ketchikanparking lot for theseason's only veryfew winter storms in theQueen Char- Dec.30-Jan.2 (WHP, PJW). reportof thiscasual winter visitor to South- lotte Islands accounted for the successful east.The Region'slone Brambling was a fe- winteringof manypasserines, including Warblers to Fringillids malearound Petersburg Jan. 1 + (pJw). of tinynumbers of CedarWaxwings, Hermit Kodiak weatherwas apparentlymild theirruptive winter finches, none waswide- Thrushes,five warbler species, and Lin- enoughto harbortwo warblerswell into spread,and only Pine Siskin was locally coln's, White-crowned, and Golden- mid-season.The Region's3rd winter Or- common in the s. half of Southeast and in crownedsparrows. Wild foodcrops were ange-crownedWarblerappeared in a chick- centralSouthcoastal. Only scattered pairs alsoexcellent in theKamloops and Okana- adee flock near Narrow Cape Jan. 23 or smallgroups of White-winged Crossbills ganareas, with many forest birds--such as (fRAM); two previousreports were also were encountered in the e. Interior and Pine Grosbeaksand Northern Pygmy- near Kodiak. A c3 Wilson's Warbler, the fromAnchorage s.to theKenai Pen. Owls--stayingin mountainforests rather Region'sfirst in winter,survived at a suet thandescending tovalley bottoms. feederin townJan. 22+ (CH vid., fRAM). Contributorsand observers: B.Alger, B. Specialthanks to all subregionaleditors Onlyslightly more expected were single late Andres,S. Andres, R. Austin, E. P.Bailey, for their extra efforts this season. Yellow-rumpedWarblers around Ketchikan D. Bowers,D. Chaffin,M. R. Dalton, C. P. Dec. 5 (DB) & 18 (TG). Dau,D. E Delap,T. J. Doyle,E. Eggleston, Abbreviations:P.G. (PrinceGeorge); PP The onlyAm. Tree Sparrows noted were R. E. Fairall,T. Goucher,M. Gracz,S.C. (provincialpark); Q.C.Is. (Queen Charlotte Is- from Southcoastal in December and in- Heinl,C. Heitman,J. Koerner,J. Lawton, lands);Van. (Vancouver);Van. I. (Vancouver cludednear-average numbers: 12 at Seward T. Longrich,G. Lyon,R. A. Macintosh,D. Islana•;Vic. (Victoria); YT ( Yukon•rritory) Dec. 26 (fideWS), oneat KodiakJan. 1 McBride,M. McBride,L. J. Oakley,W H. (RAM), andup to sixat Homerall season Pawk,H. Pennington,R. L. Scher,L. Loons to Ducks (EPB).One of theRegion's very few Savan- Schneider,R. P.Schulmeister, S. D. Schul- The 446 Pacific Loons on the Vic. CBC nahSparrow winter reports was a singleat a meister,H. H. Scott,W. Shuster,D. W providedan all-time high count. A scatter- Ketchikan feeder mid-December+(JK, Sonneborn,G. J.Tans, L. Thompson,P.J. ingof individual Yellow-billed Loon reports SCH).This abundant Alaska breeder typi- Walsh,D. H. Ward, M. L. Ward, G. C. wasreceived: Masset Dec. 18 (MH, GD, callydeparts by late-November. About the West,C. E Zeillemaker,M. G. Zeillemaker. PH) andpossibly the samebird Feb.10 averagenumber of Lincoln'sSparrows at- -- T. G. •3bish,Jr., 2510 ForakerDrive, An- (JT);Vernon Jan. 16 (MC); TenMile Pt, temptedto overwinter,with a singleat chorage,AK99517. SaanichJan. 18 -23 (GAn, J&GA) Cates Ketchikanto at leastDec. 31 (SCH), two Park,N.Van., Dec. 19 (PY); and Black•e aroundKodiak to Jan.30 (RAM), andan- SpitJan. 1-9 (B&PSp).An imm. Black- otherat a Homer feederJan. 12 (GCW). crownedNight-Heron at CowichanR. es- The KetchikanSwamp Sparrow, originally tuaryJan. 1 providedone of very few

z4o FIELD NOTES SUMMERI994 recordsfor Van I. (JG,CSa). A highcount citementwas stirred in the Van. birding Owls, casualin extremes.w. British Colum- of 250 Brantwintered on BoundaryBay communitywhen an imm. White-tailed bia,were reported from 3 widelyseparated (DJ). A flockof 20 c• Eur.Wigeons was Eagle was tentativelyreported from locations:Kanaka Creek Park, Maple Ridge noted at Robert'sBank Jan. 3 (MP-L). TsawwassenJan. 22-28. The media got in- Jan.9-15 (RL, ?JD,m.ob); StanleyPark Kelowna'sC3Tufted Duck showed up Dec. volvedand for 2 weeksconfusion reigned as Jan.21-23 (fideDJ), and Campbell R. from 18 for the3rd consecutive winter, staying thepublic reported imm. BaldEagles as aboutthe 2nd week of Januaryto at least until mid-March (CC, m.ob.). Vancouver White-tailed.The few carefullywritten Jan.21 (BH, DWI, MA1,BMS). The only had three Tufted Ducks: a female on Lost fieldnotes will besent to anoutside expert OkanaganGreat Gray was at theMcCul- LagoonDec. 28-Jan. 28 (RO, m.ob), a for evaluation.A hugeconcentration of lochski trails Feb. 5 (C.O.N.C.).The only maleon LostLagoon Jan. 15-February >100 Rough-legged Hawks was reported interiorShort-eared Owls reported wereone (DMP, m.ob.), and an immature on from fieldsnear Nelson all season(LVD). at P.G. Feb. 5 (MP) and three on Vernon's BoundaryBay Feb. 1 (GAP). In a latere- This is thehighest interior count ever. A CBC Dec. 19. Very small numbersof port,Hamel told of largeconcentrations of gray-morphGyrfalcon patrolled EG.'s rail Short-earedswere also reportedfrom SurfScotersand Barrows Goldeneyes on yardsin searchof pigeonsFeb. 5 (MPh). CowichanBay and CentralSaanich. Six- Hastingsand Alice armsin the fall. He Hamelwatched flights of SandhillCranes teenat IonaI. in Januarywere cause for cel- counted 5760 Surf Scoters on Alice Arm goingSE overAlice Arm Sept. 17. He ebration, since Short-earedshave been rare Sept.16 and 8258 Barrows Goldeneyes on counted1220. A LeastSandpiper appeared therein recentyears (fide DJ). Up to 15 Aliceand Hastings arms and upper Obser- at MassetFeb. 6 (DB), oneof veryfew win- winteredalong Boundary Bay (fide D J). vatoryInlet Oct. 23 & 24. Up to three terrecords for the Q.C.Is. Three Leasts were Corn. Goldeneyesand two Corn. Mer- unusual at Alaksen N.W.R. and Reifel Dec. Flycatchersto Finches gansetsstayed on open stretches ofs. Yukon 23 (JI).A RedKnot lingered until Dec. 6 at A BarnSwallow at ReifelJan. 3-Feb. 5 (JI) riversthroughout the winter (HG, m.ob.). Oak Bay(J. Defaye). Up to 29 GreaterYel- provideda veryrare recent winter record. Two 5?King Eiders were reported without lowlegswintered at ReifelI., Dec.3-Febru- BritishColumbia's second-ever Scrub Jay supportingdescriptions fromTorino in Jan- ary (JI), and sixwere at BlackieSpit Jan. continued to reside at Museum Nature uary.Red-breasted Mergansers were at an 1 Feb.2 (fideDJ).These are unusually high Park,Van. through the season. Victoria re- all-timehigh with 752 reportedon theVic. numbersfor winter. Seven reports of<38 portedfew Steller's Jays in contrastto last CBC.This species continues to increasein WesternSandpipers from Blackie Spit, Iona wintersabundance. One Blue Jay, a vagrant Okanaganin winter,with up to a dozen I., Surrey,Reifel I., andRobert's Bank were to Van I., was at Qualicum BeachJan. seennear Vernon during the season (CS). received(DJ), an unusuallyhigh number 4-Feb. 7 (TM, DM, CSd).Two-three Blue fora speciesnormally rare in winter. Jaysreported from Kimberley were the only Hawks to Shorebirds interior birds noted (ER, NF). A Black- An ad. TurkeyVulture winteredalong Gulls to Sapsuckers billedMagpie in S. BurnabyJan.14 (?JD) BoundaryBay Dec. 6-Feb. 4 (KR, m.ob.). [t isthought that up to threeSlaty-backed andone on BowenI., Dec.31 (BGS)pro- In a latedispatch, an Osprey,rare to the Gulls wintered in the Van. area. However, vided two of very few recordsfor this Q.C.Is., wasmentioned at Tlell RiverOct. detailsof onlyone--an adult at BurnsBog species,which rarely straggles to thecoast. 15-27 (HK, FC, CB, MH etal.). Great ex- Dec. 27--reached the RegionalEditor Individual Red-breasted Nuthatches over- (?AJ,RT). It wasa Snowy wintered at 3 Yukon feeders. One was at Owl winter around Van., MarshL., Dec.19 (HG, CBC) andJan. 30 (HG, Y.B.C.). One eachwere at C. Grants '"•.•:..::.j!•'OE'"•- YUKON'lb, . • 5 NOI•THWEST L with a highcount of 22 at -'-:-'whitohorseß TERRITORIES 72nd St., Delta Jan. 16 feeder at Schwatka L. and at W. Nixon's (PWJ, RT, JTo). Sevenoc- feederin Whitehorse-WolfCr. throughout curred at Westham/Reifel the season.A Hermit Thrush on the Masset Is. (JI) andsingle Snowies CBC Dec. 18was very rare for theQ.C.Is. werepresent at IonaI. and (GD). SeveralAm. Robinswere noted in BrunswickPt. (fideDJ). P.G.during the season LIB, m. ob.). At least Only one, an immature, two attemptedto winterin theYukon, with wasreported for Van I. at onealong the Yukon R. in WhitehorseDec. •?'•'BRIZISH COLUMBIA Comox AirbaseJan. 11 4 (CE, PS) and a secondin Whitehorse-Val- (PSm).Single N. Hawk leyviewJan.8 (MW). Owls were scattered across A SiberianAccentor was seen by a single s. and c. BritishColumbia, observerat Van., Dec. 15 and could not be WinceRupert . :...;:: DawsonCreek' with individuals at Mc- rdocatedin spiteof extensivesearches. If ac- Culloch ski trails, near cepted,this would provide the first record for •. PnnceGeorge Kelowna Feb. 3 (JL), Canada and the 2nd for North America s. of NakuspDec. 17-1ateFeb- Alaska.Fortunately Jaramillo took excellent ruary(GSD), nearCelista notes.(Incidentally, two Siberian Accentors • .:&:• WilliamsLakeI. ' ...... •:-', Dec. 6 and Feb. 26 (JBr), werevideotaped at SalmonArm in early Revelstoke(DP), TaborL., Marchjust after the season closed.) Larger • ?•5-. Revelstoke' : -• .- P.G.,Feb. 17 (CA,JB), and thanusual numbers of BohemianWaxwings •""2•.-, ß'":: .... K!mloops e Reve e• McBride all winter (ES). wereat P.G. through December and January, Revelstoke's first Great whilethe Okanaganreported average to GrayOwl appearedJan. 5 smaller-than-averagetotals (JB, CS). One ...... 7...... (KS) and was relocated CedarWaxwing atMasset Jan. 26 and four in Jan.7 (DP). GreatGray thesame bush Feb. 5 werevery rare for the

VOLUME4• , NUMBER2 HELDNOTES Z4I Q.C.Is.in winter (PH, MH). A Eur.Starling, thiswinter, an unprecedented number any- Toochin;Linda Van Damme;Lucille Wells; rare in the Yukon, wintered at the White- where outside Alaska. All were at feeders. M. Whitley;Paul Yorke; Yukon Bird Club horsedump Dec. 26+ (GK, LK, CE, PS). The first appearedNov. 3 (P&PP, GD, (Y.B.C.). The QueenCharlottes was the place to MH, PH). A Corn.Redpoll, a rarewinter --Chris Siddle,RR 8, Site1 O, Comp. 56, befor winter warblers. The prize was British visitor,appeared at MassetDec. 16 & 18 Vernon,B.C., V1T SL6. Columbia'sfirst Prairie Warbler, probably andFeb. 4-6 (MH, PH), providingthe 2nd an adult, seenDec. 18 (MH) and Jan.25 to 4th Q.C.Is. records.Elsewhere in s. (?PH, ?MH). OtherMisty Isles' warblers BritishColumbia, Corn. Redpollswere mdudeda fewYellow-rumpeds (Myrtles), mostlyabsent, staying in thenorth where Townsend's,two Orange-crowneds,and seedcrops were heavy. Prince George re- two PalmWarblers in DelkatlaSanctuary. ported 3762 on their CBC Dec. 19 ThePalms successfully overwintered (PH, (EG.N.C.). In s. BritishColumbia, Pine MH, DB). In the West Kootenaysat Grosbeaksand White-winged Crossbills Nakuspthe prize warbler was a c• Black- stayedin themountains, where they were at throatedBlue Warbler, providing a 2nd timesabundant, and avoidedthe valley recordfor the province(ph. GD, LW), floors. Flocks of 50, 30, and 25 White- m.ob.)It visitedtown feeders from the first wingedCrossbills were observed at 1400 m weekof December-Jan.16 whenit died, nearSummit L. (Nakusp)Feb. 16 (GSD). collidingwith a window. Late single Yellow- PineSiskins and RedCrossbills both ap- rumpedswere at KelownaDec. 26 (CC), pearedin interiorlowland locations in large NelsonDec. 22 (LVD), Nakuspearly De- numbersthrough the last half of theseason, cember-earlyFebruary (GSD), and Vernon thoughRed Crossbills were in lownumbers Feb.6 ODe).In Victoria'smild dimate 4 re- nearVan. (DJ). PineGrosbeaks also stayed portsof Townsend's Warblers were received, north. Good numbers were reported aswell as one on Saltspring I., Dec.1 (DR). aroundEG. all seasonwith an unusually A verylate Corn. Yellowthroat at Iona I., hugeflock of 200 at GiscomeFeb. 1 (MA). Dec.19 (RT) broughtBritish Columbia's PurpleFinches visited EG. feeders,winter- winterwarbler count to anall-time high 7 ing for thefirst time in years.The high species.The Q.C.Is.' first Swamp Sparrow countwas 20 at GiscombeJan. 13 (MA). wasdescribed in detailJan. 24 nearJuskatla (?PH). Victoria's_>three Swamps weren't Contributors:Jerry and Gladys Anderson described'at all! Nor were Reifel I.'s two. (G&GA) (Victoria);Gerry Ansell (GAn); Two-five White-crowned and two-five AngeloAntoniazzi; Cathy Antoniazzi; Golden-crownedsparrows wintered at MaryAntoniazzi; Daniel Bastaja; Barbara Masset(MH). Suchrecords attest to the Begg(Victoria); Charlie Bellis; Jack Bowl- seasonsmildness. With last winter'sAmeri- ing(Prince George and northern BC); Jan. canBirds' reports of twoN. Cardinalsover- Bradshaw(JBr); Central Okanagan Natu- winteringin Alberta, a maleappearing for a ralistsClub (C.O.N.C.); Chris few minutes at a feeder near P.G., Feb. 15 Charesworth(central Okanagan);Fred doesn'tseem so far-fetched (AA). How long Collins;Mary Collins; Gary S. Davidson will it be before British Columbia has its (Kootenays);GeorgeDeagle; Joe Denham firstconfirmed sighting? ODe);Brent Diakow (Victoria); John British Columbia's second-ever Great- Dorsey;Cam Eckert; David Fraser (Victo- tailedGrackle, a female,appeared at Ver- ria);N. Fooks;JeffGaskin; Cal Gehlen; non Dec. 5+ (CG, ph. PG, MC). This PhilGehlen; C. Grant;Helmut Grunberg species'occurrence isnot unexpected con- (Yukon);Peter Hamel; Margo Hearne sideringits continued expansion northward (QueenCharlotte Islands): Bob Hunter; alongthe United States Pacific coast. Mas- DougW. Innes; Marion A. Innes;John Ire- set,Q.C.Is., was host to threeBramblings land;Alvaro Jaramillo; Dale Jensen (Van- couver);Peter W. Jones;Heather Kolding; G. Kubica;L. Kubica;Randy Lake; Judy Latta;Terri Marten; Derrick Marven; WendyNixon; Robin Owen; Phil Parish; PatParish; Mary Peet-Leslie; Mark Phin- ney;Doug Powell; G. Allen Poynter; D.MichaelPrice; Prince George Nature Club(P.G.N.C.); Diane Richardson; Eliza- bethRichardson; Keith Riding; Kristine Sacenieks;C. Sanders(CSd); Chris Sand- ham(CSa); Barbara M. Sedgewick;Brian G. Sel•,Chris Siddle;Pat Smith (PSm); In this mild season,it wns perhapsnot surprising PamSinclair; Bernie & PrueSpitmann that this fentale Great-tailed Grackle, British Colum- (B&PSp);Elsie Stanley (McBride); Jack bla'ssecond, managed to survivotho 1993-1994 winter Inland nt Vornon. Photograph/PhilGobIon. Thorgierson;John Toochin (JTo); Rick

242 FIELDNOTES SUMMER1994