British Columbia-Yukon Region MICHAEL G

british columbia-yukon region MICHAEL G. SHEPARD 24 at VaseuxL. on 17 Jun,and 25 birds (the samegroup?) were reported from SwanL., Vernon,18 Jun (fide KMC). At leastthree ' hedreary,summer and wet. canbeThe summed few hot up spellsasdull, that visited the Strait of Georgiaarea in the occurredonly lasted a few daysat a time-- springand earlysummer, ranging as far N :.B•I'rlSHCOLUMBIA exceptin the Yukon,which started out hot asCampbell R. wheretwo frequentedTyee but joinedthe damp party by the end of Spitand vicinity 4-7 Jul(KH et al.).A Red- June.It was not until the very end of the faced Cormorant in definitive alternate reportingperiod that warmer weather took plumage was well seen flying past the hold.One of the moresalient repercussions entranceto Dixon Entrance20 Jun (MF). A of a wet summer following last year's singleGreat Egret observed in the vicinity scorcherwas the triggeringof heavyconifer of CampbellCreek/Shumway L. 20-22 Jun conecrops in the borealforests of the cen- (KASet al.) wasunusual in interior British tral and northerninterion As happenedin Columbia.Snowy Egrets at SalmonArm the previous1992/1993 hot/cool-wet suc- 23-26 Jul (JM, HGo, RWy et al.) and cession,crossbills invaded in drovesto feast WilliamsL. 28 Julinto earlyAugust (SH et on the abundant seeds. The cool weather al.) were also rare interior occurrences. viouslyunreported colony (fide LGy) had at alsoresulted in a verygradual meltdown of Four Brant at JudasCr., YT, 7 Jun (CE, PS) least32 avocets1 Jun,including 12 sitting theheavy winter snowpacks through spring werelate springmigrants. Three Harlequin on nests.Although avocets have probably and summer;thus we avoidedwidespread Ducks along the upper BeaverR.--two bredin the Cariboo for many years.(Cooper flooding over the southernhalf of the males 18 Jun and a female 25 Jun--added 1983, Murrelet 64: 47-48), this was the first Region,but lake and riverlevels remained to the fewrecords of thisspecies for the s.e. documentationof a "large"colony in the veryhigh. Yukon(HGr, CO). Veryrare in the Yukon, region.The only othercurrently known in threeBlack Scoters (an ad.male, a first-year the province,at Alki L., had 14 nestsoccu- LOONS THROUGH HAWKS male,and a female)at JudasCr. 7 Junpro- pied as of 2 Jun (fideLGy), 4 of them on An apparentlate migration wave on 11 Jun vided the first documented Whitehorse- man-madefloating platforms. A Willet at at LarsenL., s.e.Yukon, produced an im- arearecord (CE, PS,HGr). Anotherspecies Alki L. 11 Jun(JW) addedto the handful of pressiveconcentration of breeding-plum- unusual in the Yukon was a male Hooded reportsof this speciesfrom the provincial agedloons, with 30 Pacific,15 Common, Merganserobserved at LarsenL. 13 Jun interior.An UplandSandpiper was seen on and a record-settingseven Yellow-billed (CE, MG). severaloccasions at the Ft. Nelsonairport, (CE, MG). Very rare in the Yukon,a Pied- The 9 Jun appearanceof a Broad- BC, 14 Jun-18 Jul (JCB,DGC); although billed Grebe was at LarsenL. 14 Jun (CE, wingedHawk at WillowbankMt. in the the speciesis rareduring the breedingsea- MG). A censusat Cecil L. in the PeaceR., BlaeberryValley (DL) wasunexpected. An sonin that area,nesting habitat for Uplands BC, 11 Jultallied an astounding2451 Eared adult at Mackenzie,BC, 27 Jul (LL, DB, SKi) is good at the airport. By mid-Junethe Grebes(DGC). The W. Grebebreeding sea- providedthe first documentedrecord for southward movement of shorebirds was son at SalmonArm and OkanaganL., BC, that area,but evenmore excitingwas the evidencedby scatteredreports from around was a total "washout:" no nests were suc- discoveryof an immatureat the sameloca- the province;by earlyJuly, shorebird migra- cessful(RJC). Predationand high water tion30 Jul(DB, LL, SKi)--considerably far- tion wasin full swing,with thousandsal- appearedto be the main causesof failure. thersouthwest than other suspected breed- readyat IonaI. by 2 Jul(RT). Semipalmated Clark's Grebes found in the interior at Sal- ing locations.The imm. Broad-wingedwas Sandpipersput in a strongshowing with mon Arm 16 Jun included a male (FK) as callingfrequently, as though begging. 250 at Iona I. 2 Jul,200 there 8 Jul (RT), and wellas an apparentfemale paired with a W. 80 at Robert L., Kelowna,16 Jul (CC). Grebe (RJC, KF); anothersingle Clark's PLOV[RS A Long-tailedJaeger at L. Laberge,YT, Grebewas at the n. end of OkanaganL. 29 THROUGH WOOD•CKERS 23 Jun was the first record for the White- Jul (RJC). A late migrantAm. Golden-Hoverwas at horsearea (MC, AM). Thisspring and sum- For the 2nd time this year, an imm. NanaimoR. EstuaryI Jun(GM). A single mer, Franklin'sGulls were reported in s. Short-tailedAlbatross was reported from SemipalmatedPlover at Alki L., Kelowna, British Columbia more frequently than the QueenCharlotte Is., this time e. of Cape BC, 20 Jun (JW) providedone of the very usual.One was at Iona I. 16 Jun (RT), and a St. James25 Jul (fideTG). Smallflocks of few June recordsof the speciesin the groupof ten wereat Alki L. 17 Jun--seven- Am. White Pelicans in the s. interior in OkanaganValley. In BritishColumbia, the eightadults in breedingplumage and two- mid-Junewere surprising: Feldman found numberof breedingAm. Avocetsappears to three in intermediate winter/summer 17 at Salmon Arm 14 Jun,Axhorn observed be on the rise.Northwest of Clinton,a pre- plumage(JW); sevenwere still there 29 Jun

VOLUME53 (1999)• ISSUE4 423 (JW). A first-yearLittle Gull wasat Iona I. Jul (CE, MG). AlthoughE. Kingbirdsare made at treeline along Mt. Granger m 16 Jun-21Jul (TP); interestingly,there had regularvisitors to the e. sideof Vancouver Whitehorse 9-10 Jul (MG). Two Brewer's beenmany Little Gull observationsin the I., theyrarely make it overthe mountains to Sparrows,rarely reported from s.e.British w. statesin latewinter and spring.A first- the w. slopes;a singlebird at the SomassR. Columbia, were near the Duncan R, summerRing-billed Gull at Turner L., n.e. Estuary20 Jun (SMc) providedthe first KootenayL., 10 Jun (GS). The Okana- Yukon, 2-3 Jul was well outside its normal recordfor theAlberni Valley. gan/Similkameenwatershed rare bird sur- range(CE, MG). On 24 Jun,a pair of A singingBlue-headed Vireo alongthe veyon 21-22 Junproduced an amazing75 aggressivelyterritorial Glaucous-winged upperWhitefish R. 15 Jun (CE) provided Lark Sparrowsprobably representingat Gulls greetedCecile at the Grant I. gull s.e. Yukon's northernmost record, while least50 pairs (fide RJC).On 12 Jul Cecile colonyon OkanaganL., but no nestwas three countedon the RancheriaBBS 13 Jun madea highcount of eightNelson's Sharp- located.Although this species rarely breeds were at the w. limit of this species'Yukon tailed Sparrowsat BoundaryL., PeaceR awayfrom the coast,nesting was possible at range (HGr). A pair of Blue Jays,a rare area.A singleSwamp Sparrow seen and thislocale. Daily checksof a smallflock of breedingspecies w. of the Rockies,was dis- heard 6 Jul near Meadow Cr. in the Mew Gullsperched on the only rock in coverednesting in Kimberley,BC, 5 Jun Kootenays(GSD, GS, RWe) providedthe TabourL., n.e.Yukon, produced a crescen- (BA,HA). Rarelyreported from the Yukon, first summer record of the speciesfor s do of gull rarities,with a first-summer a Gray-headedChickadee along Thomas British Columbia. A male Rose-breasted Glaucous24 Jun, a first-summer Glaucous- Cr., n.w. of Old Crow Flats(Vuntut N.P.), 8 Grosbeak was at Willowbank Mt. in the winged25 Jun,and a breeding-plumaged Junwas an excellentfind (DH, RM). A con- BlaeberryValley 9 Jun(DL); althoughnor- Sabine's Gull 26 Jun (CE, MG). Eight fusedGray Catbird landed on the foc'sle mally rare w. of the Rockies,there were CaspianTerns at CottonwoodBeach, Stuart railingof a researchvessel 6 nauticalmi w. numerousreports of thesegrosbeaks from L. (Fort St.James), 28 Jul (RRa) werenote- of TriangleI. 24 Jun(MF) and establisheda the w. United Statesthis springand sum- worthyin c. BritishColumbia, and two at surprisingouter coastal record for thisinte- mer. Unusual n. of s. British Columbia, a M'Clintock Bay 12 Jun provideda 4th rior species.Single Cedar Waxwings, rarely Lazuli Buntingwas at FrancoisL. 3 Jun Yukon record (JH). Nisutlin Delta, YT, reportedin s. Yukon,were at LarsenL. 14 (KW). Evenmore noteworthywere Lazulls hosted60 Arctic Terns (48 adults and 12 Jun (CE) and at the upperWhitefish R. 17 alongsidethe Hart Hwy 17 km w of juveniles)30 Jul (CE, PS).A Forster'sTern Jun (CE, MG). Chetwynd,BC, 30 Jun(MP, CA) and two at Iona I., BC, 17-18 Jun (MW) was at an A singing Nashville Warbler found individuals23 and 25 km w. of Chetwynd9 unusuallocation for this time of year. alongCopper Haul Rd.20-21 Jun(CE, PS, Jul (DGC). A putativehybrid Indigo x A 17 Jul aerialsurvey of 112-km2 m.ob.) establishedthe Yukon's first well- Lazulibunting was at Tranquille30 May-4 Herschel I. on the Yukon's n. coast tallied a documented record; close examination Jul (?RRi,?SR, ?WCW). Rareanywhere m stunning104 SnowyOwls, including35 indicatedthat it belongedto the e. sub- the north, a male Yellow-headedBlackbird pairs(with 4 confirmednests) and 34 sin- speciesruficapilla. Another individual well wasjust s. of theYukon border at the, end gles(DC, SKo,EJ, FE, LGo).Although we n. of itsnormal range was at Ft.Nelson, BC, of TeslinL., BC, in earlyJune (MC) Stx occasionallyfind largewintering concentra- in late June(fide JCB),and a singletonat Brewer'sBlackbirds were at UpperLlard 28 tions(e.g., 107 on the LadherCBC 22 Dec RalphRiver Campground, Buttle L., 12Jun Jun (MH, PH). In the breedingseason, 1973), this summer count at Herschelwas (JF) was noteworthy.Rare but regularin RustyBlackbird is rareand local in s.British unprecedented.A Red-naped Sapsucker British Columbia, a Chestnut-sided Warb- Columbia,so a pair takingfood to a neste photographedon Quadra I., BC, in June ler wasat Tranquille27 Jun(RRi, CR). Two of Vernon 4 Jul (PG, KMC) was notewor- (CTS) providedthe first record of the singingPalm Warblers in n.e.Yukon--one thy. A first-yearmale Bullock'sOriole at speciesfor the CampbellR. area.A Pileated at Tabour L. 25-26 Jun (CE, MG) and RacePoint Rd., n. of CampbellR., 9 Jun Woodpeckeralong the La BicheR. 11 Jun anotherat Turner L. 1 Jul (CE)--provided (VH) provided the northernmostVan- (CE) put in a rareYukon appearance. the first documented Yukon records for this couverI. record,of thisspecies. speciesand a notablerange extension.A FLYCATCHERS THROUGH ORIOLES Black-and-whiteWarbler, usually found Cited observers(subregional compilers in Eight Yellow-belliedFlycatchers sang on onlyin the n.e.corner of the province,was boldface): Betty Aitchison, Hughie territories at LarsenL., YT, 11-14 Jun (CE, at Pitt Meadows6 Jun (HM, JT). In British Aitchison,David ),111nqon(DEA)--Vtctor- MG), and two individualssinging on a 20 Columbia,Am. Redstartsoccur mainly e. of ia, CnthyAntonia•4--Prince George, Peter Jun BBS provideda first Whitehorse-area the Cascade/CoastMountains; a singlebird Axhorn, Steve Baillle (SJB)--Nanatmo, record (CE). Rare on the coast, a Least at PortHardy 11 Jun (JCB) provided one of David Bostock,Jack Bowling (JCB)-- Flycatcherwas found at Currie Cr. near the few Vancouver I. observations ever. The Prince George & weather summaries, Duncan 4 Jun (MGS); two were at Pitt Yellow-breastedChat first reported at SeaI. RichardCnnnlng8 (RJC)--Okanagan, Don Meadowsin June (RT, DT et al.), and one 31 May was presentuntil at least23 Jun Cecile (DGC--Vernon, Chris Charles- was in Vancouver 22 Jun (KSr). The E. (fideVancouver RBA). On 21-22 Jun,a rare worth,Mary Collins(KMC), Mark Connor, Phoebefirst reported 31 May at theAlaksen bird surveyconducted by membersof the Dorothy Cooley,Iatrry Cowan--Vancou- W.M.A.,Delta, BC, was present until at least BritishColumbia Field Ornithologiststal- ver, Gary Davidson (GSD)--West Koote- 11 Jun(WE). Unusualon the coastduring lied 19 chatsin the Okanaganand adjacent nays,Wendy Easton, Cameron Eckert• summer,individual Say's Phoebes were in Similkameenvalleys (fide RJC). Yukon,Frank Elanik, Kayla Feldman, Jamie Langleynear Campbell R. Park24-25 Jun An almostcompletely albino Chipping Fenneman,Michael Force,Brynn Cantes (AT) and at RockyPt. 25 Jul (DEA). Well Sparrowwas a curioussight at LarsenL., (BRG)--Victoria, Tracee Geernaert, Phil outsideits normal range,an E. Kingbird YT, 12 Jun(CE). An extraordinarycount of Gehlen,Mike Gill, Hilary Gordon(HGo), was at JackfishCr. headwaters,n.e. Yukon, 3 18 "Timberline" Brewer'sSparrows was Liz Gordon (LGo), Max Gotz (BMG)--

424 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS Whistler,Tony Greenfield (AGG)--Sun- RhondaMarkel, SandyMcRuer (SMc)-- Thrimbul, Rick Toochin, Allen Turner, shineCoast, Helmut Grtinberg (HGr)-- AlberniValley, Angela Milani, Guy Monty, DannyTyson, Iqanir vander Pol (HVP)-- Yukon,Les Gyug (LGy), Peter Hamel JeffMorgan, Clive Osborne, Mark Phinney, Victoria, Keith Walker, Wayne Weber Queen Charlotte Is., Vicki Hansen-- TornPlath, Phil Pamson--Cariboo,Randy (WCW), Reta Wege (RWe), JasonWeir, CampbellR., JimHawkings, Margo Hearne, Rawluk (RRa), Clara Ritcey,Ralph Ritcey Mark Wynja,Roger Wysocki (RWy). David Henry,Steve Howard, Keith Hudson, (RRi), Syd Roberts, Michael Shep•trd Michael G. Shepard, VisionGroup Elena Jones,Frank Kime, S•ndra Kinsey (MGS)--Southern VancouverI., Katherine International,Inc., 5325 Cordova Bay Rd., (SKi)--Prince George,Sandy Koep (SKo), Shewchuk(KAS), Kitty Shipper (KSr), LairdLaw, Doug Leighton, Hilary Maguire, Craig Smith (CTS), Gail Spitler, Jim Vidoria,([email protected])BCV8Y213 ,• oregon-washington gi BILLTWEIT,STEVE HLODINOW, WillametteValleybreedingcolony, a W. I and BILL TICE Grebesummered at BaskettSlough N.W.R., Polk,OR (BTi, RG). Threepairs of Clark's Grebeat ER.R. all summer(K. Beal) sug- whenheseason summer wasratherfinally wetarrived until mid-July,and sun- gestedcontinued breeding at the species' shinebecame more than a vaguememory. onlyWestside colony. Pelagic trips in July-- The weatherundoubtedly depressed land- two off Westport,WA (TRW), and one off bird breedingsuccess. A westernWashing- DepoeBay, OR (G. Gillson)--foundvery ton bluebirdproject banded only 100birds low numbersof N. Fulmar,averaging fewer compared to 151 last summer (Sam than 30 per trip, extremelylow numbersof Agnew).The cool,late spring was undoubt- Pink-footed Shearwater,averaging only edlyresponsible for verylate datesfor sev- four per trip, and moderatelylow numbers eral northern migrantssuch as Golden- of SootyShearwater, about 1100 per trip. crownedand Harris'ssparrows and Lap- The only Short-tailedShearwater was one founddead at Newport,Lincoln, OR, 11Jun SequimBay, Clallam,WA, 23-25 Jun (L. landLongspur. The springs motif of interi- Newberry,Jude BB) and Rock I., Franklin, or birds displaced westward--Eastern (O.D.EW., fide HN). Three Manx Shear- waters,now of annual occurrencein Wash- WA, 6 Jun ($S. Atkinson); they have Kingbirdsand a Black-chinnedSparrow, ington, were off Westport 10 Jul (•B. becomeannual vagrantsto Washington. amongothers•also continued.And who LaBar);one in AdmiraltyInlet 3 Jun (•G. Summerrecords of Black-crownedNight- knowswhat forceswere responsiblefor a Heron on the Westside continue to accu- stream of Gulf of Alaska seabirds that con- Lasley,B. Sundstrom)was only the 2nd record from inland waters. Three Mottled mulate:there were 3 Oregonreports (TR, B. tinuedfrom the spring:Mottled Petrel and Petrelswere found deadon Washington Combs,BTi, RG) andone from Washington Red-leggedKittiwakes were the summer (fideBN). The White-facedIbis found this contribution. beaches(C. Thompson,fide T. Hass);summer recordsare unprecedented. springnear Othello, Adams, WA, remained American White Pelican continues to until 30 Jun(RH). An injuredRoss's Goose Abbreviations:ER.R. (Fern Ridge Reservoir, wanderthe Westside:one at BaskettSlough at Bandon, OR, 28 Jun and later (RL) was a LaneCo., OR); Fields (Fields, Hamey Co., OR); N.W.R., Polk,OR, waslast seen 10 Jun (RG), first Coosrecord. The single Am. Black Malheur(Malheur N.W.R., Hamey Co., OR); two were at Crockett L., Island, WA, 18 Jun Duck at Everett,WA, 6 Jun(SM) hopefully O.R.B.C.(Oregon Rare Birds Committee); (B. Merrick), one was on the Columbia R. representsthe last remnantof an inadver- O.D.F.W.(Oregon Dept. of Fishand Wildlife); near Portland 18 Jun (J. Cowan) and 25 Jul tent introduction.Up to two pairs of O.S.(Ocean Shores, Grays Harbor Co., WA); (fide D. Baccus),and two were at Blaine, Redheadat ER.R. in July(D. Irons) contin- O.S.U.(Oregon Statue University); S.J.C.R. (south Whatcorn, WA, 17 Jul (SM). One Great ue to fuel suspicionsof local breeding-- jetty of the ColumbiaR., ClatsopCo., OR). Egretpair wasobserved nesting again this their only Westsidenesting. A pair of Ring- Eastside/Westsidereferto the portionof the yearat RidgefieldN.W. tL, Clark,WA, with neckedDuck nestingnear N. Spit of Coos Regioneast/west of thecrest of theCascades. unknownsuccess (J. Engler).Great Egret Bay,OR, wasat the s. edgeof the species' wasalso reported nesting on a ColumbiaR. range. LOONS THROUGH RAPTORS islandjust n. of Richland,Franklin (fide White-tailedKites continued to provide A PacificLoon in breedingplumage on DR), apparentlya newe. Washingtonloca- evidenceof rangeexpansion: a pair nested LemoloL., Douglas,OR, 15 Jul(R. Maertz) tion. Breeding continues at heronries for the 2nd year at NestuccaBay N.W.R., wasvery unusualon freshwaterin summer. aroundCoos Bay, OR, a recentlyestablished OR (E Schrock);one was seenmuch of the Possiblymarking the beginningof a 2nd Westsidelocale. Snowy Egrets were at period and suspectedof breeding at

VOLUME53 (1999), ISSUE4 4Z5