Historic and recent records of white-tailed ptarmigan on Vancouver Island, 1905-2002. Encounter Number, Gender, Date Year Region Area Type Age Class Observer Comments Reference Coordinates Additional Comments Collected for Royal British Columbia Museum 9-Oct 1905 South Heather Mt. V 1 Dr. Stoker (RBCM) Cowan 1938 At head of Cowichan Lake Mt. Tom Taylor/Big 20-Aug 1910 Central Interior V 6 Ck H.S. Swarth Collected for California Museum of Vert. Zool Cowan 1938 Cowan 1938, Aug 1912 Central Crown Mt. V 2 Ck W.B. Anderson Collected for RBCM Swarth 1912 This mountain is referred to as "Mt. Saunders" 11-Jul 1912 South Mt. McQuillan V 1 F E. Despard Swarth 1912 by Swarth Oct 1926 Central Mt. Albert Edward V 1 M A Collected for RBCM RBCM 1 male (yearling) old P9 and P10 Comox Argus Newspaper, May 10, 1928 Central Mt. Albert Edward V 1 Comox Argus Newspaper 1998 Town Archives: 19-Jul 1931 South Mt. Arrowsmith V 1 A, (4-5) Ck Geoffrey B. Capes On ridge between Arrowsmith and Cokely Courtenay, BC 22-Jul 1932 Central Mt. Evans V 2 F Ck Collected for RBCM RBCM Comox Argus Newspaper, May 10, Sum 1935 Central Mt. Albert Edward V 1 Comox Argus Newspaper 1998 June or July 2-Oct 1936 Central Mt. Albert Edward V 1 Courtenay Museum Identified from Museum photos RBCM 11-Sept 1938 South Mt. Arrowsmith V 6 A, 4 Ck I.M. Cowan & P.W. Martin Collected for RBCM Cowan 1938 29-Aug 1939 Central Mt. Albert Edward V 1 Courtenay Museum Identified from Museum photos RBCM 1939 Central Mt. Frink V 1 Courtenay Museum Identified from Museum photos RBCM 31-Aug 1943 Central Mt. Albert Edward V 2 (F+?) A, 2 (M+?) Ck Collected for RBCM RBCM Jul 1947 South Mt. Arrowsmith V 1 Syd Watts 1950 South Mt. Arrowsmith V 1 Charlie Faulkner Also spent time in Red Pillar area, saw Jul 1952 Central Comox Glacier V 1 Syd Watts ptarmigan on 1 week trip Jul 1953 Central Big Interior Mt. V 1 Syd Watts Albert-Edward to Della Falls via Reese Ridge Sum 1958 Central Strathcona Park V 1 Syd Watts and Big Interior 5-Aug 1959 North Victoria Peak V 1 Syd Watts Provided Map Della Falls to Buttle Lake via Mt. Tom Taylor, Mt. Aug 1961 Central Strathcona Park V 1 Syd Watts Phillips, etc. Aug 1962 Central Strathcona Park V 1 Syd Watts Elk River to Buttle Lake via Golden Hinde 2 km west of Wood Mtn Ski Park; open Old Courtenay Heather, willow and western hemlock w/in 30 m; 49°40'N western hemlock/slpine fir forest; has 28-Dec 1962 Central Lookout V 4 Fred Zwickel & B. Simard roosting on rocks; ~800 m 125°11'W pictures; collected 2 birds - in Cowan museum. 19-Jul 1962 South Mt. Arrowsmith V 1 Bryan Gates 16-Aug 1963 Central Mt. Washington S-F Fred Zwickel On summit 30-Aug 1965 North Victoria Peak V 1 Syd Watts Provided Map 12-Dec 1965 Central Mt. Becher V 3 Dave King Flushed birds near old Becher cabin 13-Jul 1965 Central Mt. Becher V 1 Dave King Flushed birds; 1170 m 1 Historic and recent records of white-tailed ptarmigan on Vancouver Island, 1905-2002. Encounter Number, Gender, Date Year Region Area Type Age Class Observer Comments Reference Coordinates Additional Comments 400' below several sets of tracks under cedar, 24-Nov 1965 Central Mt. Washington V 1 A, 2 Ck Dave King collected 2 (chicks) 24-Apr 1966 Central Mt. Washington S-T 1-2 Dave King SW slope; 1440 m 27-Apr 1966 Central Mt. Becher S-T 1 Dave King Had been feeding on buds of Vaccinium spp. 28-Apr 1966 Central Mt. Becher V 1 A F Dave King On edge of cliff; specimen collected Specimen Collected 16-Feb 1966 Central Mt. Washington S-T 1 Dave King Near top of NW ridge; on top of cliff; 1410 m 31-May 1966 Central Mt. Washington V 2 (F+?) A Dave King Feeding on buds of catkins and alder; 1 F collected Lowland douglas fir plantation; western hemlock, douglas fir, willow and amabilis fir w/in 30 m; elev. 570 m; banded as 4194 and 4195; probably a 21-Apr 1971 Central Tsolum Main Road V 2 Fred Zwickel winter dispersal event 9-Oct 1971 North Mt. Cain V 1 Syd Watts On Mt. Cain/Mt. Hapush ridge Mackenzie Range lies above the Kennedy Aug 1974 South Mackenzie Range V 1 Adrian Dorst Photo River 4-Jul 1974 North Mt. Alston V 1 Syd Watts Provided map 15-Aug 1975 North Rugged Mt. V 1 Syd Watts Provided Map 27-Jul 1976 North Mt. Ashwood V 1 Syd Watts On south peak Eggs had brown spots; found In rock hollow; 27-Aug 1979 Central Mt. Albert Edward S-Sh 3 J. David Routledge given to RBCM 17-Jul 1979 North Mt. Ashwood V 1 Syd Watts On north peak 8-Jul 1980 South Mt. Hooper V 1 F A, 4 Ck J. David Routledge 13-Jul 1980 North Mt. Myra V 1 Syd Watts 17-Jul 1980 South Mt. Service V 1 A J. David Routledge 17-Jul 1980 South Mt. Whymper V 1 F A, 3 Ck J. David Routledge Talked to David Routledge, info faxed by Mike May 1980 South Mt. Hooper V 1 Island Mountain Ramblers Delaronde 1980 South Butler Peak V 1 Bud Smith Photo Retired from Ministry of Environment 1980 South El Capitan V 1 Bud Smith Retired from Ministry of Environment Shot 3 ptarmigan, retired from Ministry of 1980 South Mt. Cokely V 3 Bud Smith Specimen Collected Environment 22-Aug 1981 Central Comox Glacier S-T,F,Sc J. David Routledge 25-Jul 1981 Central Mt. Albert Edward V 19 J. David Routledge Wint 1981 Central Mt. Washington V 1 Rick Adams Under blue chairlift lots of powder snow that year 14-Aug 1984 North Tsitika Mt. V # Syd Watts South side of Mt., alpine meadow 23-Jul 1984 North Mt. Alston V 1 Syd Watts 1-Sep 1984 North Hkusam Mt. V 7-8 Les Peterson Possibly a brood Les Peterson is from Ministry of Forests Jul 1986 Central Flower Ridge V 1 F A, # Ck Sandy Briggs May have photo Jul 1987 South Steamboat Mt. V 1 Adrian Dorst Near Clayquot Plateau; near snowfield Photo 16-Aug 1988 North Pinder Peak V 1 Syd Watts 20-Aug 1988 North Victoria Peak V 1 Syd Watts Provided Map Sandy Briggs & Don 3-Sep 1988 Central Mt. Colonel Foster V, C 1 Berryman Bird flushed; SW slope; bare rock 4-Sep 1988 Central Comox Glacier V 5 A Ken Rodenets On rocky terrain; clear weather 2 Historic and recent records of white-tailed ptarmigan on Vancouver Island, 1905-2002. Encounter Number, Gender, Date Year Region Area Type Age Class Observer Comments Reference Coordinates Additional Comments 18-Sep 1988 South Mt. Apps V 3 A Ken Rodenets In subalpine terrain 26-Aug 1989 North Mt. Alava V 1 Syd Watts Feb 1989 North Mt. Cain V 1 Peter Curtis Below ski lodge in slash; 1050 m 5-Aug 1990 Central Mt. Albert Edward V 1 F A, 5 Ck Sandy McRuer & P. Dance RBCM 19-Jul 1990 Central Golden Hinde V 1 F A Sandy Briggs On summit Photo Aug 1991 Central Marble Peak C 2 Syd Watts Record sent to Dave Fraser May 1991 Central Argus Mt. V 2 Lindsay Elms On summit Sep 1992 North Mt. Cain V 2 Peter Curtis Flying near summit Interviewed by Lea Elliot and crew; up to 6 birds 19-Aug 1993 Central Mt. Albert Edward V 11 3 groups of hikers seen together Aug 1993 North Mt. Ashwood V 2 Peter Curtis Near summit Aug 1993 Central Big Den Mt. V 25 (A+Ck) Lindsay Elms On south end of summit 1993 South Klitsa Mt. V 1 Sandy McRuer Birds flushed by helicopter MOF guy Apr 1994 North Mt. Ashwood C 1 Peter Curtis 1 km south of summit 26-Aug 1994 North Mt. Cain V 1 Syd Watts Aug 1994 North Rugged Mt. V 2 Peter Curtis At col NW of summit Aug 1994 Central Mt. Adrian V 1 Hiker Fall 1994 South Klitsa Mt. V 6 Don Cecile 10-Jul 1994 Central Mt. Septimus V 1 F A, # Ck Chris Barner Interviewed by J. R. Young Oct 1994 South Mt. Whymper V 12-15 Curly Newman Interviewed by J. R. Young 5-Aug 1995 South Mt. Landale V 1 F A, # Ck Hiker Interviewed by J. R. Young party also saw ptarmigan in 1993 7-Aug 1995 Central Cream Lake V 1 F A, 4 Ck Hiker Interviewed by J. R. Young 10-Aug 1995 Central Mt. Albert Edward V 1 F A, 4 Ck Richard Guillet D0622 = female Aug 1995 North Whiltilla Mt. V 2 Peter Barratt Birds flushed by helicopter 1-Jul 1995 South Mt. Hal V 1 Sandy McRuer 15-Jul 1995 South Mt. Arrowsmith V 3-4 Alan Thomson 29-Jul 1995 South Mt. McQuillan V 5 A (F+?), 4 Ck Mike Stini 30-Jul 1995 Central Mt. Frink V # Ck Hiker Interviewed by K. Martin Jul 1995 Central Little Jim Lake V 1 Chris Barner Interviewed by J. R. Young At Little Jim Lake (gird ref: 142848 map 92 F/5) 6-Jun 1995 South Mt. Whymper V 1 Don Doyle Responded to male call playback Near Repeater [elev = 1263 - SEE MAP 92 F / 1] NO ALPINE 7-Jun 1995 South Mt.