March 2018 Montly Challenge

[Gord]

My mistake here in dropping the ball on this month's Challenge. Jamie and I are alternating but some are doing a better job than others at that!

March is definitely the kick-off for Spring Migration in the Fraser Valley. Swallows, if not already seen in late February, are almost certainly to be seen the first week of March (and they were). Mountain Bluebirds and Say's Phoebe are usually the next to watch for closely followed by the spring's first Rufous Hummingbirds. All in all a great warm up for the following month for when things really start to pick up. Good places to bird during this time is the Hope Airport and Columbia Valley

Breakdown by year for March

2008 – 123 species recorded
2009 – 107 species recorded
2010 – 110 species recorded
2011 - 117 species recorded
2012 - 107 species recorded
2013 - 123 species recorded
2014 - 117 species recorded
2015 - 125 species recorded
2016 - 115 species recorded
2017 - 103 species recorded

Average species for March 115

Last updated April 1

Species seen to date 115

View past monthly challenges by clicking here You can also see the highlight species seen in previous years by month.

Click on a species in blue text to see more information on that species in our checklist area.

To view the missing species for the month please click here


Canada Goose
Cackling Goose
Snow Goose
Trumpeter Swan
Tundra Swan
Wood Duck
Eurasian Wigeon
American Wigeon
Mallard
Gadwall
Northern Pintail
Northern Shoveler
Green-winged Teal
Ring-necked Duck
Lesser Scaup
Greater Scaup
Canvasback
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Barrow's Goldeneye
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Ruffed Grouse
Horned Grebe
Pied-billed Grebe
Common Loon
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Turkey Vulture
Bald Eagle
Rough-legged Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Golden Eagle
Cooper's Hawk
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Northern Harrier
Merlin
American Kestrel
Peregrine Falcon
Gyrfalcon
American Coot
Wilson's Snipe
Greater Yellowlegs
Killdeer
Mew Gull
California Gull
Herring Gull
Iceland (Thayer's) Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Barn Owl
Barred Owl
Great Horned Owl
Northern Pygmy Owl
Western Screech Owl
Anna's Hummingbird
Rufous Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Rock Pigeon
Eurasian-collared Dove
Band-tailed Pigeon
Red-breasted Sapsucker
Pileated Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Northern Shrike
Hutton's Vireo
Say's Phoebe
Steller's Jay
Grey Jay
California Scrub Jay
Northwestern Crow
American Crow
Common Raven
Tree Swallow
Violet-green Swallow
Barn Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Bushtit
Brown Creeper
Pacific Wren
Marsh Wren
Bewick's Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Mountain Bluebird
American Robin
Varied Thrush
European Starling
American Pipit
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Western Meadowlark
Brewer's Blackbird
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
House Finch
Purple Finch
Pine Siskin
American Goldfinch
Common Redpoll
Evening Grosbeak
Grey-crowned Rosy Finch
House Sparrow

[Gord]

A quick note on some of the above. The Snow Goose was seen by my dad earlier this month flying over the house with a flock of geese. A Common Loon was out on Kawkawa Lake. A Golden Eagle has been reported from Sumas Prairie still. There may be a few I missed so let us know and we'll get it updated. Last spring was a bit of a cold wet month so it shouldnt be hard to beat the 103 species we saw in March 2017

[Randy]

Common redpoll from my yard at the start of the month. Thanks a lot for doing these monthly lists... They're enjoyable!!

[Randy]

Also hairy woodpeckers are regular at my place and you and I had that frustratingly evasive Lincoln's sparrow at Willband last week

[paulos]

I can add ring-billed gull and a Thayer’s/Iceland gull from Sumas Prairie at the beginning of the month.
Great Horned, Barred, and northern Pygmy owls.
I heard a ruffed grouse display drumming at island 22 yesterday.
Evening grosbeaks In ryder lake.

[ed]

Horned Grebe, Cultus Lake

[paulos]

I forgot to add that I did see a Rough-legged Hawk on Sumas Prairie, American Pipits and a Barn Owl in East Chilliwack.

[Ben]

I can add brown-headed cowbird from island 22 last weekend

[Gord]

Great additions everyone thanks! I will be adding Barrow's Goldeneye and Red-breasted Merganser, both from Harrison, as well.

Randy, I know that sneaky Lincoln's Sparrow very well (after protracted effort to get to see it as you well know!)

[gabi]

Some Gray Jays on Elk Mountain last week (enjoyed the crumbs shared from the packed lunch)
Gabi

[Gord]

We're up to 110 species thanks for the sightings. The Rufous Hummingbirds and Greater Yellowlegs were also new additions.

Common Yellowthroat is possible before the month is out!

[imperialbirders]

Our back yard has a lot of great bird activity. We saw a Great Blue Heron fishing in the pond and a couple Northern Harriers looking for a nesting site in the cattails. The only bird that we can add for March that we don't see on your list is the Bandtailed Pigeon. One arrived two weeks ago but luckily his friends did not as they are gluttons at our feeders.

[Chris]

Updated the list.

Added American Crow which I saw at Boston Bar and Wilson's Snipe which I saw at Cheam Wetlands.

[Gord]

Chris, thanks for finishing it off. We did ok by tying the average. I'm adding Western Screech Owl that has been seen this month.

Jamie will get April going soon as he can. Always a great month to play this game with!