June Peace Update

[Chris]

June is the best month for birding up here. Besides the last week or so I was able to get a fair amount. Paul Foth came up here and I was able to get out with him. We were checking for warblers at Beatton Park and Paul's keen ear detected a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher. A lifer for both us. The following night I went to the sewage lagoons and saw two White-rumped Sandpipers. I find they have a very similar silhouette to a Baird's Sandpiper.

Managed to get photos but they aren't great. Thought I would post.



Wilson's Phalaropes nest at the lagoons and due to the behavior this one had one nearby.



Another birder saw Lazuli Buntings and Catbirds at the Peace lookout. I saw two male buntings and had one catbird. Both new species to my Peace list.

No photos but here is a scenic shot of the lookout.



There was a cooperative fox on the side of the road during one of my outings.



On one outing a Black Bear caused me to turn around and walk back to my vehicle. Fairly decent sized one. That morning I also saw a Pine Marten.



A few duck photos





Blue-headed Vireo. My first photos of one.



Fox Sparrow. Their song is awesome.



A few nights ago I went to Watson Slough to try for Yellow Rail and or Nelson's Sparrow. I didn't get either but I left earlier due to rain. I did however, get a calling Bittern which is new to my Peace list which is at 222.

Here is my year list. AT 179 species.
Snow Goose
Canada Goose
Trumpeter Swan
Tundra Swan
Blue-winged Teal
Cinnamon Teal
Northern Shoveler
Gadwall
Eurasian Wigeon
American Wigeon
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Canvasback
Redhead
Ring-necked Duck
Greater Scaup
Lesser Scaup
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Barrow's Goldeneye
Common Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Ruffed Grouse
Sharp-tailed Grouse
Common Loon
Pied-billed Grebe
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Eared Grebe
American Bittern
Northern Harrier
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Northern Goshawk
Bald Eagle
Broad-winged Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Rough-legged Hawk
Sora
American Coot
Semipalmated Plover
Killdeer
Upland Sandpiper
Hudsonian Godwit
Least Sandpiper
White-rumped Sandpiper
Pectoral Sandpiper
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Long-billed Dowitcher
Wilson's Snipe
Wilson's Phalarope
Red-necked Phalarope
Spotted Sandpiper
Solitary Sandpiper
Greater Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs
Bonaparte's Gull
Franklin's Gull
Mew Gull
Ring-billed Gull
California Gull
Herring Gull
Black Tern
Rock Pigeon
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Northern Hawk Owl
Northern Pygmy-Owl
Great Gray Owl
Northern Saw-whet Owl
Common Nighthawk
Calliope Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
American Three-toed Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
American Kestrel
Merlin
Peregrine Falcon
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Western Wood-Pewee
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
Alder Flycatcher
Least Flycatcher
Dusky Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
Eastern Kingbird
Northern Shrike
Blue-headed Vireo
Philadelphia Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Gray Jay
Steller's Jay
Blue Jay
Black-billed Magpie
American Crow
Common Raven
Horned Lark
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Tree Swallow
Violet-green Swallow
Bank Swallow
Barn Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Boreal Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
House Wren
Marsh Wren
American Dipper
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Townsend's Solitaire
Swainson's Thrush
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
Varied Thrush
Gray Catbird
European Starling
American Pipit
Bohemian Waxwing
Cedar Waxwing
Lapland Longspur
Snow Bunting
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush
Black-and-white Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Mourning Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
American Redstart
Magnolia Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Palm Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Canada Warbler
Wilson's Warbler
LeConte's Sparrow
American Tree Sparrow
Chipping Sparrow
Clay-colored Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
White-crowned Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Vesper Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Western Tanager
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Lazuli Bunting
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Baltimore Oriole
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Rusty Blackbird
Brewer's Blackbird
Common Grackle
Evening Grosbeak
Pine Grosbeak
Purple Finch
Common Redpoll
Hoary Redpoll
White-winged Crossbill
Pine Siskin
House Sparrow

[butterfly]

We always enjoy reading your updates and seeing your photos! You certainly have an awesome list! What is your Mammal list like?
Bruce and Joanne

[murraybrown]

Chris, like Butterfly I always enjoy your Peace Country updates. I have read that the sewage lagoons up there are among the most consistent locations to find the White-rumped Sandpipers in the province but personally I have not been successful at locating any there. I ended up getting my lifers at Reifel of all places.
The first time I heard a Fox Sparrow singing was up in Alaska and I had no idea what it could possibly be. I agree that they really have a beautiful song.

That bear looks like someone I would yield the right of way to as well. Look forward to your next update.

[ed]

Nice report Chris...Peace country has great birding!

[Chris]

Thanks for the comments

Bruce and Joanne, my mammal list for the year would be
Black Bear
Moose
Elk
White-tailed Deer
Mule Deer
Coyote
Fox
Beaver
Pine Marten
Lynx
Muskrat
Snowshoe Hare
Red Squirrel
and a few smaller rodents

Murray, as you said the lagoons are the best to see them within the province. They have a small window of migration up here, first week of June.

[butterfly]

That's an impressive mammal list!!