Manning Park birding

[birder1942]

Spent 5-6 hours in Manning today: Saw the following:
TUNDRA SWAN ! at about Km 23 feeding along Sumallo River
Common Loon, Turkey Vulture, Osprey, Spotted Sandpiper, Am. Three-toed Woodpecker, Norther Flicker, Hammond Flycatcher, Warbling Vireo, Gray Jay, Clark's Nutcracker (huge flock flying in from south; new arrivals?), Am Crow, Common Raven, Chestnut-backer Chickadee, R.B. Nuthatch, RC and GG Kinglet, Mountain Bluebird, Swainsons Thrush, Hermit Thrush, Varied Thrush, A. Robin, Townsend's Solitaire, O.C. Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Townsend's Warbler, Wilson's Warbler, MacGillivray's Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler (including a Myrtle), Common Yellowthroat, Western Tanager, CLAY-COLORED SPARROW (in large works yard at Allison Pass summit), Song Sp.
D.E. Junco, B.H. Cowbird, Pine Grosbeak, Cassin's Finch, Red Crossbill, WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL 3 (gorgeous male and females, new BC bird for me)! Pine Siskin, Evening Grosbeak.
Numbers are posted on BCVan birds. For Atlasser, most birds were either calling or singing and many were in pairs. Good birding, John Vooys, Abbotsford.

[Gord]

Excellent list John! Thanks for sharing. Amazing find on that Tundra Swan. Was it an adult and looked healthy?

The Clay-coloured Sparrow is also an Excellent find. Fantastic. Congrats on the White-winged Crossbill.

Makes me want to get up there!

[Dave]

Hi John.
Thanks for sharing your great sightings from today. The White-winged Crossbill is still needed for my life list, not alone BC list! Where did you all go in Manning?...I am interested in the route you took once you were there. You must of checked off most of the manning checklist!!!

Clay-coloured Sparrow...good stuff!

Dave

[John Vooys]

The Tundra Swan was an adult bird. It seemed in good health and was feeding robustly, but I wonder if something is wrong with it to have it still in the south. As for the route I took: I birded both the east and west entrance, stopped at the Rhododenron area, the Beaver Pond and Lightning Lake parking area. I also did a walk around one of the camping areas which is now closed due to logging the dead trees. I spent the longest time at and around the works yard at the summit of Allison Pass. The White-winged Crossbills I found while walking the Rein Orchard trail on the Lighting Lakes road.

[tmanson]

Hi John: Nice list of birds. Using e-Bird, I tried to find other records for " this area " for Clay-coloured Sparrow, but could not find any. In a generalized way, that source of data shows occurrences from the Okanagan-east, and some distribution in the lower mainland, but nothing in between. It would be interesting to know whether any have been found between the Okanagan, and the Vancouver area. Cheers, Thor

Thor Manson
Hope, B.C.

[Gord]

John and Thor, the Clay-coloured Sparrow record is the first I have for the checklist area.

Checking on Efauna I see there is 30 records for Vancouver's checklist. Im certain this species would be an annual visitor through our area. Finding the few that pass through is another thing!