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Post by Chris on Aug 7, 2016 10:44:53 GMT -8
Did a walk at Island 22 this morning. I bumped into Gord. At the end of the equestrian area in the farmer's field there is two large bushes. It was quite active with buntings, and other species of birds. I think we had about 10 species in there. The highlight was a Yellow-breasted Chat that flew from the bush and near the dyke. Looked like a young one. Gord got a few photos of it. The Chipping Sparrow was there as well.
There were at least five redstarts present. A female was feeding a young redstart and a cowbird as well. Wondering if there could have been three redstart pairs because I haven't seen a redstart feeding a cowbird yet.
Here is the list.
Wood Duck 1
Great Blue Heron 1
Glaucous-winged Gull 1
Vaux's Swift 2
Anna's Hummingbird 1
Downy Woodpecker 4
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 2
American Kestrel 1
Western Wood-Pewee 7
Willow Flycatcher 3
Red-eyed Vireo 4
Northwestern Crow 2
Common Raven 1
Barn Swallow 1
Black-capped Chickadee 15
Brown Creeper 2
Bewick's Wren 1
Swainson's Thrush 1
American Robin 4
Cedar Waxwing 8
Orange-crowned Warbler 2
Common Yellowthroat 5
American Redstart 5
Yellow Warbler 2
Black-throated Gray Warbler 2
Wilson's Warbler 1
Yellow-breasted Chat 1
Chipping Sparrow 1
Savannah Sparrow 1
Spotted Towhee 4
Lazuli Bunting 10
Brown-headed Cowbird 3
Bullock's Oriole 1
American Goldfinch 3
Purple Finch 2
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Post by denisknopp on Aug 7, 2016 14:02:59 GMT -8
Great bird and list. I was looking in the Okanagan last month I should have been looking closer to home.
I'm on my way thanks for the post.
Denis
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Post by Gord on Aug 7, 2016 17:20:41 GMT -8
Chris, a good bit of birding to say the least. That patch of two willows was amazing for something about 15' x 40' in size. Here's my list from that spot: Downy woodpecker Western Wood Pewee Willow Flycatcher Red-eyed Vireo Black-capped Chickadee Yellow Warbler American Redstart Common Yellowthroat Yellow-breasted Chat Lazuli Bunting Chipping Sparrow Spotted Towhee Bullock's Oriole Brown-headed Cowbird Photos of the chat. This is a very young bird and I'd be surprised if it has migrated very much if at all. The suggestion of a local breeder is very possible here and I wonder where it nested.   Chipping Sparrow  Lazuli Bunting female with a grasshopper to feed to her fairly recently fledged young.  Denis, I hope you were able to see it. A couple maps below of the site. The area circled is that fantastic patch of willows. The satellite image is quite up to date so it shows the site well. To get here just walk down the dyke and the little side road that ends at a gate at the field is where was got good looks at it.   |
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Post by nickinthegarden on Aug 7, 2016 18:36:22 GMT -8
What a wonderful flock of birds to find. Shocking to find a young Yellow-breasted Chat. I saw some this spring in the Oliver area of the Okanagan and met a biologist and her team who were studying them. They were amazingly noisy during the breeding season, quite unlike anything I had heard before. But they were very secretive about being seen.
I remember the bush on the photo from a few visits I made to Island 22 and it seemed to house an number of birds a month or two back. Must be something special about the location. I know there were a number of Lazuli Buntings in that area and some Common Yellowthroat, but I have not been back for some weeks. Time for another visit!
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Post by murraybrown on Aug 8, 2016 7:36:37 GMT -8
Me too, Nick!
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Post by denisknopp on Aug 8, 2016 9:22:57 GMT -8
Well I did not find the Chat but did fined the Chipping Sparrow and Redstarts. There were no birds where you saw the Chat but gust down the dike trail near the gate and a spot in the woods was quite productive.
Thanks again for the post,
Denis
Mallard 2
Great Blue Heron 1
Turkey Vulture 6
Bald Eagle 1
Eurasian Collared Dove 1
Anna's Hummingbird 1
Northern Flicker 1
Western Wood-Pewee 9
Willow Flycatcher 2
Red-eyed Vireo 2
Cedar Waxwing 4
American Robin 8
European Starling 5
Bewick's Wren 1
Black-capped Chickadee 8
American Goldfinch 2
Purple Finch 2
House Finch 1
American Redstart 2
MacGillivray's Warbler 2
Common Yellowthroat 5
Wilson's Warbler 2
Song Sparrow 3
Savannah Sparrow 2
Chipping Sparrow 1
Spotted Towhee 1
Black-headed Grosbeak 2
Lazuli Bunting 1
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Post by nickinthegarden on Aug 8, 2016 15:42:00 GMT -8
I got out there this morning; I had forgotten that this is one of the very few parks you have to pay to park in during the summer. I parked outside the gate and walked which was as much the point for the visit as birding. Lot of Black-capped Chickadees, American Robins and several Downy Woodpeckers through out the park. The bush had a lot Chickadees, a Flycatcher, many Spotted Towhees, a female Lazuli Bunting, which was cool because I rarely see them. I saw a flash of yellow, I want to say it was the Yellow-breasted Chat but it was too quick to be sure. Along the dike trail I had seen a very nice looking Lazuli Bunting amongst some yellow flowers which would have made a great photo except for the off leash dogs. This park has a great dog park lots of room and few users, yet dog owners continue through the rest of the park with their uncontrolled dogs running wild. I wandered through the "triangle area" and found Cedar Waxwings, more Spotted Towhees, Chickadees and a very active Hairy Woodpecker. I could hear the small birds high in the trees but I was not able to get my eyes on them. The farmers field next door seemed to be attracting a lot of birds. Tempting to crossover into but you have to abide by the rules! It is an interesting park to visit, but the pay parking and the off leash dogs irked me. Still I was very pleased to get a photo of a female Lazuli Bunting.  Lazuli Bunting (female) by Nick, on Flickr |
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Post by Chris on Aug 8, 2016 19:52:10 GMT -8
Too bad the Chat hasn't been seen since. Could still be in the area. Can be shy birds most of the time.
Nice photos Gord. There was also an American Goldfinch in the bush as well which would make it 15 species.
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Post by Gord on Aug 9, 2016 11:25:01 GMT -8
Chris, right you are! That's quite the assortment.
I saw Ken yesterday (must have missed you, Nick) and I joined him briefly to see if the chat was around. We had no luck either. The redstarts were once again vocal around the triangle area.
I also saw an adult Herring Gull fly past which is the earliest by about a week for this species to go by on migration.
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Post by denisknopp on Aug 9, 2016 15:33:36 GMT -8
I was out again today but with no luck finding the Chat. The Red Starts were still there with the Cow Bird baby. And I saw what I beleave was a Herring Gull as well it was large with black wing tips, early for sure.
Denis
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