BC Field Ornithologists 2023 field trips

[paulos]

Hi Fraser Valley birders,

I've been involved with the BC Field Ornithologists for the last couple of years. If you don't know about the group you have probably seen annual requests for rare bird records.

Starting this year I will be coordinating two-day birding trips across BC. These are free for members. I co-led a trip of Creston Valley last year with Gary Davidson.

The first field trip of 2023 will be in my area around 100 Mile House on June 23-24. Target birds will include some interior and eastern warbler and songbirds species (including Magnolia Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, Alder Flycatcher) and birds of the grasslands and burned areas (Black-backed Woodpecker, Sharp-tailed Grouse, Mountain Bluebird, White-throated Sparrow, Vesper Sparrow). Black Tern is a reliable species. Innumerable waterfowl species breed in the area and there are plenty of Sandhill Cranes.

Details are still being worked out for additional trips to Merritt and the Coquihalla Summit (August) and Salmon Arm Bay (early September).

Anyway, I just wanted to offer a plug for membership. Members also receive quarterly issues of BC Birding, an annual BC Birds academic journal, and can join regular bird presentations offered online. An annual conference meets in a different area of BC every year, with speakers and plenty of bird tours and birding opportunities. This year the conference will be in Vernon in early June. Fort St. John and Creston are likely future locations.

More information is on the BCFO website: bcfo.ca/

Paul