Your most wanted!

[Gord]

Maybe it's time to update our most wanted list for our area! Aside from being fun, it can also be helpful if someone knows where such species can be found or can quickly share it if they find one.

I doubt many eyebrows will be raised when I place Northern Waterthrush at the top of my list. Why that species, Im not sure but I think it has something to do with talking about it a lot and musing about all the great habitats Im in during migration and that one should be there.

Other notables species that do occur in our area and come to mind in the sense "I should be able to see these..." are:
Franklin's Gull
American Tree Sparrow (only seen in Alberta)
White-winged Crossbill

Since we last did this, Rusty Blackbird (again, only seen in Alberta) Northern Goshawk (I know...almost 20 years of birding and it took just over 18 to see one! ) and Iceland Gull were achieved.

This does not count the many that were seen but not on the list (Ivory Gull, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, Philadelphia Vireo...) which might only prove that I did not aim high enough in my last Wanted List! ;D

[Dave]

My top 3?:

Assuming I should stick to possible local sightings, here they are:

1. Northern Pygmy Owl - real shocker for everyone I am sure. I have only heard the bird, and have not seen the bird (note that Ruffed Grouse is not listed anymore....)
2. Slaty-backed Gull - missed it a few times.
3. A pure white White-tailed Ptarmigan - captured on camera, no less. I have seen more White-tailed Ptarmigan than I can count by now, but have never enjoyed their pure winter plumage......

Interesting post, Gord.

What are the dreams of the rest of you? Perhaps we can line up a few people with their wishes. The next time I have a Northern Waterthrush at Island 22, I now know that the posting will be of interest to Gord.....

Dave

[stuh]

Gord and Dave...great choices. My top 3

1. White tailed Kite
2. Western Screech Owl
3. Any vagrant warbler

Stu H

[Gord]

Stu, I will certainy include you in what should be a soon upcoming trip to get a Screech Owl! I think Dave is keen to see that guy as well.

[stuh]

Wooooohoooooo thanks Gord..I look forward to it.



Stu H

[tmanson]

Hi all: Right now, my most wanted is a new back!! I've been shoveling for two days now, trying to find my house. That's what you get for going away for 6 weeks to the tropics. I am sure you all feel really sorry for me!!
My two most wanted B.C. birds are Iceland Gull, and Black legged Kittiwake. I am sure you have all scratched the Iceland off your lists, as you had a cooperative one hanging around for awhile. I am going to start searching fields over the next few days, and any suggestions are appreciated.
Re: Gord's waterthrush: despite finding my lifer on the Osoyoos channel off road 22, it seems they are found fairly regularly in the spring, along the ditches leading to Reifel.
Re: Western Screech Owl: In the spring I hear them regularly from my bed, so they must be around my neighbourhood in Hope. I have put up a nest box for three years now in various locations without success, but, maybe this year??. Obviously, I will let everyone know if one shows up. I have also seen two others in evening light on highway 7 just before Hope near the truck weigh station.
Re: Dave's Northern Pygmy Owl. I have seen one on an overhead wire on highway 3; ( the Old Hope-Princeton ), less that a block from my house, and I managed to photograph one around the Hope Airport perimeter road early last Spring. I've got Dave's tel. no. programmed into my cell, and will call him, when, ( not if ), ( famous last words ), I see one again this year. Cheers, Thor

Thor Manson
Hope, B.C.

[Wetlander]

My top 5. Trying not to be greedy, but I've got some ground to cover to catch up to you guys

1. Golden Eagle (beautiful)
2. Black-crowned Night Heron (have to get to Reifel)
3. Common Nighthawk (curiosity)
4. Phalaropes (Have to get to coast and the Island with bins!)
5. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Just cuz of Yosemite Sam ;D)

P.S. We had what I assume was a Am. Tree Sparrow in Mar. 2006.



My Bro-in-law saw some during the CBC, but I don't know if the sighting will stand-up...No Photos! He is a biologist and experienced birder so who knows! Are Tree Sparrows that rare in this area?

[Dave]

Definitely an American Tree Sparrow, Kevin. Any sightings of American Tree Sparrows are of interest in the valley. I don't doubt you saw some on the CBC either. If you see more, let us know

Dave

P.S. Thor, I will be waiting by the phone for your call on the Northern Pygmy Owl. We had one on Cheam when hiking together last year, but no views that time... I also checked out a couple hundred gulls for Brent and you today, but came up empty. If the fellow is still around, it would definitely stand out in the group. The group I was looking through was in Rosedale at the corner of Castleman/Chapman. (The spot where the White-tailed Kite was spotted last year.)

[Deleted]

My most wanted?

Aim high, Gord? Okay, why not go for it. Spotted Owl! I know, the chances are awfully slim to none.

And I did get to see the Mexican subspecies of this beautiful bird in Arizona last summer, with a lot of effort, some physical but more of it political. (Non-American citizens can't enter the US military base where there's a resident pair that can usually be seen, without first jumping through a lot of hoops.)

But that doesn't really reduce my long-time desire to see our own northern subspecies of this legendary icon. To see it in its own temperate rain forest habitat that is itself becoming an "endangered species" around here would be just about the ultimate birding experience for me.

And being only slightly more realistic, I would love to see any one of four species of waterfowl that would be real rarities here, but we do have the wintering waterfowl flocks, so who knows what might turn up -- Garganey, Baikal Teal, Falcated Duck, Smew.

Oh, and another chance at a Philadelphia Vireo.

That's all I'll ask for. I don't want to sound greedy. But after all, who would have given us any chance of getting Ivory Gull, Slaty-backed Gull and Iceland Gull in this area all in one season?

Now that we've started paying attention to those exasperating gull flocks, maybe we should also check through all those boring duck flocks sometimes.

Stan

[kastern]

If you want to see Common Nighthawk go to Juniper Beach Provincial Park just east of Cache Creek....we've been there in June and seen Nighthawks roosting on branches within the campsite right at eye level...you could touch them if you wanted to! As for Phalaropes we have seen both Wilson's and Redneck at Tunkwa Lake Provincial Park. Wilson's are also seen at Beaver Ranch Flats at the northeast end of Nicola Lake. We've seen American Avocet there too....try May when they are migrating through. The Wilson's Phalarope actually nest right beside the road leading into the campground at Tunkwa Lake.

Northern Pygmy Owls are normally a regular here every winter (Eagle Point Park area) but I haven't seen one this winter either.

I'm still waiting for a real Blue Jay.

Kathy

[Murray Brown]

My wish list for B.C. is Flammulated Owl, Yellow Rail, Ruby-throated Hummer and Grey cheeked Thrush.
There are a couple of pelagics I still need but I don't want to seem greedy!

Murray

[Gord]

Good to know what people are looking for so the word can be spread when that species pops up.

Was up around Manning briefly this morning and was able to scratch White-winged Crossbill off my list! Fantastic birds!! ;D

As to what bird to replace it...I think Im going to put Spotted Owl there as well.

Wetlander, come up to Cheam Ridge with us this summer. While the track record during our organized walks has been brutal (1 for 4 I think) I usually see them every time Im up there. Nice picture of the Tree-Sparrow! No doubt that's what it is and a great picture to document!

[Dave]

Congrats on the White-winged Crossbill, Gord!

Dave

[top 5]

In no specific order.

Long Tailed Duck
Any kind of Ptarmigan
Great Grey Owl
White Headed Woodpecker
Moutain Bluebird

I know it rarely comes around our region but I always wanted to see a King Eider.

[Chris]

I thought I was logged in but obviously I wasn't but that's my top five list.