Post by davepeppar on May 15, 2010 14:27:54 GMT -8
My wife and I took advantage of the great weather and to do a 3 day 2 night trip. Some of the areas we birded and some of the highlight bird we saw are:
Left Wednesday and started at Emery Creek PP just north of Hope on #1. Saw the first of many Black Throated Grey Warbler, Red Breasted Nuthatch.
Spuzzum Creek Road had More BTGW, Western Wood Pee Wee and a unidentified Sparrow.
Next we had an unplaned 40 min stop at China Bridge while they worked on the road. Near the Elvis Restaurant was 10+ Rufus Hum at their feeders. Also Pine Siskens, Bullock Orioles and a flock of Gold Finch.
At Boston Bar we saw our only Calliope Hum.
At Lytton was a probable Vaux's Swift and Nashville Warb.
The Skihist Picnic area of the PP were Western Tanager, Chipping Sparrow.
The camground east of Spences Bridge on #8 had the expected Lewis Woodpeckers. We saw only one pair there.
Along #8 were lots of A Kestrels, W Kingbirds and most Swallows. Magpies started to become common.
At Merritt we went along #5A and stopped at the first rest stop on the lake. We saw Wilson, Orange Crown and a Nashville Warb.
At Beaver Ranch Wet Lands were 23 different birds that we could see. The Rudy Ducks were doing the courtship dance. Many of the ducks such as Canvas Back, A Wigeons, Redhead and Gadwals were there. B Goldeneyes were common. Eared Grebes also.
We saw 60 birds on our very busy first day. Night in Kamloops.
In the morning we headed east on #1 and at our first chance K
crossed the Thompson and drove east along the road to Pritchard. We birded mostly from the car seeing M Doves, many Red Tailed Hawk including a Harlin. Savannah and Vesper Sparrows. Mountain and Western Bluebirds, Scrub Jays. Just east of Pritchard on the same road is a small pond in a cattle field. Lots of both Yellow and Red Winged BB. Also a Cinnamon Teal, Song Sparrows and out first Yellow Rump - Audubon.
We returned to Pritchard and went south west along Duck Range Road. Shrike's were on the wires and at a small pond we saw a Wilson Philantrope. Last year we stopped a junction of two roads about 6K from #97. It was very active with over 10 birds found. This year when we got to the same spot we found all the trees had been removed! We still found some of the same birds around such as a House Wren, Mountain Blue Bird. No flycatchers though.
Along 97 were Cooper Hawks, Harriers and many of the same birds we saw the day before. Day 2 total was 20.
We spent the night in Penticton and began the next morning going south on 97 birding the OK Falls campsite. We saw our first C Quail, Grey Jay, Evening Grosbeaks there.
At Vasax Lake only White Throated Swifts were added.
At Gallagher Lake we visited my cousin who said they have been seeing this funny robin. It turned out to be a Say's Phoebe.
At Rd 22 we ran into the biggest bird of the day - Russ Cannings! He was showing a film maker from the movie "The Big Day" the Curve Billed Curlew. What a nice young man.
We saw our only Collared Dove in the area plus Cliff, Barn and V-G Swallows.
It was now after 6 so we headed home. 90 birds total. Which is a good amount for us. As always we left a few birds unidentified....mostly sparrows and fly catchers.
Thanks to all those people who post on this web because as most of the places we went to were suggested by other birders.
Dave Peppar
Chilliwack
Left Wednesday and started at Emery Creek PP just north of Hope on #1. Saw the first of many Black Throated Grey Warbler, Red Breasted Nuthatch.
Spuzzum Creek Road had More BTGW, Western Wood Pee Wee and a unidentified Sparrow.
Next we had an unplaned 40 min stop at China Bridge while they worked on the road. Near the Elvis Restaurant was 10+ Rufus Hum at their feeders. Also Pine Siskens, Bullock Orioles and a flock of Gold Finch.
At Boston Bar we saw our only Calliope Hum.
At Lytton was a probable Vaux's Swift and Nashville Warb.
The Skihist Picnic area of the PP were Western Tanager, Chipping Sparrow.
The camground east of Spences Bridge on #8 had the expected Lewis Woodpeckers. We saw only one pair there.
Along #8 were lots of A Kestrels, W Kingbirds and most Swallows. Magpies started to become common.
At Merritt we went along #5A and stopped at the first rest stop on the lake. We saw Wilson, Orange Crown and a Nashville Warb.
At Beaver Ranch Wet Lands were 23 different birds that we could see. The Rudy Ducks were doing the courtship dance. Many of the ducks such as Canvas Back, A Wigeons, Redhead and Gadwals were there. B Goldeneyes were common. Eared Grebes also.
We saw 60 birds on our very busy first day. Night in Kamloops.
In the morning we headed east on #1 and at our first chance K
crossed the Thompson and drove east along the road to Pritchard. We birded mostly from the car seeing M Doves, many Red Tailed Hawk including a Harlin. Savannah and Vesper Sparrows. Mountain and Western Bluebirds, Scrub Jays. Just east of Pritchard on the same road is a small pond in a cattle field. Lots of both Yellow and Red Winged BB. Also a Cinnamon Teal, Song Sparrows and out first Yellow Rump - Audubon.
We returned to Pritchard and went south west along Duck Range Road. Shrike's were on the wires and at a small pond we saw a Wilson Philantrope. Last year we stopped a junction of two roads about 6K from #97. It was very active with over 10 birds found. This year when we got to the same spot we found all the trees had been removed! We still found some of the same birds around such as a House Wren, Mountain Blue Bird. No flycatchers though.
Along 97 were Cooper Hawks, Harriers and many of the same birds we saw the day before. Day 2 total was 20.
We spent the night in Penticton and began the next morning going south on 97 birding the OK Falls campsite. We saw our first C Quail, Grey Jay, Evening Grosbeaks there.
At Vasax Lake only White Throated Swifts were added.
At Gallagher Lake we visited my cousin who said they have been seeing this funny robin. It turned out to be a Say's Phoebe.
At Rd 22 we ran into the biggest bird of the day - Russ Cannings! He was showing a film maker from the movie "The Big Day" the Curve Billed Curlew. What a nice young man.
We saw our only Collared Dove in the area plus Cliff, Barn and V-G Swallows.
It was now after 6 so we headed home. 90 birds total. Which is a good amount for us. As always we left a few birds unidentified....mostly sparrows and fly catchers.
Thanks to all those people who post on this web because as most of the places we went to were suggested by other birders.
Dave Peppar
Chilliwack
