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Post by Deleted on Dec 27, 2010 21:04:13 GMT -8
Hi, everyone.
Mid morning today on the Abbotsford-Mission Christmas Bird Count, I found an Acorn Woodpecker in the small village of Matsqui, in a rural area of Abbotsford near the Fraser River. It appears to be a female. I didn't hear any vocalization from this bird in the 10 minutes we were observing it, but it showed the undulating flight of a woodpecker on several occasions.
Directions to the location: Take Hwy 1 to the Sumas exit in Abbotsford, and follow Hwy 11 north toward Mission for several miles to the traffic light at Harris Rd (56th Ave). Turn left here, onto Harris Rd. One block later turn right on Riverside Rd (traffic light), and follow Riverside Rd for about 4 blocks through Matsqui village. Turn right on Fore Rd, a gravel lane just before a small slough bordering a small community park. Fore Rd dead-ends at the railway. Looking left (north) from this point there is a row of cottonwoods growing along the west side of the RR grade. The bird was perched in one of these cottonwoods. It also flew across the RR to a grove of hazelnut trees, and back into the cottonwoods, where it moved around to various trees. The cottonwoods are also visible from the above mentioned park. There is a parking lot there. Walk further to the back fence, and across the slough you see the row of cottonwood trees.
From Hwy 7, exit in Mission onto Hwy 11 toward Abbotsford. Immediately at the end of the bridge over the Fraser River, exit off Hwy 11. You are now on Riverside Rd. Shortly you will see the small park on your left, and Fore Rd just past it.
Be aware: this is an active rail line so use caution. Also be aware that while you can turn east off Hwy 11 northbound onto another part of Fore Rd, there is no access from Hwy 11 to this portion of Fore Rd. You can only get to it from Riverside Rd.
Good luck to anyone trying for this bird.
Stan Olson Abbotsford, BC
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Post by Chris on Dec 27, 2010 22:48:17 GMT -8
WOW, Stan what a find!! I am certain that this is the first record for our checklist area.
Thanks for the great directions. I will probably check for this bird tomorrow morning along with many other people.
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Post by Gord on Dec 27, 2010 22:56:53 GMT -8
Stan, way to go! Ill certainly follow along to see how long it sticks around and if Ill be in the area one day to have a look for it. You must have been terribly surprised!!! What a sight.
Is indeed the first record for around here. There might have been one at Manning briefly earlier this year but nothing reliable came from it at this time.
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Post by b1schmor on Dec 28, 2010 8:33:32 GMT -8
Hello birders,
I just saw a report on BCVANBIRDS that the Acorn Woodpecker was seen at 8:00 am today (Tuesday).
Cheers, Brent
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Post by Chris on Dec 28, 2010 10:32:24 GMT -8
im here and the bird is still present
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Post by birder1942 on Dec 28, 2010 12:45:17 GMT -8
Hi fellow birders. Many of you area already aware that Stan Olson found an Acorn Woodpecker on the Abbotsford/Mission CBC. Thank you Stan. It was still active all this morning around the same area near the pool and park in Matsqui village. Check the BCVanbirds site for directions. Most folks park along Fore Road in Matsqui village. You will like find birders around. Happy New Year, John Vooys Abbotsford.
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Post by Chris on Dec 28, 2010 13:16:31 GMT -8
I was there as well this morning. I like when the rare birds show up when school is out! There were a lot of people there when I showed up around 10. I was there for over an hour and I would estimate that there would have been about 30 different people show up between that time. It was nice to see quite a few local birders there along with birders from the coast. Nice to meet a few new people as well. Stan's directions were perfect. When I got there the bird was seen but wasn't seen for about ten minutes. Five minutes later it reappeared. It likes to hang out in the nut field and then fly up into the high cottonwood trees. I think that this bird could stick around for a while. Obviously a new bird for me. Thanks to Brent for posting that it was seen this morning.
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Post by Wetlander on Dec 28, 2010 15:00:16 GMT -8
The Acorn continues this afternoon... got a couple of ID shots, nothing special. It was hanging close to the tracks in the nut orchard. We just walk a bit up the tracks and spotted it almost right away... very distinctive and eye catching! One of my guides mentions "clown faced" as a description. Marion and I got there just after noon and about a dozen folks were out. Saw several I recognized... got to chat with a couple before we had to run. Had to laugh, Marion was chatting on the phone to her sister when we got home and mentioned we were in Matsqui. The easiest way for her to describe to a non-birder what we were up to was that we had a "bird thing" today, like it was a club meeting or something!
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Post by oldfulica on Dec 28, 2010 15:07:17 GMT -8
Thanks for the great bird Stan. Nice to meet old faces this morning. The bird wouldn't allow a close up but a Varied Thrush added some character;
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Post by Gord on Dec 28, 2010 15:14:07 GMT -8
The boys and I and a few other birders enjoyed some views through my scope at it from about 1:45-2:00 when it then disappeared. We had arrived at about 1:30. It had not reappeared when we left at about 2:15 to beat a train that was coming (we had parked on the other side of the tracks) I got some photos similar to Len and Kev's too which will come later. It was good to see a few old faces and to meet a couple new ones. Thanks again to Stan and the lucky birders who were with him that morning to find this amazing little woodpecker! ;D Wonder how long it will hang around and also wonder how long it was there! Chris and I mused it possibly has been there a little while!
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Post by Wetlander on Dec 28, 2010 15:41:17 GMT -8
Good point, Gord. Chatted briefly with Stan, and he said for all we know it could have been here for a month! Thanks again to Stan and Brent for the posts that got me out there... What a CBC bird!
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Post by beyondhope on Dec 28, 2010 18:15:13 GMT -8
It was so worth missing work today, thanks Stan & everyone else that had spotting scopes, great views of her! Nice talking to you all, I'm sure we will all be back if the weather smarten's up! 2010 CBC bird of the year
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Post by Gord on Dec 28, 2010 18:31:15 GMT -8
Beyond Hope, I would suggest that it is indeed the bird of the year for BC if not all of Canada! A bit more of a report: When we arrived at the site there was nobody around. I parked and we waited. Brian came about five minutes later and then a couple more vehicles arrived. It was not much longer when it popped up down the tracks a ways and I got it in the scope. The boys enjoyed looking at it and comparing it to the bird guide. It then flew closer to us. The boys got even better looks and then we walked back down the road to try for a picture. It was still a bit far away. We looked back to see the rest of the group getting a look through the scope (still set for smaller people!) which was good as I think it left before other scopes could get set up. Fantastic little bird!!
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Post by Chris on Dec 28, 2010 19:05:19 GMT -8
Nice pictures guys. I took a few when I was there but it was too far away and you can't really tell what it is. Kev, I might have to steal Marion's phrase "bird thing" once in a while. Good way to describe it. It's great to see a lot of people are able to see this bird.
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Post by Dave on Dec 28, 2010 22:07:59 GMT -8
Hi Stan, That is a top-notch bird and even more special to get it on the CBC count! Congratulations! You have set a "high bar" for Christmas Bird Count discoveries!! I would love to head over and see your bird, hopefully I can free myself up soon! Glad to hear the count organizer was rewarded
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