Christmas Bird Count 2006 results

[JeffOver]

Hi all,
Hope you had a wonderful day birding!! Dave and Trichelle, Jack, and I took Routes 4 and 5 this year, which approximately is everything between Yale and the Fraser from Reeves Rd. to Parr Rd and a bit beyond...I don't have the maps with me so I'm not sure exactly what the boundaries were. It included Island 22. Dave was our leader.
Our total was 49 species, one short of our goal. The fiftieth species may have been 7 red crossbills on Little Mtn, but as they were high up in the tops of the trees, and I was by myself at the time, and my head was perpendicular to my body , and the sky was white, I couldn't see any colours, so I didn't mark it down...but, just for the record.... Anyway, highlights are marked in bold.
American Coot-1
American Kestrel-3
American Robin-19
American Widgeon-59
Bald Eagle-29
Black-capped chickadee-21
Brown Creeper-2
Bufflehead-57
Bushtit-70
Canada Goose-352
Chestnut-backed chickadee-2
Common Goldeneye-54
Common Merganser-40
Common Raven-3
Cooper's Hawk-3
Dark-eyed (Oregon) Junco-55
Downy Woodpecker-2
European Starling-385 (surprise, they won the day:
Fox Sparrow-2
Gadwall-27
Glaucous-winged Gull-244
Golden-crowned kinglet-4
Golden-crowned sparrow-1
Great Blue heron-14
Green-winged Teal-43
Hairy Woodpecker-3
Hooded Merganser-35 (Beautiful birds!)
House finch-18
House sparrow-55
Mallard-306
Merlin-1 (Island 22) ;D
Northern Flicker-16
Northwestern Crow-218
Pied-billed Grebe-19 (we were surprised at the number)
Red-tailed hawk-3
Ring-necked duck-33
Rock dove-75
Ruby-crowned kinglet-2
Sharp-shinned hawk-3
Song Sparrow--50
Spotted Sandpiper-1
Spotted Towhee-6
Steller's Jay-34
Trumpeter Swan-2
Varied Thrush-2
White-crowned Sparrow-44
Winter Wren-3
Wood Duck-17
Barred Owl--1--I stopped and hiked up Little Mtn after we finished, which is in our count area, and was surprised to find this bird fly out when I did some pishing on the trail!!! A life bird for me!! ;D ;D

Surprises for us were the high numbers of Cooper's and Sharp-shinned's, and the lack of blackbirds . Waterfowl numbers may have been higher, but several of the creeks were frozen.
Parr Rd. was really good for sparrows. Weather wise, a very nice day for birding!! I'm looking forward to reading other reports!

Jeff Overduin

[b1schmor]

Hi Jeff, sounds like you people had a great day. Caroynn and I were in the Chilliwack River Valley (Area 23) for the day and managed to tally 29 species. Here is our information for the day. Unfortunately, due to another commitment, we can't make the potluck.

Date: December 16, 2006 Party Hours: By Car 2 On Foot: 6
Area 23 Party KM: By Car 68 On Foot: 14
Leader Brent Schmor Observer Carolynn Schmor Recorder Brent Schmor

American Dipper 12
Bald Eagle 49
Barrow's Goldeneye 4
Belted Kingfisher 1
BLack-capped Chickadee 46
Bufflehead 7
Chestnut-backed Chickadee 4
Common Goldeneye 6
Common Merganser 26
Dark-eyed Junco 107
Double-crested Cormorant 4
Downy Woodpecker 4
Glaucous-winged Gull 295
Golden-crowned Kinglet 27
Great Blue Heron 6
Herring Gull 1
Hooded Merganser 2
House Finch 1
House Sparrow 2
Mallard 49
Northern Flicker 5
Northwestern Crow 31
Red-tailed Hawk 3
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 3
Song Sparrow 15
Spotted Towhee 16
Steller's Jay 22
Varied Thrush 6
Winter Wren 17

Thanks,
Brent Schmor
Abbotsford

[Gord]

Nice work Jeff! Too bad you couldnt share a few small hawks for me. Just kidding!

Missed you at the dinner, Brent. Ill make sure your results get in. Thanks for participating and helping us Chilliwackians out.

Im dead tired, but the neighbors, who were not up at 5:30 looking for owls, are having a rowdy party. Yah hoo. Might as well share my count day as I wont be sleeping.

My count area is south of the highway from Prest to Hack Brown Rd.

Got up a little earlier than intended, but ended up staying up in fear of 'sleeping for another hour' turning into two hours. Checked for some owls but came up dry. It was chilly with a stiff breeze out of the east. A bearable wind, but wouldnt take much to make it worse. The moon was a sliver.



At just before 8, headed down to start my day at the customary location at Banford Rd. As expected, got two small flocks of American pipits overhead. I set up shop to scope a large flock of wigeon and ducks when the light improved. In the meantime, I scanned with my scope the surround looking for short-eared owls and etc. I panned a few degrees, and found a juv snowy owl! As I was cold, I went into the car for a few minutes, intending for pictures when there was enough light. As I emerged from the car, I saw a large falcon flying almost towards me at an angle. A gyrfalcon. I could see the snowy owl in the background as I watched it! I though it was going for the wigeon, but kept going. Seconds later, the wigeon got really upset as a peregrine falcon charged in, chased them around a bit, and landed in the field a short distance away. I then started back for the owl to get these pictures, and a really dark plumaged merlin went by! This is all inside a minute. Easily the most unreal minute of birding Ive had for a while. Oh, and the owl left during the excitement. I didnt see it again all day, but would catch a glimpse of the gyrfalcon again out towards Annis Rd.

Next highlight was a nice adult western gull on McGuire Rd. Not far from here was a second merlin.



The final great bonus of the day was a prairie falcon. I first spotted it at the intersection of Upper Prairie and Prairie Central Rd. Happily, there was no traffic, so I got out of the car to check on this very obviously brown falcon. It flew quite close, giving great views of its underwings that showed diagnostic black 'armpits' and ribs. It then landed on a hydro tower and I got some digiscoped pictures before it flew again to another hydro tower further east on Prairie Central.

Nice white eyebrow, dark flanks and short wing projection that doesnt pass the tail.







Stopped at a barn where I have permission to check for owls and was rewarded with a barn owl. Sorry for the flash fella!



Ended my day at Banford Field again, but nothing of note aside from a nice sunset.





My list: Couldnt buy a small hawk, killdeer, pintail or goose. If I'd found a kestrel, I would have had a 5 falcon day!!

Am. pipit 8
Am. dipper 1
Am. robin 2
Am. wigeon 213
Bald eagle 5
Barn owl 1
Black-capped chickadee 35
Brewer's blackbird 49
Brown creeper 3
Bufflehead 3
Chestnut-backed chickadee 23
Common raven 11
Downy woodpecker 5
Fox sparrow 3
Glaucous winged gull 326
Golden-crowned kinglet 18
Golden-crowned sparrow 1
Great blue heron 9
Hairy woodpecker 1
Hooded merganser 4
House finch 21
House sparrow 39
Dark-eyed junco 209 (+ 2 slate-colored ssp)
Mallard 418
Northwestern crow 14 (low!)
Northern flicker 8
Northern harrier 4
Peregrine falcon 1
Pine sisken 32
Red-tailed hawk 7
Red-winged blackbird 17
Ring-necked duck 2
Rock dove (feral pigeon) 121
Ruby-crowned kinglet 2
Song sparrow 21
Spotted towhee 14
Starling 1018
Steller's jay 27
Thayer's gull 3
Trumpeter swan 42
Varied thrush 3
White-crowned sparrow 2
Winter wren 5
Snowy owl 1
Merlin 2
Gyrfalcon 1
Western gull 1
Savannah sparrow 1
Townsend's solitare 1
Prairie falcon 1

[Gord]

Forgot to add song sparrow and ruby-crowned kinglet on my days sightings!

Also forgot to say thanks for everyone who brought the lovely food for the potluck and made a nice evening. It was really great to see the kids who were keen on birds and who did very well on their count finding a probable sanderling and horned grebe.

The final number of species for the day was 90.

[Gord]

Just updating the bird alert here, where did you see the spotted sandpiper, Jeff? That's a great winter species! Those 19 pied-billed grebes are also a good high number.

[b1schmor]

Gord, that sure sounds like a great one minute of birding. Wow!! Sorry I missed the dinner. I was hoping to cram two events into one day and just didn't have enough time to get back to Chilliwack for the dinner. Thanks for getting my info to where it needs to go. If the official sheet is needed let me know. I am game for next year as long as I'm in town.

I would also be interested in any updates this week on the Spotted Sandpiper, Snowy Owl, or Praire Falcon. I may get some time next Saturday to do some looking.

Thanks,
Brent Schmor
Abbotsford

[Dave]

Spotted Sandpiper Location

We picked up the Spotted Sandpiper at the far Northwest end of Wellington. There is a gravel road in the Native Reserve there with backwater of the Fraser River. The River is low and there are large expanses of muddy banks. Last year on the bird count we had a Spotted Sandpiper in the same area. I would be fairly sure that spending the time scoping the two sides of the river will bring you one.

Awesome birds, Gord! After seeing quite a few Coopers and Sharp-shinned, I remember telling Jeff that all we need was something like a Prairie Falcon!!

Barred, Snowy, Barn, any other owl species??

-Dave

[Gord]

Jason got a pygmy owl on his route.

Good call on the prairie falcon!!

[Gord]

Should highlight another good species that I just got more information on (updated on alert yesterday)

The reported common redpolls were a flock of 15 found on Chilliwack Central Rd between Upper Prairie and Annis Rd. Apparently there is a feeder near by with lots of activity with sparrows, finches and blackbirds.

Great find, Janne!