Monday, 16 May 2016

Swallows, swallows, swallows... oh, and some other new birds

Since my pelagic boat trip, I've reached my goal – and passed it! I'm now at 128 birds.
In the last few days I've seen short and long-billed dowitchers, blue-winged teal, a peregrine falcon, red knots, golden plovers and black scoters, northern rough-winged swallows – which I have also seen in the last few days are one of my favourite swallows and I'm sad because these adorable plump little brown birds are often overlooked in comparison to the beauty of violet-green, tree or barn swallows. Every bird has its own special personality and I can't choose a favourite.
Thanks you for all the help from Adrian Dorst, Pete Clarkson and Artie Ahier. It is very nice for me to live in a community with some of, in my opinion, the best birders in BC.
After our martial arts demonstration at SOBO restaurant,
Pete Clarkson told me there were red knots at Greenpoint.
We raced out there with 30 minutes of daylight left and ... there they were!


Last year we had two barn swallows that built a nest under the ramp at the Crab Dock. They've returned this year and are building another nest in the same spot. I've had some really fun times with these two swallows and have named them Rufus and Tawny. I can't tell them apart but I still feel like they need to be named.



Our Pelagic Trip, photos by Marla Barker

Black Footed Albatross

Black Footed Albatross and gulls

Northern Fulmar
 

Prawn Dragger

Birdy
Dad and ornithologist, Mark Maftei
Birdy and Dad



Rhinocerus Auklet


By the Wind Sailor jellyfish (velella velella)


Fur seal thermoregulating

Northern Fulmar



Thursday, 5 May 2016

Adventures at Sea!


This last week was the Tofino shorebird festival, during which I went on two birding trips as part of the celebration. 
The first was a trip to Cleland island.  I was sponsored by Jamie’s Whaling Station and saw 6 new birds! (see list, at http://birdymcbirdface.blogspot.ca/2016/04/2016-list-of-birds.html
The next day I went on an Ocean Outfitters 9-hour pelagic trip, 30 miles offshore, to Clayoquot, Loudoun and Barkley canyons, where you could barely see land, but you could see: albatross, shearwaters and northern fulmars eating the by-catch from a prawn dragger; a few Cassin’s auklets scooping up plankton from the surface; three red-neck phalaropes sitting in the deep water; the occasional fur seal thermoregulating, (sunning their flippers, to maintain their body heat); my first ever sperm whale, and – another first! – the second biggest whale in the world, the fin whale! Now I am at 119 birds – just one away from my original goal!

I am very thankful to Jamie’s Whaling Station, https://www.jamies.com Ocean Outfitters https://www.oceanoutfitters.bc.ca/ and Mark Maftei www.harbourliving.ca/event/event/pelagic-seabirds-of-the-bc-coast-mark-maftei/2016-03-03/ our guide for both trips, who helped me a lot.
Also thank you to Marla Barker for these photos:
Here are a few and more are coming soon.


Just leaving Tofino


Birdy Mcbirdface in action

Sunday, 24 April 2016

101 Birds!

Yesterday I saw three new birds, starting with an American Dipper and its nest, which was just inches above a rushing waterfall. Then we saw a Pileated Woodpecker, tapping on a tree. And to top the day off, we found more nests including one with a Hairy Woodpecker in it.   
Thank you everyone for all your support. I have now checked more than 100 birds off my list! 
Also, check out these awesome bird drawings, here: http://rowanafloat.blogspot.ca/2016/04/if-you-would-like-too-see-some-other.html

Pileated Woodpecker

Friday, 15 April 2016

Bird Alert!



The latest bird alert I received was on April 10th from Adrian Dorst, telling me that Marbled Godwits had been sighted near Deadman’s island.
Marbled godwits are rare and beautiful shore birds. So when we heard about them, my Dad and I went looking and WE FOUND THEM! They didn’t mind the boat and we got a really good look at them. I am very happy as they have pushed my bird list to 90!  

Another star bird alert....
Yesterday my Mum and I were out walking and saw a strange bird land in a tree. Luckily I have my monocular handy at all times. We looked at it and thought it might be a house finch. But then it flew away. So then my mum took out her phone and played the song of a house finch. The bird flew right back to the tree closest to us, hopping from branch to branch, in bright sunlight. We got a VERY good look at him. He WAS a house finch! I'm proud to say that my new count is now 91.


When I began my bird year, one of my friends decided to share the fun of birding with me. Her name is Cedar and she has just started her own blog. You can link to it at www.nestinginmyhair.blogspot.com

Here are a few other interesting links: 
Kara Shaw recommended the Rocky Point Bird Observatory in Victoria and they posted this request at: http://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-really-need-your-help-looking-at-photos-of-adorable-penguins-seriously Scientists need your help looking at photos of adorable penguins. Seriously 
 
Also, Jackie Windh sent a link about thousands of migrating songbirds landing at a lighthouse in a storm.
http://www.thenaturalistsnotebook.com/our-blog/migrating-bird-fallout-on-machias-seal-island

Thanks everyone!

2016 List of Birds

December 31ST, 2016:    217 species!

1-     Hermit thrush – Wickaninnish beach trail
2-     Varied thrush – Wickaninnish beach trail
3-     American robin – Tofino
4-    Starling – Tofino
5-     Great blue heron – Crab dock, Tofino
6-     Bald eagle – Tofino
7-     Glaucous winged gull –  Tofino
8-     Fox sparrow – 240 Neill street
9-     Hooded merganser – Crab dock, Tofino
10-   Double crested cormorant – Crab dock, Tofino
11-   Common merganser – Crab dock, Tofino
12-   Northwestern crow – Tofino
13-   Common raven – Crab dock, Tofino
14-   Spotted towhee – 240 Neill street, Tofino
15-   Steller jay – 240 Neill street, Tofino
16-   Anna’s hummingbird – 240 Neill street
17-   Mallard – Crab dock, Tofino
18-   Northern Flicker – Crab dock hill, Tofino
19-   Black turnstone – Crab dock, Tofino
20-   Brant cormorant – boat trip
21-   Pelagic cormorant – boat trip
22-   Belted kingfisher – boat trip
23-   Common goldeneye – boat trip
24-   Western grebe – boat trip
25-   Western gull – boat trip
26-   Bufflehead – boat trip
27-   Surf scoter –  boat trip                                          BOAT TRIP
28-   Mew gull – boat trip                                            .Compost island
29-   Eurasian widgeon – boat trip                                 .Calf island
30-   Red throated loon – boat trip                               .Ginnard point
31-   Orange crowned warbler – Mallard lake, Tofino                     Laddie islets
32-   Barrow’s goldeneye – Crab dock, Tofino
33-   Black oystercatcher – Sloman island
34-   Red necked grebe –  Sloman island
35-   Wilson’s snipe – Gas and Go, Tofino
36-   Trumpeter swan – Port Alberni
37-   Red tailed hawk  –  Sproat lake, Port Alberni
38-   Grey jay – Mount Washington
       39 –  Spruce grouse  – Mount Washington
     40 –  Surf bird  – Crab dock
     41 –  American widgeon  – Stone island mudflats
 42 –  Pacific loon  – Stone island mudflats
 43 –  Red breasted merganser  –  Grice Bay
 44 –  Greater scaup  –  Grice Bay
 45 –  Yellow billed loon  –  Grice Bay
 46 –  House sparrow  –  240 Neill Street, Tofino
 47 –  Dunlin  –  Crab dock, Tofino
 48 –  Dark eyed juncos  –  240 Neill Street, Tofino
 49 –  Kill deer  –  Tugwell fields, Ucluelet
 50 –  Rock doves  – Wickaninnish Elementary schoolTofino
 51 –  Chestnut backed chickadee  –  Port Alberni Beaver pond
 52 –  Winter wren  –  Port Alberni Beaver pond
 53 –  Ring necked duck  –  Port Alberni Beaver pond
 54 –  Golden crowned kinglet  –  Port Alberni Beaver pond
 55 –  Song sparrow – Port Alberni sewage lagoons
 56 –  Gadwall – Port Alberni sewage lagoons
 57 –  Northern pintail – Port Alberni sewage lagoons
 58 – Northern shoveller – Port Alberni sewage lagoons
 59 – Canada goose  –  Grice Bay
 60 – Eurasian collared dove – 240 Neill Street, Tofino
 61 – White crowned sparrow – 240 Neill Street, Tofino    
 62 – Violet green swallow – Sobo, Tofino   
 63 – Red breasted nuthach – Port Alberni  
 64 – Turkey vulture –Nanaimo 
 65 – Brewers blackbird – Nanaimo   
 66 –  Coopers hawk –Crofton ferry 
 67 –  Pigeon gillemot – Crofton ferry    
 68 –  Rufous hummingbird –Saltspring Island
 69 –  Barred owl – Saltspring Island    
 70 –  Ring neck pheasant – Saltspring Island     
 71 –  Harlequin duck – Saltspring Island     
 72 –  Northern harrier – Reifel refuge, Delta
 73 –  Lesser scaup – Reifel refuge, Delta
 74 –  Snow goose – Reifel refuge, Delta
 75 –  Wood duck – Reifel refuge, Delta
 76 –  American coot – Reifel refuge, Delta
 77 –  Red winged blackbird – Reifel refuge, Delta
 78 –  Brown headed cowbird – Reifel refuge, Delta
 79 –  Golden crowned sparrow – Reifel refuge, Delta
 80 –  Cedar waxwing – Reifel refuge, Delta
 81 –  Tree swallow – Reifel refuge, Delta
 82 –  Marsh wren – Reifel refuge, Delta
 83 –  Greater yellow legs – Reifel refuge, Delta
 84 –  Green winged teal – Reifel refuge, Delta
 85 –  Sandhill crane – Reifel refuge, Delta
 86 –  Black crowned night heron – Reifel refuge, Delta
 87 –  Black capped chickadee – Reifel refuge, Delta
 88 –  Downy woodpecker –Englishman river, Errington
 89 –  Common loon – Marina west dock, Tofino
 90 –  Marbled Godwit –Deadman island sandbar
 91 –  House finch – St Columba church, Tofino
 92 – Sharp Shinned Hawk, Tofino airport
 93 – Caspian Tern, Clayoquot Island Spit

 94 – Whimbrel, Clayoquot Island Spit
 95 – Common Murre, Crab Dock Tofino
 96 – Black Bellied Plover, near Frank Island, Tofino
 97 – Semi-palmated Plover, near Frank Island, Tofino
 98 – Osprey, Jensen's Bay, Tofino
 99 – American Dipper, Qualicum Falls
100 – Pileated Woodpecker, Port Alberni Beaver Pond
101 – Hairy Woodpecker, Port Alberni Beaver Pond
102 – Savannah Sparrow, the Crab dock, Olsen Rd, Tofino
103 – Western sandpiper, the Crab Dock, Olsen Rd, Tofino
104 – Least sandpiper, the Crab Dock, Olsen Rd, Tofino

105 – Barn swallow, Jamies Whaling Station dock, Tofino
106 – Marbled murrelets, Jamie's boat trip
107 – Sanderlings,
Jamie's boat trip
108 – Rhinoceros auklet,
Jamie's boat trip
109 – Brant goose,
Jamie's boat trip
110 – Herring gull,
Jamie's boat trip
111 – White winged scoter, Pelagic trip
112 – Sooty Shearwater,
Pelagic trip
113 – Pink-footed shearwater,
Pelagic trip
114 – California Gull,
Pelagic trip
115 – Northern Fulmar,
Pelagic trip
116 – Sabine's gull,
Pelagic trip
117 – Red-necked phalarope,
Pelagic trip
118 – Cassin's auklet,
Pelagic trip
119 – Black-footed albatross,
Pelagic trip
120 – Semi-palmated sandpiper! low tide mudflats by boat
121 – Short-billed dowitcher, low tide mudflats by boat
122 – Long-billed dowitcher, Tofino airport
123 – Blue-winged teal, Tofino airport
124 – Peregrine falcon, Schooner cove, near Esowista
125 – Red Knot, Greenpoint
126 – Rough-winged swallow, Florencia bay at Lost Shoe creek
127 – Golden plover, Florencia Bay
128 – Black scoter, Florencia Bay 
129 – Horned Grebe, Incinerator Rock
130 – Spotted Sandpiper, Crab Dock Tofino
131 – Merlin  School field
132 – American Goldfinch, Fourth St, Tofino
133 – Pectoral Sandpiper, Tofino Airport
134 – Bandtailed Pigeon, Port Alberni sewage lagoons
135 – Common Yellowthroat, Port Alberni sewage lagoons
136 – Bushtit, Port Alberni sewage lagoons
137 – Yellow warbler, Port Alberni sewage lagoons
138 – Pacific Slope Flycatcher, Port Alberni sewage lagoons
139 – Cackling Goose, Port Alberni sewage lagoons
140 – Vesper sparrow, Port Alberni sewage lagoons
141 – Redbreasted sapsucker, Burde St, Port Alberni
142 – Swainson's thrush, Burde St, Port Alberni
143 – Western tanager, Burde St, Port Alberni
144 – Tufted Puffins, Cleland Island
145 – Yellow rumped warbler, Strathcona Park
146 – Sooty Grouse, Strathcone Park
147 – Snowy Plover! Florencia Bay
148 – Common Nighthawk, Tofino
149 – Wilson's Warbler, Connector trail, Tofino
150 – McGillivray's warbler, Tofino golf course
151 – Bewick's wren, Buttertubs Marsh Nanaimo
152 – Evening Grosbeak, Pemberton, Mile One parking lot
153 – Indigo Bunting, Pemberton Meadows Road
154 – Clark's nutcracker, Upper Joffre Lake
155 – Townsend's solitaire, Upper Joffre Lake
156 – Pine Siskin, Upper Joffre lake
157 – Red Crossbill, Ucluelet
158 – Brown Creeper, near Sutton Pass
159 – Hammond's Flycatcher, near Sutton Pass
160 – Hutton's Vireo, near Sutton Pass
161 – Black Headed Grosbeak, near Sutton Pass 
162 – Lesser Yellowlegs, Chesterman's Beach
163 – Wandering Tattler, Chetarpe rocks
164 – Townsend's Warbler, Island Beach, Catface
165 – Heerman's Gull, Calmus Passage
166 – Ruddy Turnstone, Cleland Island Ecological reserve
167 – Bonaparte's gull, Oyster Bay, Vancouver Island
168 – Ring Billed gull,
Oyster Bay, Vancouver Island
169 – Purple Martin,
Oyster Bay, Vancouver Island
170 – Gray Catbird, Tofino Airport
171 – Vaux's swifts, Sutton Pass area
172 – Warbling Vireo, Green Lake
173 – Mountain Chickadee, Whistler Mountain
174 – Rosy finches, Whistler Mountain

175 – Solitary sandpiper, Nahmint Lake
176 – Lincoln's sparrow, Tofino airport
177 – Black swifts, Tofino airport
178 – American pipit – Tofino airport
179 – Black billed magpie, Calgary airport
180 – American crow, Calgary airport
181 – Blue jay, Nova Scotia
182 – Mourning dove, Nov Scotia
183 – Great Black Backed Gull, Nova Scotia
184 – Great cormorant, Shediac Nova Scotia
185 – Ruffed gourse, Nova Scotia
186 – Northern Gannet, ferry to Newfoundland
187 – Red phalarope, ferry to Newfoundland
188 – Atlantic Puffin, Gull Island, Newfoundland
189 – Black legged kittiwake, Newfoundland
190 – Black and white warbler, Notre Dame, Newfoundland
191 – White throated sparrow, Notre Dame, Newfoundland
192 – White-winged grosbeak, Gros Morne trail, Newfoundland
193 – Boreal chickadees, Newfoundland
194 – Black-throated green warbler, Newfoundland Koa campground
195 – Common Eider, Green Point, Newfoundland
196 – Black-headed gull, Green point, Newfoundland
197 – Lapland longsupr, Green Point, Newfoundland
198 – Nashville warbler, Cape Ray, Newfoundland
199 – American Black Duck, Bras d'Or, Nova Scotia
200 – Pied billed grebe, New Brunswick
201 – Aleutian Cackling goose, Tofino
202 – Tropical kingbird, Tofino
203 – Blue-gray gnatcatcher, Clayoquot Island
204 – Thayer's gull, Clayoquot island spit
205 – Northern shrike, Comber's beach
206 – Greater white fronted goose, Comber's beach
207 – Mountain bluebird, Piper's Lagoon, Nanaimo
208 – Ruby-crowned kinglet, Nanaimo harbourfront
209 – Great horned owl, Riefel bird sanctuary
210 – Sawwhet owl, Riefel bird sanctuary
211 – American kestrel, Saanich peninsula
212 – Mute swan, Victoria
213 – Long-tailed duck, Victoria

214 – Sky lark, Saanich peninsula
215 – Canvasback, Victoria
216 – Ruddy duck, Swan Lake
217 – Short-eared owl, Roberts Bank
THE END!!!!!