Another Great Day!

I can't remember the last time I picked up four new species in one day.... I think it was January 1st.

The weather after work today was perfect for birding, so I did the rounds of a couple of spots, ending up at Little Mount Doug, where Mike McGrenere found a Townsend's Solitaire yesterday. After I made it up to the ridge, passing about 20 Orange-crowned Warblers and my first Chipping Sparrows of the year, I spent about half an hour criss-crossing the ridge. There was nary a quiet moment, as flickers, quail, finches, sparrows, and robins filled the air with their song. But there was also no sign of the Townsend's Solitaire.

I decided to head a touch lower on the ridge, back to where it first opens up. On the way down, I noticed a dull, medium-sized bird sitting in the top of a small oak. A quick look confirmed it was the bird I was looking for, my first (and hard-won) Townsend's Solitaire of the year. When I moved closer for a better view, a second Solitaire flew up into another oak about 20 feet away! I must have walked past both of them on the way up.

Then, this evening, Ian Cruickshank called to say he had just found a pair of Cinnamon Teal at Panama Flats, along with Greater Yellowlegs and 60 Least Sandpipers. I headed down there, and after parking alongside Roy Rd, walked onto the trail that runs the perimeter. I found the teal shining in the sun at the farthest corner of the flats, despite a young girl with a very unruly dog that kept putting the sandpipers and waterfowl into the air. On the way back to the car I also found a single American Pipit, and pulled my first Cliff Swallow of the year out of the swarm.

It looks like migration may finally be happening here in Victoria, now if only the Lower Mainland or Tofino would lend us a couple of their vagrants........