Summer is upon us, if only in name, and birding has slowed to reflect it. Until yesterday, that is, when a Black Phoebe was discovered by Kerry Finley at Roberts Bay in Sidney. This is apparently the first documented record for Vancouver Island (and second record overall), and the bird delighted birders all day, yours truly included. The bird was at times cooperative and at times elusive, moving from one end of the bay to the next, and hawking insects over the water from various perches. I always try to guess what the next bird will be, and this time, as always, I wasn't even close!
There also must be something to this "if you will it, it will come" (or Will-et?). Last month, Jeremy Gatten and I were talking lists, and he had mentioned that he had never seen Sabine's Gull in Victoria. Of course, it was the very next day that he "stumbled" upon one at Tower Point. Anyway, Mike McGrenere, Rick Shortinghuis, and I were chatting yesterday (again with the bad birding pun) about Bullock's Orioles, and the apparent lack of this year, even at all of their traditional spots. I know Mike has been visiting their haunts frequently, and I have been checking them out as well, all to no avail. This morning Mike called me, having just found a male Oriole at the corner of Welch and Livesay, in an area that has been checked pretty well every day. I made my way out there, and had no trouble locating the bird being very showy and vocal in the tall cottonwood on the east side of Welch Rd, about 30m south of Livesay. Down goes another target!
This brings me to 204 for my Big Year quest, with 48 to go!
On another note, my wife is coordinating a shoreline cleanup area (Albert Head) for September 17. If anyone is interested, please email me at vanislebirder@yahoo.com.
Good birding,
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