Migration and Poor Vacation Planning

Well, it looks like migration may finally be picking up! A Palm Warbler was banded at Rocky Point a couple of days ago, the first Lapland Longspurs were reported this morning, and good numbers of raptors are moving through East Sooke and Rocky Point.

Last Thursday, Mike M called me, letting me know about 4 Sandhill Cranes near McIntyre Reservoir. By the time I made it out there they were gone, so I circled around to Martindale Rd, where I found Mary R. I pulled over in front of her, and she jogged up to the car before I had even stopped, letting me know that 8 Cranes had just taken off and were flying to the north. I quickly got my binoculars on them, for #227! Thanks Mike and Mary!

There have also been good numbers of raptors, we had our first small kettle of Turkey Vultures over Rocky Point yesterday, in company with a single Red-tailed Hawk. Jeremy G and I spent yesterday afternoon at the hawkwatch spot in East Sooke Park, where over two and a half hours we counted 150+ Band-tailed Pigeons, 50 Red Crossbills, 50-60 Turkey Vultures, 2 Red-tailed Hawks, and 3 Sharp-shinned Hawks.

Now that things are heating up, it looks like my vacation could not have come at a worse time for big yearing..... On Thursday morning, my brother and I will be heading for Westport for the pelagic trip on Saturday, after which we will be working our way down to Tucson via Newport, Redding, and the Salton Sea. I will post a complete trip report when I get back, on a separate tab off of the home page.

Here's hoping I can pick up a few more before I leave! If anything does show up, I am never more than 15,000 air miles away........

Good birding,

Another Good Weekend

The sun was shining, and the birds were calling! Being a long weekend, I decided to make a concerted effort to clean up some outstanding species, now that migration is somewhat upon us.

Friday afternoon found me, along with 50 or so dogs, at Whiffin Spit in Sooke. This location turns up great birds every year, if you can handle to aggravation and frustration of sharing it with dog walkers whose only aim, it seems, is to vicariously enjoy nature by watching their canines chase it. In defense, there are responsible dog owners that use the spit but they, unfortunately, are in the minority. The only good birds on Friday afternoon were a Horned Lark and a Common Loon, both fall firsts for me.

Saturday morning found me back at Whiffin Spit, still searching for my year Ruddy Turnstone. These birds turn up at Whiffin annually, and it seems a little unfair to me that there is currently one in Albuquerque, NM, but we have none. Again, there was to be no love from this species. I did, however, find Mary R, and we located 3 American Pipits, another fall first for me, as well as another Horned Lark (a different individual from Friday's) calling and singing away, while a Merlin perched on the other side of a pile of driftwood. Both birds were completely oblivious to the presence of the other.

Sunday it was back on the MV Coho, hoping for some semi-pelagic birds. Not long out of Victoria, we came upon the first good bird of the day, a streamer-less Jaeger that shall forever after be recorded as "Jaeger sp.". Shortly after that, amidst a feeding flock of mixed gulls, a Pomarine Jaeger made an appearance. Out closer to the border, I had a great, long look at a Parasitic Jaeger (#224) flying parallel to the boat. The journey was also complimented by several Harbour Porpoises, and a group of Dall's Porpoises feeding or playing near the border. Several small groups of Red-necked Phalaropes dotted the water as well. The U.S. side was pretty well devoid of birds, which left us with 5 hours to kill before the return trip. The return trip was again quiet on the U.S. side, but when we crossed the border, the Phalaropes started showing again. As I was watching one such group, a small black bird with long, slender wings and a white rump flew through the group, quickly catching my attention. I followed the bird with my binoculars for as long as I could, enjoying my first Canadian Leach's Storm-Petrel (#225). Another (or the same) Parasitic Jaeger was again chasing gulls closer to shore. Not a bad way to spend a day!

Monday morning I opted to head out to Rocky Point to help out with the census, seeing as how we are getting into migration time, and I need all the help I can get before I take off for Westport and Tucson on the 22nd. The morning started off quietly, but during the census, it started to feel a lot like late September hawkwatching at East Sooke. As I rounded the corner to the Upper Meadow, I was greeted by 3 Turkey Vultures, 2 Sharp-shinned Hawks, 1 Red-tailed Hawk, and a juvenile/immature Northern Goshawk (#226). Also in evidence were migration numbers of Band-tailed Pigeon (80+), Red Crossbills, more Sharp-shinned Hawks, 2 Cooper's Hawks, and 1 Peregrine Falcon.

A later day drive out to Jordan River with Jeremy G turned up little, but I did find a female Bufflehead at Ayum Creek, just east of Sooke. This is the first for the fall, and a tad early.

Let the migration begin!