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The Rarest of the Rare

I’m sitting here in shock. Looking through the photos, checking Sibley’s, looking at the photos. There’s no doubt that I saw what I immediately identified. I just still can’t believe that it’s over here.

Back it up. I had just been out for a walk along the best birding areas in Canmore, but I hadn’t seen much. Instead of turning home with a book full of warblers and thrushes, I had a few Mallards and an American Crow. I turned into my yard and saw a Ruby-crowned Kinglet, and then another, and a third. Kinglets are tiny and bounce around a lot, and it was while I was watching them that something else flew into the large bush.

I looked over, expecting to see a Dark-eyed Junco, or a White-crowned Sparrow, and instead see a stunning, male warbler. And not just any warbler. A Black-throated Blue Warbler.

Of course, as I maneuvered around the cars and trees (yes, they were that close together, this is Canmore) I was thinking about this eastern species. Suddenly I remembered. If you see a rare bird, especially one like this, you take a photo to confirm it.

It naturally flew away very soon after that thought and I was left with forgetfulness to blame for my few snatched photos as it hopped around on the other side of the bush.

So, I’m sorry that I can’t give you better shots, but I will try again today, if I can find it.
A Black-throated Blue Warbler is quite the find in Alberta, never mind in this little mountain town. And, of course, in my own yard.

The West Coast (Week One)

I recently returned from a two-week camping trip to Vancouver Island, as many of you know. We left on Saturday the 6th of August, and stopped over night at our friends’ place in Summerland.

My Dad and I woke early on the Sunday and explored the neighbourhood. A Killdeer calling from the top of a tree attracted attention, but it was merely an imitating Starling. There were some Stellar’s Jays around, but we were more interested in the California Quail, a bird that we do not have at home.

As the 6:00 ferry was full that evening, we had to wait for the 7:00, which left plenty of time for us to bird the hotspot. Common Loons, Great Blue Herons, and Glaucous-winged Gulls were plentiful, but the Highlight was a Peregrine Falcon that swooped in at about 6:30, and stayed until we left.

That night, we set up camp at Goldstream Provincial Park, where we would stay for the following week.

On Monday the 8th we birded Whiffin Spit. Halfway down the path we were watching some White-crowned Sparrows when a twittering Anna’s Hummingbird zoomed over our heads. Lifer!

Western Sandpiper, another lifer from Whiffin Spit

Tuesday we went out to Cowichan Bay, where we identified Purple Martins, but the real Highlight was Esquimalt Lagoon, 2 swan species, and many ducks, gulls and guillemots.

We spent much of our third day at the Victoria Museum. but when we left we found a few Anna’s Hummingbirds and 3 Purple Finches.

On Thursday we headed to Botanical Beach, where the first thing that we encountered was a Black Bear. After it had left, I found some Western Sandpipers and Harlequin Ducks, but the treat was an immature Golden-crowned Sparrow. In the woods nearby, a lone Yellow-bellied Flycatcher called.

On our final full day based in Goldstream, we took a ferry across to Saltspring Island and Maxwell Mountain, where we saw 2 Baldies, 2 Peregrines and 6 Turkey Vultures in the space of five minutes.

We packed up camp fairly early the next morning, and went to Cattle Point to look for Black Turnstones. just as we were turning back, we saw them, a long distance away, but it counted.

That evening, we hit Swan Lake were we found Bushtits, Anna’s Hummingbirds and the Best view of a Bewick’s Wren so far.

That concluded the first week, but we had high hopes for the second. A pelagic tour from Tofino, more lifers, and the famous Reifel Bird Sanctuary all awaited. So far, I had a lifer count of 7 for seven days. Could I keep it up?

I’m Back!

I’m back from the West Coast, and have quite a few photos to go through. I will post soon, with all of the best photos and stories from the first week.

Coastal Birding

Four years ago, we set out on the trip that I have the clearest memories of. A visit to the Vancouver Island. This doesen’t sound amazing, but for a young birder only a few years into his birding career, it was paradise. I added 40 species to my life list on that trip, including the spectacular Flammulated Owl and Black-headed Grosbeak.

And now, we are set to repeat that trip, heading out on Saturday and arriving on the island on Sunday. Now, this is where it gets interesting. My Dad has been out there twice without me, and consiquently has a good many more birds than I do. I will have to catch up on about 15 species including Anna’s Hummingbird and Common Murre.

There are, in adition to the ones he has seen, some that are on my target list.
Red-throated Loon, Golden-crowned Sparrow and Tufted Puffin being of high priority.

I will post soon about what I have seen and experienced on my second trip to the West Coast.

Drive to Drumheller and Back Again

We were going out to Drumheller for the Saturday. I knew what this meant. No more than fifteen minutes out of our way was Langdon Corner Slough. I had been preparing all week – for what? For the first time ever, an Arctic Tern was nesting in Alberta, and we were going to see it.

I know Langdon Corner Slough pretty well, and I knew that the tern was nesting on an island a good distance out, too far for our cameras too do much good. That was why I had my Uncle’s gleaming fixed 400 ml. lens beside me with two extenders. The extenders would slow down the shutter speed by a stop or two depending on which one we used, but it would give us the extra distance I needed to get a half-decent shot.

Sadly, the ARTE is not the one flying, but second from the left sitting.

I found it almost immediatly, but could not get a good photo because of the distance and heavy camera. Through my scope, we found also the two hybrid Common/Arctic immatures, but they were hidden by the long grass. Here is a Common feeding its baby (not a hybrid).

The terns were active quite a bit, and the one time that the Arctic flew and I caught it, it was out of focus. Here is the shot. The Arctic is in the bottom left corner.In one corner of the Slough, we saw a large number of Marbled Godwit. I haven’t really looked for one, so if anyone sees a Hudsonian in there, please let me know.

That was it for Langdon, but there will always be Upland Sandpipers on the way out East.

I also got a nice photo of the all too common White-crowned Sparrow. If your ebird checklist doesn’t have one here, you’re cheating.

And that’s it! I will post again soon.

Best Photos of The First Half of The Year

This post is for the photos, so I’ll keep the words short. All of the photos after a certain header are from that place/event, and they are the best that I took there. Enjoy!

CRANBROOK

LONG-EARED OWLS

JUNE FOURTH BIG MORNING

THE BOWKAN BIRDCOUNT

MY GREAT CANADIAN BIRDATHON

BIRDING AROUND THE VALLEY

EAGLE-WATCHING

ENGLAND

Certifying a Golf Course at 8:00 AM

After eight, we started seeing other people around the course. That didn’t bother us too much, as we were mostly staying away from the holes, and doing pretty well there anyways (read the first post in this series of two here). We found a nice little creek containing Red-eyed Vireos, Warbling Vireos, and 3 Cape May Warblers.

They flew in a large circle around us, pausing occasionally in a tree, so we could get some photos.

Going closer to the green, we saw an American Goldfinch, and heard a Lincoln’s Sparrow in a cluster of bushes and trees near hole 11.

A Tennessee Warbler sang from on top of a tree close by.

Almost back at the entrance, an Osprey flew by too quickly for a photo. In the pond that we had first seen, a couple of Red-winged Blackbirds were singing nicely

Red-winged Blckbird — Red-winged Blackbird

The other group appeared, and since birders are never competitive, we checked our numbers. 49 species was quite good, until we realised that they had 50. Considering everything, it wasn’t that bad of a result. the full list of species (including the drive home) is here. Thanks for reading my posts!