British Columbia

a • ß Pen•cton Is/and Vi•oria Crabrook Donald G. Cecile he season began and ended with cold snaps.but the bulk of the winter was yet another mild one.The most notable event was the month-long spate of rain in the South Coastal sections beginning mid-December.Valley snowfall was meager everywhere in the interior.It was a stormy season for the outer coast, with Solander Island off the northwestern side of Vancouver Island recording peak gusts exceeding 130 km/h on 14 days between 1 December and 4 Februa• topping out at a wild 172 km/h on 31 January.The generally mild weather allowed many species to remain farther north than usual.Most notable this winter, however, was the absence of finches.WATERFOWL THROUGH DOVES Hanging out with both Trumpeter and Tundra Swans, an ad.Bewick's Swan was in Delta 20 Jan-21 Feb (ph.RTo et al.).A male Gadwall was late in Williams L. 2 Dec (PR).Northern Pintails remained unusually far n.and late this winter.A male was in Prince George 10 Dec (SL, CA), later joined by a female 7 Jan (SL, NK), a first winter checklist record; one was at the n.end of Kootenay L. 6 Jan (MJ); and 3 overwintered at Williams L. for the first time ever (PR).Long-tailed Ducks are rare in the s.interior, so a female was notable at Robson 16 Dec (MMc).Few scoters were reported from the interior this winter, one exception being a White-winged Scoter rather late in Williams L. 2 Dec (PR).Several Red-breasted Mergansers found in inland locations remained into Feb, such as one at Lardeau (MJ).An imm.Yellow-billed Loon was on Woods Lake 14 Dec (CC, GW, CS), rare for the interior, particularly in the winter season.Clarkg Grebes were more numerous along the coast this winter; one offshore from Es-quimah Lagoon furnished a first Victoria record in 20 years (fide DA), and yet another was at the Little Qualicum Estuary 13 Dec (GLM et al.); probably the same individual was seen at the mouth of the Englishman R. Estuary 4Jan (GLM).Turkey Vultures returning to the interior tied last year's record-early date with a single bird in Naramata 10 Feb 0T).Gyrfalcons were more prevalent in the s.interior this winter than last, with at least 3 present, one just n. of Vernon 3 Dec (DGC).Dunlin is very rare in the interior in winter; one was found at Castlegat 30 Dec-3 Jan (MJ, JA).In a flooded corn stubble field near Parksville, a Ruff was discovered 23 Dec (?GLM); winter sightings of this species are rare, and this may represent the first winter record for the province.Winter coastal storms in mid-late Dec resulted in Red Phalaropes wrecking in coastal areas: at least 10 birds were found onshore at Carmanah Light Station 23 Dec (JE), and flocks of live birds reported included 54 at Jordan R. and 19 at Wiffin Spit 30 Dec (GD et al.).This was a fine year for coastal Slaty-backed Gulls, with single ads.near Courtenay 4-5 Dec 0B, GLM) in Chilliwack 22Jan (ph.GG); others were noted in early spring.Vernon's Lesser Blackbacked Gull reappeared 2 Dec-14 Jan (ph.DGC) at the mouth of Vernon Cr; it later appeared along the Penticton waterfront 2-3 Feb (ph.LN) and was sporadically seen back in Vernon through the end of the period (DGC).The small Cawston resident population of Eurasian Collared-Doves was counted at a record-high 174 on 29 Dec (fide DB).OWLS THROUGH FINCHES Snowy Owls had a good showing this winter throughout the interior and were particularly prevalent in the Boundary Bay area.Northern Hawk Owls were reported in singles from around the interior in average numbers, whereas Northern Pygmy-Owls were very scarce.Northern Saw-whet Owls were numerous, especially in the s.Okanagan, where a stunning 52 were tallied 27 Dec (RJC, RCa, CD, BS) during the Vaseux Lake C.B.C.While this doubles the previous Canadian C.B.C. record, it is just shy of the overall C.B.C. record of 61 (fide RJC).Anna's Hummingbirds wander as far n.as Prince George almost annually, but they rarely survive; one was in PG. 16 Dec (fide EL).A Rufous Hummingbird was very late in Victoria 3 Dec (DA).A hybrid male Northern Flicker may not have survived the winter n. of Dawson Creek had it not learned to feed on suet (MD).Two exceptionally late Say's Phoebes were found along the w.side of Osoyoos i Jan (DH).Indicating an increase in numbers in the Kootenays, 9 BlueJays were tallied on the Creston C.B.C. 29 Dec.American Crows rarely stay the winter in the Peace R. area, but 6 were still in Chetwynd 2 Dec (MP).Common Ravens tallied at a roost near Bessborough came to an astounding 2697 on 25 Feb (MP), by far the largest roost ever recorded in the province.Northern Rough-winged Swallows have occasionally participated in the late-winter swallow invasion, and this year 2 were found at the Carmanah Point Lightstation 15 Feb (JE).Two Barn Swallows were at Swan L., Victoria 23 Jan (CSa); 3 were along the S. Thompson Rd.e. of Karoloops 26 Jan (JBr); and a single endured -4 ø C weather in Fort St. James 12 Feb (RR).This winter's swallow invasion was modest compared to the past few winter seasons'; whether this pertains to less reporting or an actual decrease in the number of birds involved is unknown.Ruby-crowned Kinglets were present in unprecedented numbers in the s.interior, with a high count of 7 along Mission Cr., Kelowna 7 Jan (RyT).An American Robin that probably stayed the winter in Dawson Creek, where very rare, was found 22 Feb (MP).An exceptionally late Gray Catbird was hiding out in one of the oxbows just n. of Osoyoos 8 Dec (?LN).A rather stunning find was a Northern Mockingbird on the Merritt C.B.C. 3Jan (ph.MoMc et al.), which had been in the area in late Dec feeding on Mountain Ash berries; yet another was in Cranbrook 7 Jan (GR).Ameriean Pipits are very rare in winter in the interior; 5 were along the Okanagan River Channel just n. of Osoyoos 8 Dec (LN), and one was along the Nechako tL 18 Dec (ph.DD, TH, HA), a first local winter record.A Cape May Warbler was a terrific winter find in Nakusp 2-27 Jan (CC, KS; ph.GSD).Also late in Nakusp was a Myrde Warbler 2Jan (CC, KS).The province's first Pine Warbler, found at the tail end of the fall season, was last seen at Lillooet 2 Dec (vt.IR).A Western Meadowlark spent mid-Dec-mid-Jan at Cluculz L. (ph.DW et al.), and another 5 wintered in Quesnel (fide PR), both sites rather far n.for wintering meadowlarks.Although Common Grackles are a relatively common sight in the Peace 1L area in summer, they are extremely rare in winter; one spent 1-7Jan in Arras (MP).Despite the lack of winter finches across the province, American Goldfinches were still found in rdatively good numbers, e.g., 46 at Milburn L. 26 Feb (fide CA) and 5-6 at Buckhorn 11 Feb (ph.MK), the latter a first winter record for the Prince George area.Casual in the province, a Brambling was discovered in Duncan 28 Jan+ (DM).

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