British Columbia

Pring 2004 weather was dry and warm--in fact, it was often unseasonably hot, especially during April.The most significant weather impacting migrants occurred farther east during May, when a string of spring snowstorms swept across the Canadian Prairies.Many May arrival migrants that approach British Columbia from the southeast were delayed in reaching the province as a result.Please note that this Region is now comprised of British Columbia only; reports from Yukon Territory are treated in the new Northern Canada regional report.SHEARWATERS THROUGH SHOREBIRDS A Flesh-footed Shearwater, very rarely encountered in spring, was seen off the entrance to the Strait of Juan de Fuca 29 May (BT).The male King Eider frequenting the waters of Mud Bay to Qualicum Beach, on the e. side of Vancouver I., remained through 20 Mar (GLM et al.).Spring sightings of Ross's Geese have been increasing, but this spring, there were flocks of unprecedented size: 24 near Parson, E. Kootenays (LH) and 33 (with a single Snow Goose) in Jaffray, E. Kootenays 6 May (GR).Turkey Vultures continue their impressive invasion of the province, with a pair seen in Torino 6 May 0W,, KlVl).This species was once accidental at this location and was certainly never seen so early in the spring.For the 2rid spring in a row, an ad.White-tailed Kite visited the lower mainland, this time in Delta I4 May (ph.JE); it is not known whether this is a returning bird.An impressive total of 7000 American Coots was on L. Windermere in the E. Kootenays i8 Apr (LH). An American Golden-Plover furnished the first spring record for the Okanagan in Vernon 23 May (RF).A Greater Yellowlegs was on the early side, arriving in Salmon Arm 24 Mar (THil), with the first migrant Greater Yellowlegs on the coast arriving in Torino 20 Mar (AD).Black-necked Stilts returned to T'Kumloops marshes after a one-year hiatus 6 Apr (CR, ph.RR).A potentially territorial male was in the same location where a first provincial nesting took place in 2002.Other Black-necked Stilts included a single at Elizabeth L, E. Kootenays I5 Apr (DN), I0 there 28 Apr (DN), and a pair at Serpentine Fen i0 Apr (TH et al.).The pair of wintering American Avocets along the Serpentine R. remained through i6 Apr 0A et al.).The peak of the Whimbrel migration occurred early this year, with 235 at Grice Bay, Torino 2 May (AD).Almost annual in spring on the s.coast, an ad.Hudsonian Godwit was at Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary, Ladher I8-26 May 0I et al.), with another near Tsawwassen 29 May (RTo et al.).There were unprece-British Colu.mbia dented numbers of Pectoral Sandpipers in Uduelet, where more common in the fall, with 23 on 12 May (BSI) and 18 on 15 May 0uB) the high counts.A Reeve in Somenos Marsh, Duncan 25 May (DM) furnished one of few Vancouver I. records.Torino experienced record-high numbers of Shortbilled Dowitchers, such as 8000 present 28 Apr (AD).Annually in late Apr, there are thousands of dowitchers on the Torino mudfiats, but the numbers have never been known to surpass 5000.JAEGERS THROUGH KINGBIRDS A pair of Parasitic Jaegers, very rarely encountered in spring in the Okanagan, was seen flying over Vernon 23 May (CS).An ad.South Polar Skua at the entrance to the Strait of Juan de Fuca 29 May (BT) furnished the first spring record for the province.A basic ad.Bonaparteg Gull was very early in Salmon Arm 24 Mar (IHfi).Among the massive gull flocks in the Comox-Courtenay area, a first-alternate Slaty-backed Gull was located 20 Mar (JF, lifo, GLM).Franklin• Gulls are very rare spring migrants in the interior.A pair furnished the first spring record for the Nicola Valley on Stump L. 29 May (WW).Casual in spring, an ad.Franklin• Gull was at Blackie's Spit, White Rock 1 May (IP et al.); another ad.was in Delta 22 May (RTo).Two Sabine's Gulls wandered into the Burrard Inlet and were seen by a commuter on Vancouver Harbour's Sea Bus 31 May (TPi).A surprising count of ad.Ancient Murrelets (21) came from the entrance of the Strait of Juan de Fuca during a survey from the NOAA vessel R/V MacArthur 22-31 May (BT).While a few individuals have been seen in small numbers in early summer off Torino, this record adds to the growing evidence that points to an undiscovered colony s. of Queen Charlotte Is.especially when one considers that at least 4 chicks were observed even farther s. along the Washington coast during this same survey (BT).Following a winter invasion of Great Gray Owls along the lower mainland, 2 remained into Mar, one at the U.B.C. Cam• pus to 9 Mar (PC et al.), and one at Colony Farm, Port Coquitlum to 11 Mar (DS et al.).Rare along the coast, a Lewis's Woodpecker was in Pitt Meadows 24 May (PC).A pair of Williamson's Sapsuckers, first discovered 31 May (KG), successfully nested in the Kimberley Nature Park; there are few documented nestings away from the Okanagan.A Hammond's Flycatcher furnished an early record for the Comox _ ß •:ort St John Mackenzie I•_-' 1 ß e•)awson Creek Charlotte ,,R 'e•t•k •

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