Field Birding Season: Mountain Bluebirds!

I've been off on some adventures and if I know what's good for me I'll eventually post something about my travels in Colombia.  For now, though, I'll write up on my Saturday birding on the Saanich Peninsula.

As soon as it nears mid-March, the birding options really open up locally.  You can either head up to the Parksville/Qualicum area to take in the hordes of waterfowl and gulls that descend upon the area to partake in the feast presented by the herring spawn or you can search estuaries, driftwood-dotted shorelines, open Garry Oak hills, and any fields (e.g., airports or agricultural areas) in hopes of catching up with Say's Phoebes or Mountain Bluebirds.

Despite wanting to sift through the gulls and waterfowl up Island, I was a little too festive the night before to get up early.  I decided to visit some of my favourite field haunts on the Saanich Peninsula, starting at Maber Flats and ending around the airport.

At Maber Flats, I ran in to Randy Dzenkiw and we sifted through the waterfowl, but other than a couple Eurasian Wigeons there wasn't anything too exciting.  I told him my intentions to continue north up the peninsula and he had planned to check out Panama Flats, so we went our own ways.  I snaked my way along West Saanich Rd., up Mount Newton X Rd., and back south down East Saanich Rd. to the eastern portion Hovey Rd.  In 2007 I found a group of 12 Mountain Bluebirds at the tree farm on Mount Newton X Rd. and in 2013 I found a lone male Mountain Bluebird in the field between Central Saanich Rd. and the eastern end of Hovey Rd.  Both of those sightings were in the second week of April, but I know it is not without precedent to be searching now because there are sightings of both Say's Phoebe and Mountain Bluebirds from the Lower Mainland already this year.  Unfortunately I was unable to recreate the magic of those past sightings at either of those sites.

I then made my way over the Vantreight bulb fields (I refuse to call it Longview Farms) so check a small tree farm of Newman Rd., but also to check in on the Sky Larks.  As soon as I stepped out of the vehicle, I could hear the continuous song of a Sky Lark from above.  I don't check in on them often enough, so I'm always happy to confirm their persistence so I can continue to recommend this spot as the best place to get good views of the Sky Larks.  I walked north past the greenhouses and spotted a couple more and hoped I would be able to spot one sitting in a little open patch of ground for a photo.  As luck would have it, I did spot one just in the grass near the edge of the road.  My luck wasn't picture perfect, though, because some of said grass was in front of the bird and prevented a clean shot.  I was still happy with the results.

They're a pretty drab bird, but Sky Larks to more are more about the song.  Everyone should hear them at least once!

The little tree farm by the bulb fields only produced a flock of a dozen or so Violet-green Swallows and at least one Tree Swallow, plus a flyover Northern Harrier.  I should be promoting the use of eBird periodically, so to see the utility you can check out my list from the bulb fields here: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S22454775

Next, I made my way to the airport and checked almost all the fence lines around the southern half and the best I could muster was another Northern Harrier.  I was going to check the gulls where Wsikem Creek drains into Patricia Bay.  Despite it being a Saturday, there was construction going on right at the beach and the area was virtually devoid of gulls.  I continued into Deep Cove and came back to check the fields just north of the airport along Munro and John Rds.  When I got to the eastern end of Munro Rd. a short ways before it comes to a dead end, I scanned the fields to the north.  Almost immediately I spotted a mid-sized bird that had a flash of blue.  I immediately hopped out and got the scope set up.  It took a minute, but I managed to get a stunning male Mountain Bluebird in the field of view.  A search with my binoculars revealed a female Mountain Bluebird was also out there.  Now you're going to get a lesson in what record shots are all about.  I waited until the male and female could be captured in the same frame and fired off a photo.  Checking on Google Maps, the bluebirds were over 200 metres away.  It's always amazing to me to see the results when you crop in on the birds... they're still recognizable as Mountain Bluebirds!

Classic record shot: a pair of Mountain Bluebirds through a mesh plastic fence.

I finished my day with a search along John Rd., which added a Northern Shrike, Hairy Woodpecker, and a couple Yellow-rumped Warblers for the day.  As I headed home, I saw Mary Robichaud had called and by the time I got back to her she had found the bluebirds.  When I checked the computer a while later I saw Brian Starzomski had also enjoyed the bluebirds, and the following morning at least a couple more (Liam Singh and Aziza Cooper) were able to find just the female.  I love being able to report a species in a timely manner and nothing makes me happier than seeing that others have been able to catch up with a bird I have found.  It's good to be back and hopefully this spring brings some rarities to break the birding dry spell the entire province has been under!

Spring Birding

As spring rapidly approached, I was seeking any opportunities I could get to be out photographing birds as they ramp up their breeding activities.  Many of our local species are already paired up and starting to get all domestic.  I have noticed many of the woodpeckers seem to be travelling in pairs, Red-winged Blackbirds are vying for territory and harems of streaky females, Bewick's Wrens are tilting their heads way back to belt out loud songs, and male American Robins are absolutely radiant in their alternate plumage.  I will just provide a little collection of some of the shots I have taken in the week or so.  I hope you enjoy and now that our calendar's confirm spring is here, I hope everyone gets out to enjoy their local parks as we experience a fresh pulse of biodiversity.

A nice sun-soaked Northwestern Crow on Cattle Point

Song Sparrow picking through the high tide wrack at Cattle Point

American Robins are conspicuous in Garry Oak meadows where rain has saturated the thin layer of soil

Males in alternate plumage can be identified by their dark hood contrasting the greyish back and rich burnt sienna chest

Varied Thrushes have been more vocal, making an array of ringing and organ-like tones

Male Hairy Woodpecker on a Garry Oak in Gore Park

Northern Flicker striking a great pose on a dead Garry Oak branch

Female Bushtit - notice the pale eye - hanging from a hawthorn branch

Male Downy Woodpecker near the tip of a Garry Oak branch

This Chestnut-backed Chickadee knows that every rose has its thorn

Hutton's Vireos are starting to repetitively "zu-weep" after their lengthy winter of virtual silence

This male Spotted Towhee was scratch-hopping to dig through an ant mound, which you can see it perched atop here

Male Red-winged Blackbird singing from the top of a cattail: a classic wetland scene

Female Red-winged Blackbird with a bit of cattail fluff on her bill

As you can see, there is no shortage of interesting sightings out there right now.  Hopefully I'll have more photos after this weekend and if I get anything really good, it will be up sooner than later.  Now get out and enjoy the first weekend of the spring!

Symbolic Sight

I am back on Canadian soil after a three week trip to Thailand with Janean.  I have caught up on BCVIBIRDS and see that spring is approaching rapidly.  Tree and Violet-green Swallows are being seen hawking insects over local marshes, the herring have spawned up Island and gulls have concentrated along the shores to feast on roe, and Yellow-rumped Warblers are singing.

The timing of my Thailand trip was perfect: leave in the winter and come back to spring migration!  I was zipped out the Vantreight bulb fields late this afternoon and a particular event seemed be the perfect symbol for the transition from winter to spring.  The small reservoir along Wallace Dr.surrounded by the agricultural fields had an overwintering Yellow-rumped Warbler, which I saw a month or so ago.  It is quite possibly a "Myrtle" Warbler based on the whitish throat and sharper chip note, which is heard often as it darts out of the willows to snap up insects.  Today, I immediately heard this bird and then saw the rather drab-looking bird, which could be a female.  Then, I heard a more typical "Audubon's" Warbler call note from across the pond.  I walked around to the other side of the pond and found a dazzling male "Audubon's" in the blackberry brambles.  Around this small reservoir, I had a drab Yellow-rumped that had spent the winter and a newly arrived male.  We are in this transition.

Certain birds are cuing up spring, but look around and you'll see the local flora is also putting out signs and if you're willing to look extra close you will see the invertebrate fauna is also providing a suite of symbols, as well.  I have seen flies moving about, a few tiger beetles were out at Saanichton Spit, and I may have even heard a bee zip by today.  I look forward to getting out for an outing on the weekend to see what else is around!

Things that go croak in the night...

When I think of signs that indicate spring is upon us, I often mentally conjure up visions of blooming plants, swallows circling over bodies of water, alternate plumage Yellow-rumped Warblers, and garter snakes basking to draw in the sun's warmth.  There are, however, many auditory cues that also tell us spring is in the air.

There is a small manmade pond just outside my place that comes alive with the sound of Pacific Chorus Frogs (Pseudacris regilla) after dark each evening. As winter started winding down, the odd slow-rolling croak could be heard around the pond's edge.  Frogs must use calendars because a symphony of "rib-it" calls started just as spring kicked off.  I have never really associated this sound with the commencement of spring because I didn't grow up next to a wetland.  For the last two years, however, I have been able to enjoy the sound of dozens of chorus frogs in the background in the early spring.

Tonight I decided it was time to pair the sound with the sight of a few males croaking in the shallows.  It is amazing to be able to watch the males sitting at the water's surface with their vocal sacs expanding and contracting as they give their distinctive "rib-it" calls.  Here is a photo of one of the males I observed this evening:

This Pacific Chorus Frog is broadcasting to all the lady frogs out there

If you want to observe some Pacific Chorus Frogs in action, now is the time to head down to your local marsh at night with a flashlight.  Make sure you're in a place where it isn't too creepy to be roaming around with a flashlight!

Spit one day, swallows the next...

I enjoy doing a vacation late in the winter because the scene has noticeably changed by the time I return.  When I left for Panama at the end of February, murmurings of spring were starting.  The Bewick's Wrens were singing, drake waterfowl were engaging in testosterone-addled rituals, and Anna's Hummingbirds were gathering cattail fluff for nests.  I still peeked at the local sightings while I was Panama to see how things were progressing and I read news of Orange-crowned Warblers returning, swallows over Swan Lake, Brant filtering north through the Strait of Georgia, and the start of the herring spawn.  I was anxious to get out and see the signs of spring for myself this weekend and I was not disappointed in the slightest.

On Saturday, I zipped off for an afternoon jaunt to the tip of Saanichton Spit to see if anything interesting had rolled in during my absence.  The birding was actually quite slow and most sightings were more representative of winter dragging on than the transition to spring.  Near the sparse patch of conifers, the long-staying Snow Bunting put in an appearance.  It won't be long before it departs for more northerly climes.

Seen on Saturday, perhaps this Snow Bunting was hanging on
for the brief sprinkle of snow on Sunday before it heads north

The group of Western Meadowlarks that overwintered on the spit have their hormone levels shifting into high gear, with multiple males sitting up on logs singing.  Meadowlarks bred on Vancouver Island historically, but they have long since been extirpated as a breeding species and we are only able to enjoy their songs for a brief window in late winter and early spring.  My best harbinger of spring came as I was driving away and gave one last look over the gulls.  Among the usual assortment, I spotted around ten California Gulls.  I enjoy seeing them in the spring as some individuals have a leg colour that is a rather morbid shade of yellow-green, while others show off a radiant set of school bus yellow legs.

On Sunday morning, I got in touch with Jeremy K. to see if he was game to continue digging up more spring goodies.  He is a good sport and was easily convinced to head out my way so we could start with a pass through the Martindale area, head out to the Victoria waterfront, and then meander our way back.  

Our morning started rather slowly and we didn't really pick up anything of interest until we reached the Blenkinsop area.  Along Lohbrunner Rd., a pale grey spot up in a Garry Oak proved to be a Northern Shrike.  A couple minutes later, we passed the Mount Douglas Golf Course and were surprised to find a different Northern Shrike posing atop a small tree.

We carried on southeast and punched out to the waterfront at Cattle Point.  Normally Cattle Point is rather mundane in terms of gulls, but the scene livens up a little while gulls are on the move up the strait.  By bare eye, I could see a couple California Gulls on the water.  With the binoculars, several more Californias jumped out of the mix on the rocks as did a couple juvenile Thayer's and a nice adult Herring Gull.

This adult Herring Gull is stood out nicely among the usual assortment of gulls on the rocks at Cattle Point

Two of the California Gulls offered a great comparison between a third-winter (left) and an adult (right)

While being nerdy with the gulls, I made sure not to neglect a rather confiding Black Turnstone that edged its way in close enough for a decent shot.

This Black Turnstone was working the water's edge on one of the rocks off Cattle Point

The remainder of the day went to a few somewhat rapid-fire searches.  We met up with Jon Carter - a birder I had corresponded with before but never had the pleasure of meeting - who treated us with a showing of a Great Horned Owl.  Harling and Clover Points and Mounts Tolmie and Douglas were all checked, but the stints of sunshine brought out the masses and kept bird activity at bay.  That and it's just a touch early for some of our hoped-for targets.  I still enjoy the usual suspects, though, so this Dark-eyed Junco got a little attention while we were up on Mount Doug:

I would almost say the lichen-covered Garry Oak branch is just as photogenic as the Dark-eyed Junco

Jeremy K. is already getting a little antsy about picking up Redhead for his big year, so we stopped in at Elk Lake to see if one had magically shown up in the last while and avoided detection.  His worry is not unfounded as he saw a grand total of two last year - a male and female that made a brief appearance at Viaduct Flats.  Aside from that, they were not reported on the Island last year.  That background is largely irrelevant because we didn't find one.  We were a little stunned to scan out on the lake and see a Red-throated Loon floating in the distance.  I decided I would take a miserable record shot, crop it, and present it.  Why not?

Sasquatch or Red-throated Loon?  You make the call!

I'll add a couple more shots from the lake for good measure.  First, probably one of the more emblematic birds of North America that is definitely taken for granted most of the time.

The uniformly dark head contrasting the grey back of this American Robin distinguishes it as a male

At the Beaver Lake side, we came across a flock of approximately 80 American Coots that looked great in the late sun from the southwest.

Unfortunately this shot doesn't show off the American Coots' outrageous feet

While scanning out over Elk Lake, I could see a handful of very distant swallows seemingly feeding over the water.  We came across perhaps the same group from the Beaver Lake side as they swirled over the conifers at the far end of the lake.  We finished our day at the fields along Oldfield Rd. and were once again treated to a group of swallows.  Rather than distant views, they made several low passes over the fields and we were able to identify the majority as Violet-greens with a smattering of Trees mixed in.  A flooded section hosted a nice selection of ducks, including at least a couple Gadwalls, dozens of American Wigeons and Green-winged Teals, a bird Jeremy K. identified as a female Eurasian Wigeon, and another teal that was either a hybrid Green-winged x Common or pure Common Teal.  The bird lacked the white shoulder spur, had an unimpressive white horizontal stripe, but the face had a very pronounced facial pattern.  Below, another cryptozoology-style photo shows the bird in question and might even reveal one or two of the aforementioned features.

The right bird has no white shoulder spur, vaguely visible white horizontal stripe on the body, and well-defined
 facial pattern that peg it as either a Common Teal or a bird with some Eurasian genes flowing through it

In addition to all the spring bird action, the plants were perhaps even a better indicator of the times.  Two flowering shrubs, Indian Plum and Red-flowering Currant, were conspicuous with their flowers in full bloom.  With the latter typically synchronous with the arrival of Rufous Hummingbirds, it is only a matter of time before I glimpse a flash of orange followed by the characteristic whir created by their wings.  At Harling Point, Bear's-foot Sanicle dotted the grass edge in a fashion that lends itself more to its other common name: Footsteps-of-Spring.  Finally, at Mount Douglas the first wave of plants I locally associate with Garry Oak habitats had pushed out some blooms, including Chickweed Monkeyflower, Small-flowered Blue-eyed Mary, and Spring-gold.

Regardless of the brief snowy interlude today, I know spring has arrived and I look forward to all that the season brings.  Feel free to drop a comment on spring activity you've noted or just your favourite sign of spring.