113th CBC British Columbia/Yukon Territory Regional Summary

By Russell Cannings and Richard Cannings

With the exception of a few windy days, the Christmas Bird Count season was generally balmy and warm west of the Rockies.  The number of counts remained at 103, with 91 from BC and 12 from the Yukon. Two new counts were submitted: Narcosli, BC and Takhini-Lake Laberge, YT.  The species total for BC counts dropped by two to 226 this year, while Yukon counts found 36 species, three less than last year. Ladner came out on top of the species standings with 146; Victoria was beset by high winds but still managed to match last year’s total of 140.  In the Interior, Oliver-Osoyoos tallied 110 species.  Whitehorse was tops in the Yukon with 27 species, the same total as last year.

As usual, Comox and Chilliwack led the way with Trumpeter Swan numbers (1675 and 1040 respectively), although the provincial total was down from last year’s record number (8250) to 7509. Waterfowl numbers around the Fraser Delta were impressive as usual including 90 Eurasian Wigeon on the White Rock count and 70 in Ladner. The Hecate Strait ferry route produced 2122 Long-tailed Ducks, and a Smew was found nearby in Greater Masset. This year Smithers was the only circle to report ptarmigan on count day with two White-tailed.

Not surprisingly, the only tubenoses came from Haida Gwaii where a high of eight Short-tailed Shearwaters were seen on the Rose Spit count. After several years of virtual absence, Brown Pelicans invaded Vancouver Island; Victoria tallied a Canadian record high of 19 Bald Eagles numbers dropped off from last year to a still respectable 8153 overall with the highest count coming from Ladner (1311).  Peregrine Falcon numbers increased from last year, with 102 seen on 27 counts; single Prairie Falcons were seen on two interior counts:  Cawston and Creston Valley.  Virginia Rails were down to 72 from last year’s high of 106. A single Sora was a surprise find on the Lillooet count. Shorebird numbers were relatively normal; some highlights were 43 Rock Sandpipers on the Skidegate Inlet count, a Ruddy Turnstone at Ladner, and three Dunlin in Kamloops. On a sad note, this was the first time in over 15 years that the “Tsawwassen Willet” did not return for a winter season. May it rest in peace.

Three Heermann’s Gulls lingered long enough to be tallied in Victoria, while two rare Thick-billed Murres were seen in Hecate Strait. In last year’s report I remarked that “the Eurasian Collared-Dove explosion continues, with 1580 seen on 51 counts.” Well, this year 3050 were recorded on 56 counts, including a record high of 299 at Vancouver and one at the northern edge of its expanding range at Haines Junction, YT. Overall, this season was even better for Snowy Owls than last year, with 68 seen on 13 counts, including several in the interior. Anna’s Hummingbirds numbers returned to slightly more ‘normal’ numbers, due mostly to Victoria recording only 417--646 less than last year! Interestingly, four Anna’s were recorded east of the Coast Mountains, with two in Oliver-Osoyoos and singles in Merritt and Kelowna. Unfortunately, the male Costa’s Hummingbird that resided in Vancouver for over two years could not be located this winter.

Victoria counted an impressive 768 Red-breasted Nuthatches, while Kelowna had the high count for Pygmy Nuthatch (216).  The Bewick’s Wren settlement of the southern Interior continues; two were at Vaseux and one at Oliver-Osoyoos. No doubt the All-Star of the Christmas Bird Count in BC (and for the continent!) was the Citrine Wagtail that successfully overwintered in Comox. Not to be outdone, the Greater Masset count tallied an unprecedented five Red-throated Pipits!

This winter, Bohemian Waxwings were widespread and numerous across most of the southern interior, and for the second year in a row, Prince George was tops with 4901. Lingering Neotropical birds included a Northern Waterthrush in Vancouver, Wilson’s Warbler at Skidegate Inlet, a surprise Scarlet Tanager in Williams Lake (a first for Canadian counts), a Western Tanager in Chilliwack, and a Black-headed Grosbeak in Creston Valley. A few rare winter sparrows turned up as well, particularly Oliver-Osoyoos’s first Chipping Sparrow, Kelowna’s first Vesper Sparrow (Sidney-South Saltspring also tallied one), and Vancouver’s Clay-colored Sparrow returned for a second winter. In the Yukon, where rare passerines are exceedingly rare, American Tree Sparrow was tallied on two counts (Carcross and Haines Junction), while Carcross added a single White-throated Sparrow, and Whitehorse boasted two White-crowned Sparrows.

Forest finches showed variable patterns.  Red Crossbills were scattered across southern BC, with the only significant concentration in the Victoria area with 969 on that count, 516 on Sidney-South Saltspring, and 463 in nearby Sooke.  White-winged Crossbills were scarcer as usual; the highest count was 111 at Apex-Hedley.  It was a big year for redpolls, with 12,466 Commons (nearly double last year’s “decent” counts) seen on 63 counts.  Hoaries were only seen on only six counts, including 16 at Dawson Creek. Pine Siskins were common, especially in coastal forests, including an astounding 11,128 in Sooke alone.  Evening Grosbeak numbers were up a bit from last year with 2548 overall. And last but not least, the Asian invasion continued with two Bramblings recorded on counts (1 in Revelstoke, 1 in Penticton).