The 116th CBC in British Columbia

An impressive 99 counts submitted data this year in British Columbia. Over 29,000 kilometers were travelled, and more than 6000 hours were spent counting birds across BC. In spite of some cold and inclement weather on the coast 2846 field observers and 633 feeder watchers came out to count 217 species in the province, up two species from last winter. Victoria had the highest count this year with an impressive 141 species. 

Snow Goose numbers were conspicuously low with 4424 observed, though this is likely due to data not being submitted from one count that regularly encounter thousands. Most waterfowl numbers were up from last year’s relatively low numbers even without data from some of the highest waterfowl counts in the province.  Both Cackling and Canada Geese were up substantially (2168 and 55,383 respectively) and spread across both coastal and south-central portions of the province. A record count of 19,089 Bufflehead came from all time high numbers in the Southern Gulf Islands and southern Vancouver Island and a record high count of 8511 Common Mergansers was likely due to the highest numbers ever recorded for this species on many counts in the interior of the province. Sharp-tailed Grouse numbers have continued to increase over the last few years with a high of 46 this year from three different counts, and Wild Turkeys have also been increasingly encountered with this year’s 898, 274 of which were encountered in the Creston-Valley alone.

Loon numbers were up from last year and generally consistent with previous counts though Pacific Loons skyrocketed to almost 7000, with 2712 seen off of Rose Spit, Haida Gwaii. Grebe numbers were back up from last year’s dip, though Westerns are still much lower than other counts over the last ten years. The lone tubenose this year was a Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel seen on the Sidney-South Saltspring Count.

Turkey Vultures were around in force this winter with record numbers on Southern Vancouver Island and a total of 62 encountered on five separate counts. Diurnal raptor numbers were consistent with the last five years and Virginia Rail numbers bounced back after last year’s low, though they were much lower than historical totals.

Shorebird were back up from last year in general, with an unusually high count of 1262 Black Oystercatchers and a Pacific Golden-Plover on the Skidegate Inlet count off the east coast of Haida Gwaii. Surfbird and Dunlin numbers, on the other hand, were both less than half of average BC totals. Common Murre numbers were extremely high this year with a total of 10,679 over the entire province, and more than 70% of this total coming from around Haida Gwaii, along with three Thick-billed Murres in Hecate Strait. In contrast Ancient Murrelets were down to a fraction of historical numbers to 281.

At Rose Spit an amazing 266 Black-legged Kittiwakes were counted. This is more than the entire province has counted over the last ten years combined. However, most gull numbers were down, with the exception of the aforementioned kittiwakes and Bonaparte’s Gulls.

In contrast, Eurasian Collared-Doves continue to explode with 4566 observed on 70 of the 99 counts completed this year.

Nocturnal owl counts were low this year, though this is likely due to a lack of pre-dawn and post-sunset hours put in by observers. Some of the diurnal owls showed well with 85 Northern Pygmy-Owls spread across 40 counts, and an impressive 16 Great Gray Owls on 12 counts across central BC.

Anna’s Hummingbirds continue to increase with this year’s record high 2882, backed by Victoria’s 861. There were several of this coastal species on a handful of interior counts. Not to be outshone by Anna’s, two Rufous Hummingbirds stuck around for the holidays, one in Creston Valley and one in Powell River.

Relatively high numbers of Belted Kingfishers (732) and Red-breasted Sapsuckers (200) stuck out the winter. Gray, Steller’s, and Blue jays were all more abundant than usual whereas Common Ravens and American Crows were similar to historical counts and Northwestern Crows (37,186) were down by well over 20,000 from usual.\

A Winter Wren was an unusual find on the Kelowna Count and two separate Gray Catbirds were seen on counts in the Central Kootenay Region. The most unusual bird for the count was likely the Canadian Christmas Bird Count’s first Siberian Accentor. This unusual observation was found on the White Rock count and stayed for over two weeks. Also vying for the most unusual bird of the count was a Redwing found on the Victoria count, which stayed until mid-April. This bird was spotted in the same area where a Redwing was photographed two years and three days earlier.     

A single Lapland Longspur was observed on the Oliver-Osoyoos count and a Palm Warbler braved winter weather in Skidegate Inlet. Two Wilson’s Warblers were observed on counts in southern BC and a Yellow-breasted Chat was found on the rarity-laden Victoria Count. Fourteen Swamp Sparrows were encountered, six of which were seen in the Sewage Treatment Plant in Port Alberni. Three of the four Yellow-headed Blackbirds on the count were from Vernon, and single Rusty Blackbirds were found on the Castegar, Prince George, and White Rock Counts.

A few finches irrupted across the province in spectacular numbers this year with 5819 Pine Grosbeaks on 68 counts, an incredible 14,694 Common Redpolls on 63 counts, and 35 Hoary Redpolls, including 17 in Dawson Creek and Vancouver’s first confirmed observation of the species.