British Columbia I 
Chris Charlesworth 
March through July 2009 
I t was a cool spring throughout the Region, 
as a northerly air flow predominated. The 
late snowfall on 19 May across interior re- 
gions likely stopped some northbound mi- 
grants in their tracks. June began seasonably 
warm but became unsettled by mid-month. 
This cool, showery pattern continued until 
mid-July, when summer finally arrived. In 
fact, July ended up being one of the three 
hottest on record for many British Columbia 
locations, with the last week being particular- 
ly scorching. A number of devastating wild- 
fires broke out in the province during late 
July, particularly in the southern interior. 
WATERFOWL THROUGH CRANES 
Rare but regular in inland regions. Greater 
White-fronted Geese were reported from a 
number of locations in the s. interior; one ad. 
was at Robert L., Kelowna 5-12 Apr (CC, RT); 
8 were at Swan L., Vernon 18 Apr (ES, GS); 3 
were at Gellatly Bay, West Kelowna 19 Apr 
(EF); 11 were at Otter L. near Vernon 28 Apr 
(PL); 2 were at Summerland 12 May (HP, LP); 
and one was at Duck L., Creston 6 May (LV). 
Although a common migrant and wintering 
bird on the coast. Snow Goose is rare but reg- 
ular in the interior, with singles this season at 
Tranquille near Kamloops 4-6 Apr (RR, RH) 
and at Swan L., Vernon 18 Apr (ES, GS). Rare 
anywhere in the province, 2 Ross’s Geese were 
at Rawlings L. near Lumby 7-8 May (CS, RC); 
another was feeding with Canada Geese in 
Nakusp 30 Apr (GD). In British Columbia, 
Eurasian Wigeons are fairly common along 
the s. coast, but they are rare but annual visi- 
tors to the interior, where 10 were reported: a 
pair was seen at Robert L. in Kelowna 27 Mar 
(ME); 2 males were at Vaseux L. 29 Mar (DB); 
4 were seen in the Osoyoos area 5 Apr (DB); 
and 2 males were at Duck L., Creston 29 Mar 
29 (PP). Uncommon on Vancouver I., a male 
Redhead was at Somenos Marsh, Duncan 26- 
27 Mar (DM). A male Tufted Duck was pho- 
tographed on a lake near 111 Mile House 2 
May (fide PR), providing one of just a few 
records of this species in the interior of the 
province. Fairly rare in the s. interior, 9 Surf 
Scoters seen at the n. end of Kalamalka L. 
near Vernon 21 May were of note (RC). Two 
Long-tailed Ducks, rare in the interior, were 
seen on Okanagan L., the Maude Roxby 
Sanctuary 18 Mar (RC). 
At Stuart L. near Fort St. James, 10 Red- 
throated Loons were noted 9 May (RR). A 
possible Arctic Loon was off Quadra I. 5 Jun, 
but photographs were not adequate to con- 
firm the identification. At White Rock, an 
imm. Yellow-billed Loon thrilled observers 
22-24 May (HM, JM, m.ob.). Rare on interior 
lakes, single Pacific Loons were seen on 
Okanagan L., Penticton 22 Mar (RC) and in 
Lake Country on Wood L. 24 Apr (ME). A 
whopping 400 Horned Grebes were counted 
on Arrow L., Nakusp 1 May (GD). A Clark’s 
Grebe was present on Wood L. near Lake 
Country 29 Apr-1 May (ME, m.ob.). 
On 11 Apr, 3 American White Pelicans 
were seen at Nulki L. near Vanderhoof (CCo, 
CA, NK, Debbie Coxson) — over a week ahead 
of the previous early dates for cen. British Co- 
lumbia. Brown Pelicans in- 
vaded the province this 
spring and summer in good 
numbers. Singles were seen 
at Carmanah Pt. Lightsta- 
tion, Vancouver 1. 12 Apr 
(JE); off Tofino 28 Apr 
(AD); and near the Delta 
Coalports s. of Vancouver 6 
Jun (RS). A flock of 39 was 
seen on Sea Otter Rock nw. 
of Cleland 1. 5 Jun (Michael 
Mullen), and 29, perhaps in- 
cluding some of the same 
birds, were seen off Long 
Beach near Tofino 8 Jun 
(AD). The province got its 
usual smattering of Great 
Egret records for the period, including singles 
at Williams L. 3 May (fide PR), at Acland 
Pond, Kelowna 13 May (GW), and along the 
Okanagan R., Penticton 16 May (RC, AK). A 
White-faced Ibis at Thomson Brook Pond, 
Kelowna 3 Jun provided the Okanagan’s 2nd 
record of this species (GW et al.). 
At Boundary Bay, an imm. Golden Eagle was 
seen 26 Mar (MT). An imm. Broad-winged 
Hawk was seen over the Shelley Sludge La- 
goons in Prince George 23 May (RC, AK). The 
species breeds in this area in very small num- 
bers. Very rare in the province, a dark-morph 
Ferruginous Hawk graced the skies over 
Sutherland Hills Park, Kelowna 21 Apr (CC et 
al.). A rarity on Vancouver L, an ad. Swainson’s 
Hawk was seen at Mt. Manuel Quimper near 
Sooke 2 Jun (IC, RS). In the s. Okanagan Val- 
ley, where Gyrfalcons are rare, a gray morph 
was seen 19 Mar near Rd. 22 0im Ginns et al). 
Another gray morph was observed eating a 
Mew Gull near the mouth of French Cr. near 
Qualicum, Vancouver I. 2 Mar (GM). 
SHOREBIRDS THROUGH DOVES 
American Avocets seem to return to the 
province earlier each spring. On 7 Apr, there 
were 3 at Robert L., Kelowna (LR), and in the 
n. part of the province, one was at the Shelley 
Sludge Lagoons near Prince George 17 May 
(Heather Meier, Bonnie Meier). On 26 May, 2 
avocets at the Fort St. John sewage lagoons 
provided an excellent record (RC). Black- 
necked Stilts made their annual insurgence 
this spring, with 5 seen at Nature Bay in 
Salmon Arm 10 Apr (TH), 2 at Robert L., 
Kelowna 3 May (BC), and 3 at Leach L. near 
Creston 21 Apr (AB et al). On the coast, a 
Black-necked Stilt appeared at the Iona Sewage 
Ponds near Vancouver 6-7 May (BS, m.ob.). A 
rarity anywhere in British Columbia, a Willet 
was at Witty’s Lagoon in Metchosin 1 May 
(DA). Rare away from the coast, a Whimbrel 
visited Separation L. near Kamloops 1 Jun (KT, 
RR, MH). Up to 5 Whimbrels at Newlands, ne. 
of Prince George were present 18-23 May 
(CCo, m.ob.). An Upland Sandpiper was seen 
20 May with Whimbrels in fields near New- 
lands, ne. of Prince George (NK). A Hudson- 
ian Godwit was found at the Englishman R. es- 
tuary near Parksville 18 May (RM) and relo- 
cated at Rathtrevor Beach 19 May, where it re- 
mained until 25 May. Two Ruddy Turnstones 
were a nice find at Duck L. near Creston 18 
This Northern Hawk Owl delighted birders near Nanaimo on Vancouver Island from 
24 January through 14 March (here 2 February) 2009. Photograph by Mike Yip. 
VOLUME 63 (2009) • NUMBER 4 
643 
