Sightings Board Postings for 2002

Date submitted: Monday, December 23 at 09:41 AM
Name: David Allinson
Date Visited: 12/21/02
Time on site: 7
Sightings:
Some 71 species were tallied Saturday on Rocky Point section of Sooke CBC -- including hundreds of Red Phalarope and Ancient Murrelets among many other seabirds (but they missed the Brown Pelican that had been seen during week). In the afternoon, Alan MacLeod and Andrew Harcombe found a Northern Saw-whet Owl roosting in a fir at eye level in the back area (at edge of west meadow)(Alan did not mention whether they could see a band or not!). I had to leave mid-morning for a family gathering and could not join group as they also went out to Race Rocks (with boat from Pearson College). However, in early morning we tallied 4 Great Horned Owls (incl. a family of two adults and a juv.) and a single Barred Owl (in its "usual" spot in an oak just beyond net 13). I also enjoyed watching a Peregrine Falcon hunting offshore as it chased dozens of Red Phalarope (just east of Edye Point) -- very 'kewl'!

Cheers and Merry Christmas,
David

TOTALS FOR WHOLE AREA:

PALO 12
COLO 4
HOGR 2
RNGR 8
WEGR 3
DCCO 84
BRCO 365
PECO 23
GBHE 3
CAGO 73
MALL 1
RNDU 11
HADU 32
SUSC 24
BUFF 95
HOME 7
COME 3
RBME 4
TUVU 5
BAEA 2
SSHA 1
COHA 1
RTHA 4
PEFA 2
CAQU 10
REPH 129
BLOY 48
BLTU 27
SURF 2
ROSA 5
COSN 1
MEGU 1,218
HEGU 12
THGU 2,002
WEGU 1
GWGU 840
CAGU 2
unid. gull spp. 8,000*
COMU 4,800
PIGU 11
ANMU 642
RHAU 1
GHOW 4
BAOW 1
NSWO 1
BEKI 4
DOWO 2
HAWO 6
NOFL 55
PIWO 2
STJA 60
NWCR 1
CORA 6
CBCH 24
RBNU 7
BRCR 1
WIWR 33
MAWR 2
GCKI 80
RCKI 12
AMRO 220
VATH 10
EUST 44
HUVI 1
SPTO 9
FOSP 4
SOSP 15
GSCP 2
DEJU 28
RWBL 12
HOFI 8
PISI 145

[total 71 species]

*massed in a great feeding flock extending east from Bentinck Island, 1115 hrs.

SUBTOTALS FOR RACE ROCKS AREA ONLY:

PALO 4
DCCO 60
BRCO 320
PECO 20
HADU 30
SUSC 6
PEFA 1
REPH 114
BLOY 39
BLTU 18
SURF 1
ROSA 5
MEGU 1,200
HEGU 12
THGU 2,000
WEGU 1
GWGU 800
CAGU 2
COMU 3,600
ANMU 342
SOSP 3

[total 21 species]

Estimated party hours and miles [1 to 2 parties]:
On foot: 8 hours, 4 miles
By boat: 1 hour, 5 miles
By car: 1/2 hour, 7 miles

Date submitted: Sunday, December 08 at 11:15 PM
Name: David Allinson
Date Visited: 12/08/02
Time on site: 2
Sightings:
Hi folks,
I managed to get down to my beloved Rocky Point Bird Observatory (RPBO) for an off-season survey (and reconn' for upcoming Sooke CBC on Dec. 21).
Well, I did "it" (or should I say, RPBO did "it" again?!)... A bird that I looked long and hard for last winter during their 'invasion' of southern BC, showed up today as a pleasant surprise! In short, while I was checking the upper "Teal Ponds" at RPBO, I heard the distinctive call notes of redpolls overhead. I looked up to see a flock fly over my head down into the forest at back nets and I raced after them for a look. I soon found 16 (!) Common Redpolls in alders near net-lane #12! Gorgeous little guys well lit by sunlight (where is your camera in such situations?!). This species represents the sixth new species this year alone for RPBO checklist and #279 for grand total! Furthermore, the redpolls were #193 for our site year list (new record!). Interestingly, a single CORE has been frequenting a feeder in Sooke over last week as well.

Other highlights were two late or wintering Orange-crowned Warbler and a Hutton's Vireo. Offshore was relatively quiet, except for hundreds of Common Murre (but it was difficult to accurately estimate their number from shore as the water was somewhat rough). Finally, on my way out I recorded the neck collar code (green tag) for an "Aleutian" Canada Goose to the Bird Banding Lab (http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bbl/).

Date submitted: Sunday, October 13 at 04:48 PM
Name: David Allinson
Date Visited: 10/13/02
Time on site: 7
Sightings:
Another interesting day at RPBO, but most of the hawks seen yesterday had apparently moved on.

A couple of addendums to yesterday's report -- species tally was actually 89 (not 85). Furthermore, Jukka Jantunen found RPBO's third Franklin's Gull yesterday evening at Cape Calver!

Highlights for Sunday 13th:
3 Bald Eagle;
2 Northern Harrier;
10 Sharp-shinned Hawk;
3 Cooper's Hawk;
1 Broad-winged Hawk - immature - our latest record (previously October 11, 1999);
15 Red-tailed Hawk;
2 Golden Eagle;
1 American Kestrel;
1 Merlin;
1 Peregrine Falcon;
2 Common Tern - believe it or not, these are first of year for RPBO! Over last two years this once very common fall bird has become dramatically scarce around Victoria;
[Gull numbers offshore continue to be "off the charts" along the horizon out in Juan de Fuca strait (mostly California Gulls, but also many Glaucous-winged and Bonaparte's Gulls )];
2 Ancient Murrelet;
1 Hammond's Flycatcher - late date;
1 Swamp Sparrow (first of fall; banded);
90 Red-winged Blackbird

A further 24 Northern Saw-whet Owls were banded Saturday night bringing total to 140 banded so far!

Site year list is now at 179 species.

Date submitted: Saturday, October 12 at 07:12 PM
Name: David Allinson
Date Visited: 10/12/02
Time on site: 8
Sightings:
Great day at the Rocky Point Bird Observatory today!

1 Rough-legged Hawk- gorgeous light-phase immature
85+ Red-tailed Hawk
2 Golden Eagle - adult and immature
3 Bald Eagle
2 Peregrine Falcon - adult and immature
2 American Kestrel
2 Merlin
1 Northern Harrier - seen migrating over water during seawatch
12+ Sharp-shinned Hawk
3 Cooper's Hawk

125 Turkey Vulture

1 Black-legged Kittiwake
2 Parasitic Jaeger
850 Bonaparte's Gull

1 Pacific-slope Flycatcher
1 Yellow Warbler
1 Brewer's Blackbird

I knew it would be a great raptor day with cold temp's, clear skies with north-east winds! 37 birds banded today (not too bad for mid-October) and still lots of kinglets moving through. Our new interim bander-in-charge (until season end on 21st) Jukka Jantunen is enjoying the variety of birds in nets and overhead as well! My thanks to Guy Monty visiting us and helping out as primary observer all day so we could tend to nets. 85 species tallied in all today.

Plus, Paul Levesque's new project banded an additional 38 Northern Saw-whet Owls last night (116 now in total)!!!

Date submitted: Saturday, September 28 at 10:09 PM
Name: David Allinson
Date Visited: 09/28/02
Time on site: Sometime...
Sightings:
Hi folks,
Another great day at RPBO today with 60 birds banded, but the true highlights were in sky and offshore!

2 Osprey
3 Northern Harrier
18 Sharp-shinned Hawk
13 Cooper's Hawk
1 Northern Goshawk
2 Peregrine Falcon
1 Little Gull - only our fifth record
1 Parasitic Jaeger
1 Palm Warbler - our ninth record

With three weeks left in 2002 season, here is a summary of our banding numbers to date.

Banding numbers have really kicked it up a notch over last week, with biggest day yet of season at 115 on the 26th. Paul Levesque's new saw-whet owl project has proven to be remarkably successful with 41 birds so far (23 last night alone!). In addition, sparrows and kinglet numbers have caught up to more "normal" pace. While earlier it appeared that we may not surpass last year's total (2597), we are now poised to pass that amount some time over next week. Earlier trends indicating some species were low have been reversed (except for Savannah Sparrow and Dark-eyed Junco, but more of these may still be caught) and many species recorded record highs this season.

Non-banding rarities/uncommon birds recorded this 'fall':
Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel (offshore via 'MV Coho')
Cattle Egret - 1st record for RPBO
Broad-winged Hawk - first of season on September 14th (four in total; low based on last few years)
Whimbrel
Marbled Godwit - 1st record for RPBO
Ruddy Turnstone
Red Knot
Franklin's Gull - our second record
Black-legged Kittiwake - our ninth record
Tufted Puffin
Barn Owl - only our fourth record (found predated)
Black Swift
Red-breasted Sapsucker
Lewis's Woodpecker - first recent record for site in 30+ years!
Bank Swallow - sixth record
Nashville Warbler - seventh record
Northern Waterthrush
"Western" Palm Warbler - two records this fall
Yellow-headed Blackbird

Here are our banding totals from July 20 to September 15:

Sharp-shinned Hawk - 7 (new season high)
Cooper's Hawk - 1 (only our fourth banded since '94)
Northern Pygmy-Owl - 1 (only second banded)
Northern Saw-whet Owl - 41 (!) - new project, very successful!
Downy Woodpecker - 1
"Red-shafted" Northern Flicker - 2 (only 6 and 7th banded since '94)
Willow/"Traill's" Flycatcher - 47 (new season high)
Hammond's Flycatcher - 19
Dusky Flycatcher - 1 (our ninth record and third banded)
(#1.) Pacific-slope Flycatcher - 272 (new season high)
Hutton's Vireo - 3
Warbling Vireo - 11
Steller's Jay - 2
Violet-green Swallow - 4
Northern Rough-winged Swallow - 2
Chestnut-backed Chickadee - 79
Bushtit - 39
Red-breasted Nuthatch - 4
Brown Creeper - 8
Bewick's Wren - 32
House Wren - 11 (high)
Winter Wren - 92
Marsh Wren - 6
Golden-crowned Kinglet - 60
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 119
BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER - 1 (adult male -- 6th BC record; second for Victoria checklist!)
Swainson's Thrush - 60 (second highest since 1997)
Hermit Thrush - 17
American Robin - 12
Cedar Waxwing - 7
Orange-crowned Warbler - 133
NORTHERN PARULA - 1 (adult female -- third BC record; first for Victoria checklist!)
Yellow Warbler - 110
Yellow-rumped Warbler - 27 (high)
Black-throated Gray Warbler - 4
Townsend's Warbler - 2
MacGillivray's Warbler - 48 (new season high)
Common Yellowthroat - 73
(#2.) Wilson's Warbler - 230 (high)
Black-headed Grosbeak - 1
Spotted Towhee - 53
Chipping Sparrow - 14
Savannah Sparrow - 66 (low)
Fox Sparrow - 57
Song Sparrow - 134
Lincoln's Sparrow - 131
White-crowned Sparrow - 90 (new season high)
Golden-crowned Sparrow - 45 (high)
"Oregon" Dark-eyed Junco - 36 (low)
Red-winged Blackbird - 8
Brown-headed Cowbird - 7
Purple Finch - 4
House Finch - 6
Pine Siskin - 6
(#3.) American Goldfinch - 158 (new record high for us!)

Total - 55 species, 2406 individuals (avg. ~34/day).

Site year-list tally at 173 species (goal=200).

Date submitted: Sunday, September 08 at 01:37 PM
Name: David Allinson
Date Visited: 09/08/02
Time on site: n/a
Sightings:
A combination of the recent change in weather and time of year helped pick things up the last few days at our migration monitoring station in Metchosin. In particular, impressive numbers of Yellow Warblers were banded and observed on Friday and Saturday. In addition, RPBO's first record of Cattle Egret appeared briefly during census on Friday 6th, and today a first-winter Franklin's Gull represented only the station's second record of that species. Single Black Swifts were seen Friday and again today, and up to 40 Vaux's Swifts were low overhead as well. A pair of Barred Owls have been hanging around near banding hut (even serenading each other), and today we enjoyed watching one at very close range (very tame immature presumably?) as it was actively "mousing"/hunting the numerous voles and rodents. Finally, the fall vulture and hawk migration showed signs of building Saturday, but today the overcast skies and rain slowed things down again. I suspect our first Broad-winged Hawk of fall is due any day now...

Year list is now at 162.

Date submitted: Friday, August 23 at 06:39 PM
Name: David Allinson
Date Visited: 08/23/02
Time on site: n/a
Sightings:
Hi folks,
Rocky Point Bird Observatory did it again today with Victoria's first NORTHERN PARULA (second record for Vancouver Island and only third for BC!). One record in Vancouver in June '94, and Sandy McRuer hosted one in his yard in Port Alberni back in November '96 (I missed that one by a day!).

Today's bird was an adult female caught in Net #3 and photographed for record books. My, parulas are small warblers!

Gorgeous!...Stupendous!...Awesome!...Wow! Two weeks ago a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher and now this?!

Get out there folks -- in spite of clear weather, good stuff is about!

276 species and counting...plus 92 species mist-netted total. At this pace, you all be invited to our #300 party in about five or six years!!

Date submitted: Thursday, August 08 at 08:15 AM
Name: David Allinson
Date Visited: 08/06/02
Time on site: n/a
Sightings:
STOP THE PRESS!

During banding operations on Tuesday the 6th, RPBO banded BC's fifth confirmed Blue-grey Gnatcatcher (and second record for Victoria checklist area). The bird was photographed for posterity. A remarkable bird, but consistent perhaps with this species continuing expansion north and west (closest breeders in southern Oregon). Interestingly, most records in Pacific Northwest occur in late fall-winter. This represents RPBO's 275th species on its checklist, and 91st species banded/mist-netted since 1994.

WOW!

Date submitted: Sunday, July 28 at 04:21 AM
Name: David Allinson
Date Visited: 07/27
Time on site: n/a
Sightings:
The opening week of the ninth season at Rocky Point Bird Observatory went very well with 250 birds of 27 species banded over first eight days. Banding highlights have included a Northern Flicker, Violet-green Swallows, Hutton's Vireos, and today an adult female Black-headed Grosbeak. The Marbled Godwit, first seen last Saturday and a new species for station list, was still present today. Of interest, RPBO year list now stands at 135 species.

Date submitted: Monday, July 22 at 09:50 PM
Name: David Allinson
Date Visited: 07/2-21-22/02
Time on site: n/a
Sightings:
My apologies for not posting much recently...

After a flurry of pre-season preparations by core members, I am happy to report that our (ninth) fall banding season began on Sunday 20th at 0505h!
Highlights from Saturday, Sunday and Monday: a respectable 29-30/birds each day, not bad considering the warm, clear condtions. On Sunday, on the final net round, Bander-in-Charge David Woodward managed to capture and band a gorgeous AHY male Northern "Red-shafted" Flicker (only our fourth/fifth banded). On Monday, we banded an impressive 4 Violet-green Swallows.
Swallow numbers were good on Saturday and Monday, with healthy numbers of Violet-greens (120) and Barn Swallows. 4 Tree Swallows seen on Saturday was significant as this species is locally uncommon. An Osprey overhead on Sunday provided more weight to my belief that this species breeds locally (perhaps in Pedder Bay or Matheson Lake area).
However, the highlight of weekend had to be Rocky Point's 274th species with a long-overdue Marbled Godwit! It was in the company of Canada geese and later Short-billed Dowitchers on mud flats near Building 100. The bird remained through Sunday and was extensively photographed (it is a very faded/pale adult).

Date submitted: Monday, May 20 at 10:24 PM
Name: David Allinson
Date Visited: 05/20/02
Time on site: 3 hours
Sightings:
Returned today after a month's absence to check on birdlife around Rocky Point and managed to record 63 species (107 now on year site list).

Highlights:
1 Blue-winged Teal - a rare bird at RPBO - lone female near Bldg. 100 (and in saltwater!);
2 Great Horned Owl - one near net 13, another near jetty;
2-3 Virginia Rail - seen and heard up close at Glover Pond;
1 Northern Harrier;
1 Western Sandpiper - gorgeous views in breeding plumage;
1 Olive-sided Flycatcher;
6+ Yellow Warbler;
1 Swainson's Thrush;
1 Cassin's Vireo;
2 Warbling Vireo.

Date submitted: Tuesday, April 09 at 10:23 PM
Name: David Allinson
Date Visited: April 6, 2002
Time on site: 3
Sightings:
Saturday's off-season census was in the afternoon instead, as our regular morning access was pre-empted by military activity. While strong winds kept many birds down, we still managed to tally 65 species, including:

2 Purple Martin - early record
45 (!) Rufous Hummingbird -- most were around the banding shack
2 Western Grebe
38 American Wigeon
10 Ring-necked Duck
70+ Bufflehead
40+ California Quail
18 Rhinoceros Auklet
2 Orange-crowned Warbler
16 Yellow-rumped Warbler ("Audubon's")
1 American Goldfinch

Site year list now stands at 87 species.

Date submitted: Saturday, March 23 at 07:12 PM
Name: David Allinson
Date Visited: 03/23/02
Time on site: 3
Sightings:
Rod Mitchell and I returned after over a month's absence to continue our off-season census at Rocky. The lovely spring weather was also most welcome!

Highlights among 57 species tallied (year-list now at 84):
1 Virginia Rail (seen and heard in Glover Pond)
7 Band-tailed Pigeon
6 Yellow-rumped Warbler ("Audubon's")
2 Rufous Hummingbird
1 Hutton's Vireo
1 Cooper's Hawk
1 Sharp-shinned Hawk
1 Western Gull
1 "Yellow-shafted" Northern Flicker (same bird seen in February?)
85+ American Robin
150+ Bufflehead

Date submitted: Saturday, February 16 at 01:31 PM
Name: David Allinson
Date Visited: 02/16/02
Time on site: 2
Sightings:
Greetings,
Our off-season surveys of the Rocky Point Bird Observatory (RPBO) continue; not only to check on winter birds, but also to check on the condition of the general site as well as our trailers. Access remains restricted on the military base, but thanks to our relationship with Department of National Defence, we have secured weekly surveys for Rod Mitchell and myself.
In spite of some miserable, wet conditions, Rod and I returned today to see if there were any hidden winter birding gems at RPBO. My thanks to Rod for showing up in spite of rain and his sore back!

Among 56 species tallied (not bad for two hours in the rain!), here are our highlights:
1 Golden Eagle -- sub-adult, likely the same bird we saw there on January 26th. This bird represents our first wintering record, with the majority of RPBO records for GOEA in early October, during their fall migration. However, no doubt due to the rain, I have never before seen a Golden Eagle perched in a Garry Oak!! We had the bird at about 100 feet and it was at eye level as we were driving out -- would have made for a great photo, but weather conditions were not conducive to photography. What a wonderful west coast biodiversity scene!
1 Hermit Thrush -- this bird enjoyed foraging for insects amidst log debris at Edye Point, right on the beach! This continues to be a "banner" winter for 'Hermies' in south-western BC.
1 Great Horned Owl
1 probable Barred Owl -- seen in flight briefly, but quite "pale" and grey in appearance suggesting Barred, rather than Great Horned. (There was evidence of two fresh Eastern Cottontail kills, one with nearby whitewash and pellets).
20 Black Turnstone
1 "Yellow-shafted" Northern Flicker
16 Hooded Merganser
19 American Wigeon
6 Ring-necked Duck
1 Red-tailed Hawk - a "new" bird, not previously recorded this winter at Rocky (other birds were adults). It is a small (male?) sub-adult 'tail.
3 Marsh Wren - singing around Glover Pond (hey, it must almost be spring!).

Date submitted: Sunday, January 27 at 05:35 PM
Name: David Allinson
Date Visited: 01/26/02
Time on site: 3
Sightings:
Yet another productive winter survey today at RPBO. Among 45 species were the following highlights:
1 Virginia Rail
31 Pacific Loon
175 Pine Siskin
39 Varied Thrush
12 Ring-necked Duck
1 Cooper's Hawk

but the real treat...

1 Northern Goshawk (immature)
1 Golden Eagle (sub-adult)
These two were perched at fairly close range for awesome scope looks (and not that far apart!). The gos' made a pass over our heads and we could make out all the field marks (e.g. heavy streaking underneath, including undertail coverts). However, Rod and I enjoyed the eagle in particular as it sat in a snag just beyond West Meadow. The golden hackles on its head and neck could be seen bristling in the wind. Very nice!

Date submitted: Sunday, January 06 at 02:04 PM
Name: David Allinson
Date Visited: 01/05/02
Time on site: 3
Sightings:
Happy New Year fellow RPBO'ers!

Rod and I returned for the first census of new year. We tallied a nice mix of species -- a remarkable 62 species in all!
Highlights:
2 Trumpeter Swan (rare at Rocky; not recorded in 2001)
1 Peregrine Falcon (an adult buzzed our heads as it chased something near Teal Ponds)
2 Turkey Vulture
2 Sharp-shinned Hawk
7-8? Bald Eagle (I thought they'd all be at Goldstream at this time of year?!)
300 Pine Siskin (there has gotta be a redpoll out there, somwhere?!)
4 Red-throated Loon
2 Common Goldeneye
12 Ring-necked Duck
12 American Wigeon
1 Black Turnstone
3 Black Oystercatcher