[NewWestBirder]

Question for Ian and James: Is September/October any good for birding in the Osoyoos area?

[stumblingpiper]

I think October might be a little late for Migratory birds, but September should be the sweet spot for that area. From Osoyoos, I'd hit Road 22 (Oxbows), a little west up the Crowsnest Highway toward Keremeos, and also up around Oliver/Vaseux Lake area.
Sorry for the late reply (and my tardiness in updating the bird list) ... been a busy year!
James

[stumblingpiper]

Welcome back, Zach!
Sorry it's taken me so long to provide an update ... I've been out and about -- just haven't taken the time to upload -- plus y'all keep posting birds I'm trying to shoot. haha. Well, I made it up to Salmon Arm for the Roots and Blues Festival, so it is only appropriate I add the Western Grebe (still looking for the elusive Clark's Grebe here...)


My wife and I took a drive up Beaver Lake Road (to go kayaking at Beaver Lake ... lol). Such a rich diversity of birds! Was able to capture this Swainson's Hawk being pestered by other birds (Say's Phoebe I think) on the lower end of Beaver Lake road.


We also saw this Townsend's Warbler up near (plus Yellow-rumped and MacGillivray's Warblers) the lake. He has a learn grub in his beak.


I know we have one on the list already, but I had a neat perspective on a Golden-crowned Kinglet, too.


Over the last 3 to 4 years, we've been hearing Poor-wills and Common Nighthawks around the neighborhood. We saw the Poor-will this year, but I didn't have my camera. I was able to capture a couple of "Sasquatch" photos of a pair of Nighthawks.



Finally, my friend was out riding his bike last week near Okanagan Mountain Park and captured this Dusky Grouse (as a video). I'm added the screen capture for our count! haha.


Keep the pictures coming!
James

[stumblingpiper]

Hi Everyone! Here's the link to the list of already photographed birds.
We are currently at 195 birds ... right around the same pace as last year. I have about 5 birds I can think to add and will continue to chase those. Hopefully Zach and Ian will drop a few more on us (as well as GMcD, Patrick, Bill, Randy, et al). haha. I know I missed someone. I do miss Judy's posts, for sure ... and her humor.

viewtopic.php?p=92398#p92398

Probably starting in September I'll post the "Birds we Need" list.
Enjoy!
James

[GMcD]

I've spent the past month locally photographing way too many hummingbirds and pollinators at the community gardens. I decided to go out to Garry Point in Richmond this morning to check on the Purple Martin colony. Very vocal bunch, but very windy so not much in the way of photo opportunities for Martins in flight. A flock of 30 Long Billed Dowitchers flew past, and there were 18 Great Blue Herons having their morning meeting on the spit across from the point.

A bonus was a Peregrine Falcon that did a fly-by and got the Purple Martins all excited. I note that the Peregrine Falcon isn't on the list yet, and I managed a distant photo, so here we are:

Peregrine Falcon by GMcD2008, on Flickr

[BillGyles]

Here is a Long-Billed Curlew that turned up in the Nanaimo Estuary a few days ago. I didn't manage any ground shots because it disappeared into the vegetation when it landed. It seems this is the first one recorded at this location.

Long-Billed Curlew by Bill Gyles, on Flickr

[Smithers]

_H3A4020-Virginia Rail by Patrick Covello, on Flickr

A Virginia Rail taken at Burnaby Lake

Pat

[NewWestBirder]

Pelagic Cormorant (Urile pelagicus) by Randy, on Flickr

[BillGyles]

This Red Knot caused a bit of a sensation at Columbia Beach over the last week. I was lucky that it flew over to feed on sand hoppers near where I was sitting.

Red Knot by Bill Gyles, on Flickr

[NewWestBirder]

Non Breeding Adult Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia) by Randy, on Flickr

A contribution from Hornby Island

[NewWestBirder]

Nice capture of the Red Knot Bill.

[Smithers]

_H3A5156-White Wagtail by Patrick Covello, on Flickr

This rare Asian native has shown up at Steveston. It has been described as frequenting parking lots, which is where the photo was taken.

Pat

[NewWestBirder]

Female Harlequin Ducks by R Varga, on Flickr

Every year at Hornby I see the same large groups of female Harlequin Ducks, but never a male. Wonder what gives?? Not the kind of image I like to get, but posting this one to make sure it gets on our list.

[NewWestBirder]

Nice capture of that Wagtail Pat. Was it quite the scene out in Richmond??? Just thinking there must be lots of people out there with their cameras. LOL.

[Smithers]

There was about 5 birders observing the Wagtail in Steveston when I got there, but there are now at least 45 rare bird alerts for it.

Pat