Dear OntBirds;
Winter Birding in Canada - 2007-2008 - Mid-season Update
We are pleased to finally welcome Ontario into the fold! They've
been missed, and are most welcome.
Environment Canada's long-term forecast [ http://tinyurl.com/yu46t7 ]
(calling for below average temperatures for the December-February
period for pretty much the entire country) was depressingly
accurate. Thus far almost every part of Canada has experienced an
"old-time" winter, colder than any in the past 15+ years.
Now, by the mid-point of the season, the early predictions of lower
than average species counts have been realised, and no province has
yet even reached its long-term winter average total, and though this
may yet happen, no province will likely set any records.
But despite the weather, birders have been afield, and they've found
a number of remarkable species. And certain trends have emerged:
lots of redpolls everywhere in the south, and a noticeable
displacement of western birds to the east, most particularly with
respect to Townsend's Solitaires, but to a lesser extent Varied
Thrushes, Bullock's Orioles, "western" juncos, and a few others.
The rarest bird remains the Cook's Petrel in British Columbia, a
first for Canada. It flew against a home-owner's door in Lillooet
following a vicious storm. Although the bird was taken into care, it
subsequently died. But Nova Scotia's Magnificent Frigatebird must
come a close second.
Here are the various regional totals as of Jan. 22, with a few
highlighted species, for all ten provinces, as well as the French
islands of Saint-Pierre et Michelon, and the country of
Iceland. I've also provided links to each region's winter birding page.
PROVINCES FROM EAST TO WEST:
Newfoundland: http://tinyurl.com/2jqo5p
135 species - Greater White-fronted Goose, Slaty-backed Gull,
Yellow-legged Gull, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Bullock's Oriole.
Nova Scotia: http://tinyurl.com/2u2ulg
187 species (average = 195) - Magnificent Frigatebird, Ivory Gull,
Empidomax flycatcher sp., White-eyed Vireo, Fieldfare, Grasshopper
Sparrow, Indigo Bunting, Bullock's Oriole.
Prince Edward Island: http://tinyurl.com/3bkhwz
103 species (average = 118) - Carolina Wren, Bullock's
Oriole, Hoary Redpoll.
New Brunswick: http://tinyurl.com/36hpe4
155 species (average = 162) - Osprey, Spotted Sandpiper, Lark Sparrow.
Quebec: http://tinyurl.com/2ngu7n
153 species - Eurasian Collared-Dove, American Pipit.
Ontario: http://tinyurl.com/23b2zf
191 species - Barnacle Goose, Osprey, Slaty-backed Gull,
Black-throated Gray Warbler, Harris's Sparrow.
Manitoba: http://tinyurl.com/yjtx52
90 species (average = 101) - Green-winged Teal, Black-headed Grosbeak.
Saskatchewan: http://tinyurl.com/2qde59
97 species (average = 111) - Barrow's Goldeneye, Greater Sage-Grouse,
Gray Catbird, Red-bellied Woodpecker.
Alberta: http://tinyurl.com/yke4sl
138 species (average = 141) - Greater Sage-Grouse, Eastern
Screech-Owl, Lewis's Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Cassin's Finch.
British Columbia: http://tinyurl.com/33bmzc
240 species (average = 250) - Arctic Loon, Short-tailed Albatross,
Cook's Petrel, Pectoral Sandpiper, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Bobolink.
Other Reporting Regions:
French Islands of Saint-Pierre et Michelon: http://tinyurl.com/y45kl5
87 species (average = 84) - Northern Harrier, Nashville Warbler,
Chipping Sparrow, Brown-headed Cowbird.
Iceland: http://www.fuglar.is/vetrarhlaup.php
90 species - Pink-footed Goose, Surf Scoter, Eurasian Woodcock, Song Thrush.
Good (winter) birding,
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Blake Maybank
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Editor, "Nova Scotia Birds"
author, "Birding Sites of Nova Scotia"
http://maybank.tripod.com/BSNS.htm
White's Lake, Nova Scotia, Canada
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