Vaseux Lake Christmas Bird Count 2011 results

Here are the results of the 38th annual Vaseux Lake Christmas Bird Count,
held today under decent conditions-some wind on Skaha Lake, but only breezy
or calm elsewhere, little or no precipitation, little or no snow on ground,
Vaseux Lake more than half open. The species total of 86 is above the
long-term average, but the second-lowest total in the last decade. The
highlight was a Peregrine Falcon seen flying north over Island Road by Pete
Davidson, a first record for this count. Other good birds were a Mute Swan
(Vaseux Lake, Doug Brown); a Eurasian Wigeon on the Okanagan River channel
(Eva Durance), two Northern Shovelers (Okanagan River, Eva Durance; Hack’s
Pond, Dick Cannings) and 15 Eurasian Collared-Doves (12 in Kaleden, Jim &
Deirdre Turnbull; 2 at Inkaneep Park, Dick Cannings et al.). Thanks to all
26 participants, and especially to Phyllis Jmaeff of Mountain Springs Nature
Retreat for hosting the countup.

Canada Goose  154
Trumpeter Swan            75
Tundra Swan     2
Mute Swan        1
Gadwall            13
Eurasian Wigeon           1
American Wigeon          91
Mallard 470
Northern Shoveler          2
Green-winged Teal         2
Redhead           1
Ring-necked Duck         210
Greater Scaup   2
Common Goldeneye      10
Barrow’s Goldeneye      45
Bufflehead        89
Hooded Merganser        18
Common Merganser      116
Ring-necked Pheasant   1
Ruffed Grouse  1
California Quail  648
Pied-billed Grebe          4
Horned Grebe   16
Red-necked Grebe        4
Great Blue Heron           7
Bald Eagle:  adult          6
Bald Eagle:  immature   5
Sharp-shinned Hawk      4
Cooper’s Hawk  4
Accipiter, sp.    1
Red-tailed Hawk            15
Golden Eagle 6
Peregrine Falcon           1
American Kestrel           4
Merlin   3
Virginia Rail       2
American Coot  186
Ring-billed Gull  7
Herring Gull       1
gull, sp.            8
Rock Pigeon     85
Eurasian Collared-Dove            14
Mourning Dove 75
Great Horned Owl          2
Northern Pygmy-Owl      3
N. Saw-whet Owl           1
Belted Kingfisher           1
Downy Woodpecker      11
Hairy Woodpecker         6
Am. Three-toed Woodpecker     2
Northern (R.-s.) Flicker   99
Pileated Woodpecker    2
Northern Shrike 5
Gray Jay           3
Steller’s Jay      35
Clark’s Nutcracker         34
Black-billed Magpie       101
American Crow  15
Common Raven            70
Black-capped Chickadee           113
Mountain Chickadee      168
Red-breasted Nuthatch  53
White-breasted Nuthatch            29
Pygmy Nuthatch            89
Brown Creeper  5
Canyon Wren    17
Pacific Wren     5
Marsh Wren       5
American Dipper           18
Golden-crowned Kinglet 24
Ruby-crowned Kinglet    1
Western Bluebird           33
Townsend’s Solitaire      8
American Robin 2
Cedar Waxwing 30
European Starling          2429
Spotted Towhee            2
Song Sparrow   51
White-crowned Sparrow 53
Dark-eyed (Ore) Junco   161
Red-winged Blackbird    120
Pine Grosbeak  4
House Finch      514
Red Crossbill    5
Pine Siskin        2
American Goldfinch       135
Common Redpoll          3
Evening Grosbeak         1
House Sparrow 463

Total individuals            7343
Total Species    86
Observers         26
Parties (min)      10
Parties (max)     15
Hours on foot   50
Hours by car     56.8
Km on foot       83
Km by car         494