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