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Dusky Flycatchers (was: Empid question)
开云体育Derek, ? As the main person who has kept track of rare bird sightings in Metro Vancouver since the 1960s, I can give a very definite answer to your question. It is an unqualified YES! Since May 4th this year, there have been 14 reports of Dusky Flycatcher in our area, which is an all-time high. (All of these were single birds, and it doesn’t include the birds your team banded). A normal number of sightings would be 1 to 5 in a year, almost all of them in May.? By most definitions, this is rare, especially because it is very unusual to find more than one Dusky Flycatcher at once. ? All or nearly all of this year’s sightings were by experienced and capable birders, and/or were photographed. It looks like an abnormally high number of Duskies migrated west of the Cascades this year. You can see a list of the dates and locations of these sightings on the “Vancouver Rare Bird Alert” webpage, maintained by Melissa Hafting. It is at this location: . From the top of the listing, scroll down about 3 screens and you will find the list of all the recent Dusky Flycatcher sightings. ? Dusky Flycatcher is an abundant breeding bird in the BC Southern Interior. (I have run a BBS route near Merritt since 1974, and the first year I surveyed it, I recorded 44 Dusky Flycatchers— the commonest bird on the route!) However, the species does not breed west of the Cascades, and is consistently a rare migrant, more in spring that fall. The status of Dusky Flycatchers in Seattle, WA and Portland, OR is pretty much the same as around Vancouver. ? As you know, Dusky Flycatcher is very difficult to identify in the field, especially from Hammond’s, which is common here. As you say, the wing formula of the two is different, making it possible to reliably identify them in the hand.? Even after 60 years of birding experience, I often have difficulty separating these two on visual characters alone. However, the songs and call-notes of these two are quite different, and make it easy to separate them IF they are vocalizing. I first recorded Dusky Flycatchers in the field (by their call-notes) in our area at Pitt Meadows in 1972, and I usually manage to find one or two myself every spring. ? Even though I’ve rarely visited the Colony Farm banding station, I am well aware of the work that you and your cooperators are doing. This work is very important and valuable, and documenting records of rare and accidental species, even if it’s a tiny part of the work you do, is important nonetheless. ? Can you give us the dates of Dusky Flycatchers you’ve banded this year? I gather that each time it was a single bird, except for today. ? Keep up the outstanding work you are doing at VARC!! ? Wayne Weber, Ph.D. Delta, BC ? ? From: It turns out that there is also one of these roosts known in BC, at the Courtenay Museum in Courtenay, and that one is active right now. [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Derek Matthews ? Hi Vanbirders! ? Are there any Empid experts out there who have noticed a lot of Dusky Flycatchers in the lower mainland this spring? ? For us as banders with birds in the hand, we can fairly easily separate Dusky from Hammond’s based on wing morphology. This spring, along with a good number of Hammond’s, we have banded multiple Dusky Flys and this morning banded two Dusky along with several Hammond’s. ? This is highly unusual for us; we normally catch the odd Dusky in Spring, and treat it as an uncommon if not rare bird here, but not multiple birds and never two in the same morning! ? I was just wondering if anyone has noticed an increase or had any thoughts? ? Thanks! ? Derek
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Re: Empid Question!
开云体育Interesting – thanks Quentin! ? Derek ? ? From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Quentin Brown
Sent: May 14, 2022 4:13 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [vanbcbirds] Empid Question! ? Certainly an increase in Dusky sightings at Maplewood, Derek. Whereas one a spring would be exciting, we’re now seeing reports lately on an almost daily basis.? We’ve also had many more Hammond’s than usual. I think the cool, wet weather together with increased birder awareness and coverage of Maplewood have been factors. Cheers? Quentin Brown? ? On Sat, May 14, 2022 at 3:54 PM Derek Matthews <Derek@...> wrote:
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Re: Empid Question!
Certainly an increase in Dusky sightings at Maplewood, Derek. Whereas one a spring would be exciting, we’re now seeing reports lately on an almost daily basis.? We’ve also had many more Hammond’s than usual. I think the cool, wet weather together with increased birder awareness and coverage of Maplewood have been factors. Cheers? Quentin Brown? On Sat, May 14, 2022 at 3:54 PM Derek Matthews <Derek@...> wrote:
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Empid Question!
开云体育Hi Vanbirders! ? Are there any Empid experts out there who have noticed a lot of Dusky Flycatchers in the lower mainland this spring? ? For us as banders with birds in the hand, we can fairly easily separate Dusky from Hammond’s based on wing morphology. This spring, along with a good number of Hammond’s, we have banded multiple Dusky Flys and this morning banded two Dusky along with several Hammond’s. ? This is highly unusual for us; we normally catch the odd Dusky in Spring, and treat it as an uncommon if not rare bird here, but not multiple birds and never two in the same morning! ? I was just wondering if anyone has noticed an increase or had any thoughts? ? Thanks! ? Derek
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Need help with ID please (a flycatcher and a duck)
Can anyone help identify these birds please? 1) Flycatcher?today in White Rock. The bird was perched above a small pond. Attached is a small video as well as pictures. I'm leaning towards Western Wood-Pewee but the field guide (Sibley's) shows grey frontal parts while the bird here has a contrast between dark upperparts and pale underparts. 2) It's one of the Goldeneyes, also from White Rock today. There were 3 individuals. Yellow eye. The shape of the white spot is more round than it is like a comma suggesting Common, however the wing pattern and upperparts look more like a Barrow's. The in-flight photos came out all blurred but the pattern (white patch on upperwing) is visible. Thanks, Nikhil Patwardhan |
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Re: Bird for ID please
Thanks Monte, Perry, I went back at noon and found the flock again, this time to the east and vastly bigger than what I saw in the early morning. Video below shows the extent: A few birds were a wee bit closer and I got some distant shots again with a longer lens (attached below), they?are still very small though. The beaks looked yellow in the scope and their backs were distinctly lighter in color compared to the black on the back of the neck. Now I need to find someone to count the birds in the video ;-) I'll try to estimate sometime this weekend. If someone wants to have a go please do ;-) I can't tell if it is all the same species, the book shows Western and Clark's to be similar, so perhaps there's a mix there. On Sat, May 7, 2022 at 1:00 PM Tsuru <tsuru88@...> wrote:
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Nikhil Patwardhan |
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Re: Bird for ID please
Tsuru
Emailed Nikhil and told him.? That's what it appears to be although Clark's can't be ruled out with such a distant shot.? But most probably Western anyway. Monte Taylor Tustin Ranch, CA ? (for my shots) On Sat, May 7, 2022 at 11:13 AM PERRY EDWARDS <drchuper@...> wrote:
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Re: Bird for ID please
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On May 7, 2022, at 09:48, Nikhil Patwardhan <Nikhil.pirate@...> wrote:
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Bird for ID please
At White Rock Pier today morning around 7:30 AM, there was a large flock (~100 birds) far out into the sea. I only had a camera and no binoculars. Attached are fully?zoomed in photos (100% crop from original). The size of the birds was about the size of a Common Loon. Can anyone tell what these are? Thanks, Nikhil Patwardhan |
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Re: PALM WARBLER - male - Blakeburn Lagooons Park - Port Coquitlam
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On May 4, 2022, at 17:34, Colin Clasen <colinclasen@...> wrote:
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Re: PALM WARBLER - male - Blakeburn Lagooons Park - Port Coquitlam
开云体育Nice find Colin and congratulations! ? We caught one at Colony Farm one fall a few years back (see photo attached). Hopefully, this one makes its way to the Farm as well! ? Derek
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Colin Clasen
Sent: May 4, 2022 1:51 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [vanbcbirds] PALM WARBLER - male - Blakeburn Lagooons Park - Port Coquitlam ? At 1:30pm male breeding plumage PALM WARBLER at west viewing platform at west side of west lagoon at Blakeburn Lagoons Park in Port Coquitlam. Good photos obtained to be posted later on eBird.? |
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Re: New backyard bird
开云体育Hi Sandy, ? Yes, they are Savannah sparrows, my favourite sparrow in Vancouver! ? Savannah sparrows are grassland birds with a long hallux (hind toe) a characteristic of grassland birds (like longspurs, pipits) which aids in stability and movement across flat, open areas where they feed and nest (see attached photos from the banding station) ? Gorgeous birds and a very nice yard bird! :o) ? Derek
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Alexander Blair
Sent: May 2, 2022 11:14 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [vanbcbirds] New backyard bird ? I think this is a new addition to my backyard list, Savannah Sparrow. Confirmation appreciated. Thanks in advance. ? Sandy Blair, 28th?Ave, Between Fraser and Main, Vancouver. ? ? |
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Re: New backyard bird
Yep, those two look good for Savannah Sparrows. Congrats on the new backyard bird! - Dale Floer Burnaby, BC On Mon, May 2, 2022 at 11:14 AM Alexander Blair <sandyblair599@...> wrote:
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New backyard bird
开云体育
I think this is a new addition to my backyard list, Savannah Sparrow. Confirmation appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Sandy Blair,
28th?Ave, Between Fraser and Main, Vancouver.
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Derek Matthews
