Notes:
The photo accompanying the bird is the best one I took of the bird that year, not necessarily the photo taken on the first sighting date.
Additions to my life list are noted where applicable.
#50 Common Goldeneye Date - Feb 1. Location: Iona Regional Park, Richmond BC.
Status: Abundant
#51 Northern Shrike Date - Feb 1. Location: Iona Regional Park, Richmond BC.
Status: Abundant
#52 Western Meadowlark Date - Feb 1. Location: Iona Regional Park, Richmond BC.
Status: Abundant
#53 Ring-necked Duck Date - Feb 1. Location: Iona Regional Park, Richmond BC.
Status: Abundant
#54 Gray-crowned Rosy Finch Date - Feb 8. Location: Mount Seymour Ski Area, North Vancouver BC.
Status: Abundant
The two birds shown below are from different sub-species of the Gray-crowned Rosy Finch. The one with the Gray/Black throat is a member of the Coastal race, while the one with the brown throat is a member of the Interior race. Since races inter-breed (just like humans) the plumage characteristics can blur over time.
#55 Canada Goose Date - Feb 8. Location: Burnaby Lake Regional Nature Park Burnaby BC. Status: Abundant
#56 Green-winged Teal Date - Feb 8. Location: Burnaby Lake Regional Nature Park Burnaby BC. Status: Abundant
#57 Red-breasted Nuthatch Date - Feb 14. Location: Backyard, North Delta BC. Status: Abundant
Very glad to see this bird in our backyard again after missing it in previous years. Not a great photo, but the only other sightings in the Okanagan were from a distance.
#58 Eurasian Wigeon Date - Feb 14. Location: Kings Links Golf Course, Delta BC. Status: Common
#59 Bewick's Wren Date - Feb 15. Location: Backyard, North Delta BC. Status: Abundant
This wren is often heard before it is seen. It has a very loud call, especially at the start of breeding season. Although I got some good shots in the backyard on this day, they don't beat the one taken below in the front yard in March. I had just pulled up from a birding trip and had my camera handy when this one landed in the Lilac brush about 10 ft away.
#60 Rufous Hummingbird Date - Feb 14. Location: Backyard, North Delta BC. Status: Abundant
Later that day I noticed a hummingbird on the feeder in the back. I first thought it was an Anna's but the photos revealed the first Rufous female for the year.
The two photos below are males captured at the Red Roost Gift Shop near Kaleden in the Okanagan. This location is a home just off Highway 3 that features a small gift shop and numerous seed and hummingbird feeders. Our April birding tour winds up at this location. Sadly, the owners have the house for sale and the gift shop and feeders may be gone for the 2016 season.
These photos of a Rufous Male were taken at this location in late May as I was returning home from my Okanagan golf tour. I noticed that after visiting the feeders, the hummers would perch on nearby branches.
#61 Brewer's Blackbird Date - Feb 20. Location: Hornby Drive, Delta BC. Status: Abundant
This Blackbird is more common in the Okanagan than the Lower Mainland, but you can see them in winter in the farmlands in Delta. The photo was taken in at the Hope Airport on March 31st as I was heading to the Okanagan for my spring birding tour.
This Eurasian Duck was my first rare bird of the year. One seems to appear here every two or three years. I saw my first in 2008, and another one in 2014. It is related to our Greater and Lesser Scaup. It had been reported at Iona during the week so Iona was my first stop on Saturday the 21st. The bird was not in the outer ponds, so I checked out the inner sewage ponds (birding is so glamorous). Of course, there were hundreds of Scaup on the ponds so finding the Tufted Duck turned into a game of Where's Waldo. Although I thought I saw it, I could not get a photo and left disappointed.
On Sunday morning I returned and scoped the outer ponds. There was the Tufted Duck all by itself. I got wonderful scope views and as it moved closer I got some decent camera shots. I also had the good fortune to show the duck to a couple of women who were interested in birds.
#63 Harlequin Duck Date - Feb 22. Location: Lighthouse Marine Park, Point Roberts WA Status: Abundant
After Iona I headed down to Point Roberts. it was a nice sunny day and I was running out of time to catch some of the winter ducks and grebes that could be seen there. This location is almost guaranteed to have Harlequin Ducks in the winter. I got this nice shot of a male and female together there.
#64 Double-crested Cormorant Date - Feb 22. Location: Lighthouse Marine Park, Point Roberts WA Status: Abundant
For such an abundant bird, I did not manage to get a very good photo this year. This cheeky photo was taken from the Waterfront Restaurant off the Embarcadero in San Francisco in October.
#65 Horned Grebe Date - Feb 22. Location: Lighthouse Marine Park, Point Roberts WA Status: Abundant
This small grebe is common in winter at Point Roberts and also in White Rock off the Pier and South Surrey at Blackie's Spit. Unfortunately, we only see it in non-breeding plumage. It is much more colourful when it heads inland to breed
#66 Surf Scoter Date - Feb 22. Location: Lighthouse Marine Park, Point Roberts WA Status: Abundant
This is another common duck at Point Roberts, and the best place to see them close to shore. The photos of the colourful Male and plainer female were both taken on this day.
#67 Brant Date - Feb 22. Location: Lighthouse Marine Park, Point Roberts WA Status: Abundant
This sea-going Goose is quite different in behaviour from the Canada Goose. It us usually seen over salt water, flying powerfully near the shoreline in small groups.It is identified by it's dark colour, the white flanks, and the white neck ring.
#68 Red-breasted Merganser Date - Feb 22. Location: Lighthouse Marine Park, Point Roberts WA Status: Abundant
Rounding out the winter duck collection, this Merganser is usually seen in salt water. It is very common at Point Roberts. However, it is unusual to see males, only the female. It can be told from the similar Common Merganser by location (salt water), the thinner bill, and by the border between the neck and breast (the Common has a sharply delineated border, this one is more blended). This photo was taken at Point Roberts in November.
#69 Black Turnstone Date - Feb 22. Location: Lighthouse Marine Park, Point Roberts WA Status: Abundant
This shorebird is a year-round resident along the rocky shores of Lighthouse Marine Park in Pt Roberts and also the Tsawwassen Ferry Jetty. This photo was taken at the latter location in November.