Of course, my goal in 2013 was to break that record. The final tally was 219 birds.
I also added 29 lifers in 2013. These are birds that I have never seen before in what the American Birding Association calls North America (essentially the continental US and all of Canada - sorry Mexico).
This first post details the birds I saw early in 2013. Many of them were re-visits of birds I saw in December 2012. The 2012-13 winter featured many irruptions of northern birds as they flocked south. This may have been due to shortage of food sources in their northern habitat.
Since I saw 47 species in January, I have split that month into two posts.
Below are the first 24 birds seen in January with comments where noteworthy.
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.
#1 Downy Woodpecker: Date - Jan 1. Location: our backyard, where it appears every day to eat suet. Of course, I have no photo from 2013 as of this posting.
#2 Red-breasted Nuthatch - Date: Jan 1. Location: my neighbour's suet feeder.
This is about the only sighting I had of this bird in 2013. They used to be quite common at our feeders.
#3 Anna’s Hummingbird - Date: Jan 1. Location: Burns Bog nature trail.
We have had an Anna's coming to our feeder the last two winters.
Not the best photo, very camera shy.
#4 Black-capped Chickadee- Date: Jan 1. Location: Burns Bog Nature Trail, Delta.
Our most common Chickadee, I had to go back and add this to the posting when I noticed it was not on my 2013 spreadsheet. This also meant renumbering everything. Check the list first, then start the blog! This photo was taken at Reifel Bird Sanctuary in September. The ruffled plumage indicates an juvenile bird, probably a couple of months old.
#5 Dark-eyed Junco - Date: Jan 1. Location: Neighbour's bird feeder.
A very common winter bird, you have to go to higher altitude to see them in summer.
Photo from April in our backyard.
#6 Gray Jay - Date: Jan 9. Location: Glacier Creek Lodge on Blackcomb Mountain.
A commonly seen bird on the ski hill. The photo below was taken above Okanagan Falls in April.
#7 Song Sparrow - Date: Jan 12 Location: Backyard feeder in Vancouver near 17th and Larch.
Seen while looking for a rare Brambling at same location (see below).
This photo was taken in April at Brydon Lagoon in Langley and is one of my favourites.
#8 House Finch - Date: Jan 12 Location: Backyard feeder in Vancouver near 17th and Larch.
This was the first of the red-finch triple for the year. This photo was taken in Ladner in May.
#9 House Sparrow - Date: Jan 12 Location: Backyard feeder in Vancouver.
One of our most common invasive species, they were introduced from England in the 1850's. This photo was taken south of San Francisco in September.
#10 Brambling - Date: Jan 12 Location: Backyard feeder in Vancouver near 17th and Larch.
My first life list addition (353) in 2013.
This rare finch-like bird is common in Europe and Asia. There were at least six sightings in BC over the winter. This one was at a bird feeder in a back alley in Vancouver. The woman who lived at this location was very gracious and tried to ensure everyone saw the bird when they came to visit.
I saw the bird on Jan 12, but did not get a good photo until Feb 10. This was after the woman trimmed her blackberry bushes to provide a better view of the feeder.
#11 Steller's Jay - Date: Jan 12. Location: Queen Elizabeth Park in Vancouver.
The photo below was taken on June 9 near Ryder Lake in the Chilliwack area. This was part of the Ryder Lake Ramble that I did with my friend Mary-Jean and her sister Chris.
#12 Red-breasted Sapsucker - Date: Jan 12. Location: Queen Elizabeth park in Vancouver. Always a good sighting, these birds can be found in the area in winter and early spring. However, it is usually difficult to get a good photo as they are normally on shaded tree trunks.
#13 Varied Thrush - Date: Jan 12. Location: Queen Elizabeth park in Vancouver.
Another BC winter speciality. This a a female, no males photographed in 2013.
#14 Red-flanked Bluetail - Date: Jan 17. Location: Queen's Park in New Westminster.
If the Brambling was rare, this bird was ultra-rare. It attracted hundreds of birders and made the local TV newscasts. Although I "saw" it on my first visit, I did not get a good photo until March 3rd. The bird disappeared shortly after that time, hopefully on a return trip to Asia.
This was #354 on my life list.
#15 Northwestern Crow - Date: Jan 17. Location: Queen's Park in New Westminster.
Seen the same day and location as the Bluetail. This bird would be a lifer for some of the visitors from outside the Lower Mainland. Our crow is considered a different species from the American Crow that is seen on the rest of the continent. This photo was taken at Burnaby Lake on Jan 19th.
#16 Ring-necked Duck - Date: Jan 19. Location: Burnaby Lake Regional Park.
A somewhat uncommon duck that is more easily seen in the winter than other seasons. The photo of the female below was taken at Reifel Bird Sanctuary in February. The second photo of a male was taken at Iona Regional Park in December.
#17 Lesser Scaup - Date: Jan 19. Location: Burnaby Lake Regional Park.
Not to be confused with the Greater Scaup which is also common in the Lower Mainland.
The Lesser has a taller, flatter head and favours fresh water.
The Photo of the male and two females was taken at Iona Regional Park in October.
#18 American Coot - Date: Jan 19. Location: Burnaby Lake Regional Park.
Photo below taken in April at Brydon Lagoon in Langley
#19 Mallard - Date: Jan 19. Location: Burnaby Lake Regional Park.
Our most familiar duck. Piper Spit at Burnaby Lake is a fantastic place to photograph ducks.
#20 Bufflehead Date: Jan 19. Location: Burnaby Lake Regional Park.
It's difficult to get a good photo of the male of this species. The colouring of the head defeats most automatic metering systems. The eyes are very difficult to see with the contrast on the head.
#21 Red Crossbill Date: Jan 19. Location: Burnaby Lake Regional Park.
A winter finch that irrupted south in huge numbers across the continent. The Crossbill is adapted to crack open seeds and cone with its strangely shaped bill. There are numerous sub-species which are not yet fully identified and understood.
Although I saw them at Burnaby Lake a few times, the best photo I got was in my backyard inApril when a flock of Crossbills dropped in for a drink of water. There's also a Pine Siskin in the photo (see Feb Post for that bird).
Below is a female Red Crossbill, You can see the bill shape better here.
#22 Spotted Towhee - Date: Jan 19. Location: Burnaby Lake Regional Park.
One of our most beautiful common song birds. This Saturday outing to Burnaby Lake was quite productive.
#23 Green-winged Teal Date: Jan 19. Location: Burnaby Lake Regional Park.
A small but very pretty duck.
As a bonus, I also saw a Eurasian Common Teal in February in Richmond along the Terra Nova dike. The photo below shows both the Green-winged with the vertical white stripe and the Eurasian with the horizontal white stripe. These teals are considered sub-species due to extensive inter-breeding in common range areas.
#24 Red-winged Blackbird Date: Jan 19. Location: Burnaby Lake Regional Park.
Another very common bird. The photo below was taken in May at Predator Ridge Golf Course in Vernon.
More January birds coming in Part 2.
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