Birds of 2013 - June

By the time June rolls around, bird activity is subsiding. Most migrants have either headed north to breed or have done so here and are now trying to raise their young without attracting attention. I did have a few good weekend outings at Grant Narrows in Pitt Meadows and Colony Farms in Coquitlam.

I also partook in the Ryder Lake Ramble in the Chilliwack area with my friend Mary-Jean and her sister Chris. On this weekend, visitors are welcomed on a number of properties in the area, which is east of Chilliwack and 400-500 meters above the Fraser Valley. It is not primarily a birding tour, but we encountered a good range of species, a couple of which are featured in this blog and others in the earlier 2013 posts.

#151 Yellow Warbler - Date: June 1. Location: Grant Narrows Regional Park, Pitt Meadows.
Probably the second most common warbler after Yellow-Rumped. It is a striking bird, with a predominantly Yellow face and head, olive sides and red streaks on the breast. They were very active this day at Grant Narrows.

#152 Western Wood Pewee - Date: June 1. Location: Grant Narrows Regional Park, Pitt Meadows.
A fairly common fly-catcher, but this is the first photos I have taken of this species. Seen before in Alberta with no photos. This one was not shy about posing for me.

#153 Cedar Waxwing - Date: June 1. Location: Grant Narrows Regional Park, Pitt Meadows.
A familiar summer bird, usually seen in flocks on bushes and trees with berries. Very photogenic when still, which is rare.

#154 Eastern Kingbird - Date: June 8. Location: Colony Farms Regional Park, Coquitlam.
I usually see this bird in the Okanagan, but had no luck on my April trip. However, they are regular visitors to Colony Farms on the East side of the park. This photo was taken with a contrasting backdrop of grasslands, with a housing development blurred out farther back.

I had more luck in the Okanagan in July. This photo was taken at Haynes Point Provincial Park in Osoyoos.

#155 Willow Flycatcher - Date: June 8. Location: Colony Farms Regional Park, Coquitlam.
By far, the most common fly catcher one is likely to see. The photo below was taken at Road 22 in Oliver in July.

#156 Warbling Vireo - Date: June 9. Location: Ryder Lake, Chilliwack.
Our first stop on the Ryder Lake Ramble was an English Country Garden named Oversky. Upon entering the garden we heard a bird singing melodically and continuously. Mary-Jean located it and my first impression was a Vireo. One of the owners was nearby and confirmed they had a nesting Warbling Vireo. I was only able to get off a few half-decent shots, one of which appears below.

Here is a photo of its nest, taken by Mary-Jean Payeur.

#157 Turkey Vulture - Date: June 9. Location: Ryder Lake, Chilliwack.
The unofficial "State Bird of Oklahoma" according to a Texan birding guide we once met, these birds are now quite common in the Fraser Valley. The photo below was taken in the Columbia Valley south of Cultus Lake in September.

#158 Ring-billed Gull - Date: June 16. Location: Lighthouse Marine Park, Point Roberts, Wa.
I'm not sure how I avoided this most common gull for half the year. This photo of a particularly evil looking specimen  was taken in July at Iona Regional Park.

#159 Black Oystercatcher - Date: June 16. Location: Lighthouse Marine Park, Point Roberts, Wa.
This is one of the two Oystercatcher's you can see in North America. The American Oystercatcher is an east or gulf coast resident. The Black Oystercatcher can be seen year round on rocky shores in Southern BC and Washington. This photo was taken at the Tsawwassen Ferry Jetty in September.

#160 Swainson's Thrush - Date: June 22. Location: Colony Farms Regional Park, Coquitlam.
This bird is often heard but seldom seen. It has a very musical, fluty song which I can hear in my backyard in late spring and early summer. But they are very shy and drab looking. I have taken one good photo of it back in the 1990's. This year I saw the bird when another birder used his IPod to call the bird out. Not the way I'd like to see a species, but sometimes you have to stoop to such measures. There is no photo to post from this year.


#161 Red-eyed Vireo- Date: June 23. Location: Burnaby Lake Regional Park.
Another species seen but not photographed this year. I did get a good look at this one through binoculars. The photo was taken in May 2012 at Point Pelee National Park in Ontario. It's not very good, but the best I can offer.

#162 Least Flycatcher - Date: June 23. Location: Burnaby Lake Regional Park.
This is the bird I was hoping to see on this day, it had been reported a few days back. I did get one look at the bird and one poor photo.

#163 Green Heron - Date: June 27. Location: Burnaby Lake Regional Park.
Another Burnaby Lake bird that required a long walk and assistance from another birder to find. There are usually two or three Green Herons reported each year in the Lower Mainland. They are well worth the effort to get out and see.

That's it for June, only 13 species, but some very nice ones. Coming up next is July, where the count is ever lower. However, there were some really good birds, including a life list addition.