The blue grouse (dendrapagus) breeds at the edge of conifer forests in high and mid mountain areas. One of BC's legendary upland game birds, the male blue grouse has a "ventriloquisitic courtship call" that can be heard for miles. BC has over 50% of the world's population of blue grouse. For most of the year … Continue reading Sighted: Blue Grouse
Heather Baines, retired physician and Pemberton's regional coordinator of the BC Breeding Birds Atlas survey, recently took a remarkable picture near Carpenter Lake, just west of Lillooet, that our birding correspondent John Tschopp has shared. It shows a colony of Cliff Swallows that lives up to its name. The birds built their nests against a cliff … Continue reading Sighted: Cliff Swallow Colony
63 species of bird was spotted along a 25km stretch of the Pemberton Meadows, on Saturday, for the Breeding Bird Survey of 2013. Reports ornithologist-wrangler John Tschopp, "it was a good turnout and the birds were cooperating. Highlights included a Bullock's Oriole at the Lillooet Lake Road, a black-headed grosbeak singing above the bridge over … Continue reading Seasonal Observations: The Spring Bird Count
Eagle-eyed birdwatchers (and eagle watchers, too) can rub shoulders with birders from the BC Ornithologists, who are sending a delegation to Pemberton on Saturday, to help with the breeding bird survey. Bring water, sunhat, binoculars and sharp eyes. Car pool to help keep things streamlined along the route. Meet at 8am at the Pony parking … Continue reading Event: Breeding Bird Survey, Saturday, 8am, The Pony
Earlier this spring, Stewardship Pemberton reported hearing the call of the northern saw-whet owl in the 'hood. The Saw-whet Owl's name comes from the "skiew" call that is made when alarmed. This sound has a resemblance to the whetting of a saw. (Follow this link to listen to the call - a series of whistled … Continue reading Seasonal Observations: Northern Saw-Whet Owl
Our Man on the Binoculars, John Tschopp, reports that the recent warm weather has brought hordes of summer breeders to the valley: Swallows, Warblers, Kingbirds, Hummingbirds, Vireo, Wood Ducks, and all sorts of Sparrows. The Sparrows still come to the feeder, before they disperse to their nesting spots. This gives us a chance to take … Continue reading Seasonal Observations: Golden-Crowned Sparrows
Spotted by local bird expert, John Tschopp, dropping by for a visit last week, for a good feed of Upper Meadows worms, on its way north: the long-billed curlew. The long-billed curlew is the largest nesting or regularly occurring sandpiper in North America, also sometimes called the sicklebird or candelstick bird. Back in 2005, Whistler … Continue reading Seasonal Observations: Long-billed Curlew
Local birder John Tschopp keeps a close eye on the winged things of Pemberton, sharing his sightings with other keen ornithologists. He was able to confirm for us that "Grumpy" (as shared on Feb 23 here at the Almanac) is a Great Horned Owl. And shares another sighting with us, of the sharp-shinned hawk. We … Continue reading Seasonal Observations: Sharp-Shinned Hawk
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