A flock of birders descended on Grimm’s Deli, Tuesday, December seventeenth to participate in Pemberton’s nineteenth Christmas Bird Count. This tally of all species seen for the day provides valuable information for conservation biologists and citizen scientists; population distribution and trends for various species can be tracked over the years. The participants in these counts … Continue reading Pemberton Christmas Bird Count
It appears, reports our birding correspondent John Tschopp, that 2018 is an exceptional year for reproduction. At least for the birds. (We'll obviously have to wait a few more months to find out if the prime conditions alter the human population, too.) The berry bushes are loaded. The cherry trees are full of fruit and … Continue reading Baby boom, bird-style
At the Christmas Bird Count 2015, John Tschopp and the counting crew observed that Grey-crowned Rosy Finches had picked Pemberton Valley to spend the winter. Two months later, John reports that these attractive birds are still here. GCRF spend their breeding season in high alpine and arctic tundra. Until the days get longer and warmer, … Continue reading Sighted: Grey-crowned rosy finches
The keeners were up and at it at 8am this morning... but the Christmas Bird Count is underway all week, having started on Saturday. Any species seen between Saturday and Friday can be recorded as a count week bird. Birder-wrangler, John Tschopp shared these two pics of a flock of Pine Grosbeaks and a Pygmy … Continue reading Christmas Bird Count is underway
The latest from our birding correspondent, John Tschopp: With the weather turning into winter, some of our Arctic guests have arrived or are passing through. Along the valley road near Erickson Rd, a Rough-legged Hawk has been seen the last few days. I went up with my camera. To get there, the road took me … Continue reading BirdWatch and the Christmas Bird Count, Dec 15
I just found out that a sandhill crane, or more precisely, a flock of them, was the indirect inspiration for the Sea to Sky Gondola. Co-founder Trevor Dunn said he was out trail running in the Chilcotins years ago, when he launched over a ridge and landed amidst a flock of cranes. They took off … Continue reading Bird Watch: Sandhill Cranes
"With the arrival of the Black-headed Grosbeak, the summer cast for our valley is just about complete," advises John Tschopp, of one of his favourite birds. "With this bird, looks and song correspond. With most other birds, only one or the other is outstanding."
An update from John Tschopp: Spring is here. Wherever you are in our valley, you can see and hear the Trumpeter Swans on their way North. The Pemberton valley seems to be a popular stop for them. Last year's potato fields, some fallow grain fields present a tasty snack along the way. What a flying … Continue reading BirdWatch: Trumpeter Swans
John Tschopp reports this week that it sounded like spring in his yard. The dominant song came from Varied Thrushes. There were also: Red-winged Blackbirds, Evening Grosbeaks, Steller's Jays, Purple Finches, Pine Siskins, Juncos, Black-capped Chickadees, Northern Flickers, a Downy Woodpecker, a Hairy Woodpecker and a Robin. Plus, he spent some time admiring, and wondering … Continue reading BirdWatch: Rough-legged Hawk
John Tschopp reported the results from Pemberton's Christmas Bird Count earlier this month. Here's a little montage to our feathered friends who were spotted out on and about on one cloudy, clear day by 16 local ornithologists. No partridges in pear trees, despite the seasonal timeliness of such visitations. (Montage created with photos from Blake … Continue reading Seasonal Observations: Birds
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