I can add a bit to Don Cecile's posting on winter Red Phalaropes in British
Columbia: Typically, the species is not found here in winter, but this year
is an exception, as it is in Washington. Two remained off Whiffin
Spit in Sooke to at least Dec. 19, and the number tallied during Victoria's
Dec. 16 Christmas Bird Count was 20 - probably a new high for any Canadian
CBC. If remnants of the "wreck" are still around, the Dec. 30 CBC at
Bamfield, on the west coast of Vancouver Island, could make short work of
that record. Most of the Victoria phalaropes were in Juan de Fuca Strait,
but single birds were in Saanich Inlet and Haro Strait.

BTW, the accounts have just been reviewed and 147 species were officially
identified during the Victoria CBC. That's below Victoria's and Canada's
all-time high of 152, but ties our 2nd highest ever and will probably again
be tops in Canada this year. Ladner/Delta could possibly beat that total
this Saturday, Dec. 23 -- if it stops raining.

There were no exceptional vagrants among the 147; Yellow-billed Loon,
Harris's Sparrow, American Bittern and Tundra Swan were good birds for this
area, but the phalaropes were probably the most exceptional. A Brown Pelican
and a few Norther Fulmars were present to at least Dec. 7, but disappeared -
probably to the Great Oceans in the Sky.

Great fun and good exercise. All Tweeters should try a CBC. Or start the
New Year with a Jan. 1 Big Day.

Happy Holidays,

Bryan Gates, Victoria bgates at assessment.env.gov.bc.ca