Tweets - Although likely too far away for most of you to twitch this one, I
offer it up for your enjoyment. My first one and I was not prepared for the
staggering beauty of this bird. Ranks right up there with the top few of my bird
experiences.

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Cathy Antoniazzi and her mother Mary discovered a Scissor-tailed Flyatcher at
the Giscome school this evening, July 19th, 1998, around 1900 hours. For those
who do not know, Giscome is about 40 km ENE of Prince George, BC. The bird
appears to be either a 2nd year male or an adult female. This is one gorgeous
bird so try to get out to see it if you can. To get to Giscome, travel east on
Hwy 16 toward Jasper. Take the left on Upper Fraser Road about 15 km east of
town and stay on it until you cross the Willow River bridge. Across the bridge,
turn right after the railroad tracks and keep going another 8 km or so. You will
eventually come to the Giscome Elementary School on your right after the big
uncut hayfield (the school is boarded up for the summer). Pull into the
schoolyard and park then check out the area. The bird was seen perching on the
perimeter fencing of the schoolyard as well as on the backstop for the ball
diamond; it also perched on adjacent telephone lines along Upper Fraser Road. As
luck would have it, it was consorting with a young Say's Phoebe, another good
bird for the area.

There had been 17 records of Scissor-taileds in BC up to the publication of the
3rd volume of "The Birds of BC" in 1997. That book missed one bird at Fort St.
James; there was one in McBride July 13, 1997; and now this one so we are up to
about 20 records now.

- Jack


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Jack Bowling
Prince George, BC
jbowling at direct.ca