Subject: Vaseux Lake Christmas count
Date: Dec 29 10:57:40 1999
From: R.J. Cannings & M. Holm - mholm at vip.net


Dear Tweeters:

Here is the final tally for Vaseux Lake Christmas Count, held December 27.
Highlights were the three Soras (we've had singles for the last two years),
the two sapsuckers (heard only; all three species would be unusual but
possible in winter here), and Glaucous Gull (first one in the 26-year
history of this count). Big misses were Tundra Swan, White-crowned Sparrow,
Common Redpoll, Evening Grosbeak, Merlin, Goshawk and a few others that I
thought would be there considering the mild weather.
Starred species are unusual; starred numbers are high counts.


Common Loon 2
Pied-billed Grebe 29
Horned Grebe 7
Red-necked Grebe 1
Western Grebe 2
Great Blue Heron 8
Trumpeter Swan 23*
Canada Goose 322
Green-winged Teal 4
Mallard 702
Gadwall 102
American Wigeon 241
Canvasback 91
Redhead 64
Lesser Scaup 33
Ring-necked Duck 39
Common Goldeneye 17
Barrow's Goldeneye 84
Bufflehead 119
Hooded Merganser 45
Common Merganser 67
Bald Eagle: adult 7
Northern Harrier 9
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1
Cooper's Hawk 5
Red-tailed Hawk 12
Rough-legged Hawk 2
Buteo, sp. 1
Golden Eagle: adult 6
American Kestrel 5
Chukar 1
Ring-necked Pheasant 2
Ruffed Grouse 3
California Quail 750
Virginia Rail 8
*Sora 3
American Coot 1361
Ring-billed Gull 8
California Gull 1
Herring Gull 1
*Glaucous Gull 1
gull, sp. 14
Rock Dove 47
Mourning Dove 7
Great Horned Owl 2
Northern Pygmy-Owl 3
Long-eared Owl 2
Northern Saw-whet Owl 1
Belted Kingfisher 8
*sapsucker, sp. 2
Downy Woodpecker 12
Hairy Woodpecker 9
Three-toed Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 56
Pileated Woodpecker 10
Gray Jay 4
Steller's Jay 29
Clark's Nutcracker 26
Black-billed Magpie 114
American Crow 13
Common Raven 65
Black-capped Chickadee 244
Mountain Chickadee 117
Red-breasted Nuthatch 141
White-breasted Nuthatch 10
Pygmy Nuthatch 103
Brown Creeper 1
Rock Wren 2
Canyon Wren 12
Winter Wren 4
Marsh Wren 17*
American Dipper 7
Golden-crowned Kinglet 3
*Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1
Townsend's Solitaire 11
American Robin 7
Varied Thrush 2
Bohemian Waxwing 223
Northern Shrike 9*
European Starling 787
Spotted Towhee 1
Song Sparrow 52
Dark-eyed (S.-c.) Junco 5
Dark-eyed (Ore) Junco 326
Red-winged Blackbird 1000
House Finch 365
Red Crossbill 110
American Goldfinch 20
House Sparrow 143

Total individuals 8337
Total Species 87
Observers 35
Parties (min) 11
Parties (max) 13
Hours on foot 45.5
Hours by car 33
Miles on foot 44
Miles by car 215

1330 Debeck Road
S11, C96, RR#1
Naramata, BC V0H 1N0
CANADA

(250) 496-4049