Mike Gagel wrote -

<<<I've just returned from a weekend visit to Tabor Lake, located near
Prince George (near the geographic centre of BC).>>>

Well, seeing as how I live near the south end of Tabor Lake, too bad we
didn't hookup and do some birding. Could have shown you the local
hotspots!!

<<<<Casual birding revealed:
Bald Eagles (2 - adult and a young one)
Osprey (2)
Canada Geese (2 + 6 goslings)
Red-necked Grebes (4)
Common Loon (1)
Cedar Waxwings (2)
Rufous Humming Bird (1 at feeder)
Northwestern Crows (many)
Barn Swallows (many)
Pine Siskin (1 - a window fatality)
Several young ducks (Mallards, adults missing - local speculation: Eagles)
And a first for me, MacGillivray's Warblers (2)>>>

All to be expected. By the way, those are American Crows, not NW Crows
here. Bigger, different voice, etc. than the coastal crows. There are
two pairs of Bald Eagles on Tabor Lake; one near the north end and
another just off the south end.

<<<Suspects:
Mountain Chickadees - definitely a different call from Vancouver Black-caps,
but couldn't get close enough to visually ID
Wilson's Warbler - ID'd during my trip last May, but too hard to see amongst
the bright sunshine and green leaves (as with the Chickadees)>>>

Mt. Chicks like the higher elevations around P.G.; not often seen near
town.

<<Missing (observed in May):
Belted Kingfishers
Barrows Golden Eyes
Black-billed Magpies (big empty nest, recently fledged?)>>

The male Goldeneyes are starting eclipse moult now and are harder to
find than a month ago. You can still find hens with broods around. If
you want magpies, just check out any of the farms in the Pineview area
SW of Tabor Lake.

<<<The MacGillivray's Warblers were a special treat. They are described
in one of my books as being very secretive (which these birds were!).
It took me two days before I was sure of what I was observing (gray
hood, yellow underside, white crescents above and below the eyes,
creek-side bushy habitat). As for the Pine Siskin casualty, I created a
cardboard cutout of a swift, painted the cutout black and placed it in
the offending window. (The window was not a problem in the past, but a
newly installed flower box may have been a contributing factor.)>>

Best way to find Macs is to plunk yourself down on the shoulder of
Highway 16E leading to Jasper out of P.G. anywhere east of the Willow
River bridge. The density of Macs is higher here than anywhere else in
the area (although Tabor Mt. itself is also very good). If you keep
watching and listening in the willows lining the edge of the forest,
pretty soon a Mac will pop up and sing for you. Females are harder to
find but they will be feeding young ones now and you should be able to
catch them foraging.

Give me a call next time you are in P.G., Mike. My phone number is in
the book.

-----
Jack Bowling
Prince George, BC
jbowling at direct.ca