Today, members of the Kamloops Naturalists Club spent the day birding between town and the Douglas Plateau. We traveled south to Nicola Lake, across the plateau to Minnie Lake, back to Douglas Lake and then home again. The main purpose was to study raptors, but we did look at a few other things of course. Stiff southerly winds helped with flights of a few species.

We enjoyed 61 species in total, including 8 species of raptors and 22 species of ducks, geese & swans. Some highlights.

For pure aesthetics, I think it was hard to outshine the 2000+ Sandhill Cranes that passed the southen end of Stump Lake during the 45 minutes that we were in the vicinity. About 750 of those passed close by within about 500 feet of the ground, and the symphony of loud calling was soul stirring to say the least. Others kept pouring out of the southeast over the forested plateau as if they had come out of the Chapperon Lake or the Pennask Lake area. If the latter, perhaps they had moved through the Okanagan Valley earlier in the day and crossed the Pennask Summit into the Nicola Valley enroute to the Cariboo. It was truly magical and the birds were hitting right onto the normal heavy movement period which often peaks about April 20-21.

To add some wonderment to the day, a lone Ross' Goose at a now traditional field about 1.5 km north of the Quilchena Hotel along Hwy 5A, caused much speculation. This species has been recorded each April in the same spot in 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002. In 1997, Wayne Weber found 11 at this site, while all other sightings have been of singles.
This bird looked surprisingly large compared to the Canada Geese that it is accompanying, but they were a smaller race, not typical of the large "moffatti" giants that breed locally. So we wondered, what brings 1 or several Ross' Geese to the same location on such a frequent basis and so far from their normal route from California to Malheur and then Freezeout Lake in Montana?
The landowner has told us in the past, that he sees white geese in his fields almost every year. We originally assumed that he was seeing Snow Geese ( 2 at Kamloops as we speak), but since 1997, we are now seriously wondering what he has been seeing for many years. Has there been an errant group of Ross' Geese visiting this one spot, unnoticed by the legions of birders who have patroled this highway for quite some time now? Well, clearly we will never know.
But we must keep scrutinizing this pasture annually, and make no assumptions about sleeping white geese until we wake them up and look at their bills.

Closer to Kamloops, at Separation Lake, Willy Haras nabbed a brightly-plumaged Dunlin for the other rarity of the day. Near Stump Lake, I had an extraordinarily brief look at what I am sure was a Western Kingbird barreling over a hilltop in the wind, which is on the early arrival side for this area.

I won't list the entire day's worth of birds, but the resident Mute Swan was at Beaver Ranch Flats along with 2 Trumpeters Swans and a gazillion swallows which appeared to be entirely Tree. In the raptor world we noted:
Osprey - 12 several active nests at traditional places; 1 caught a Northern Pikeminnow as we watched
Bald Eagle - 23 several adults at nests, most migrants were subadults
Northern Harrier - 4
Redtailed Hawk - 16 1 dark phase bird
Rough-legged Hawk - 4 all light-phase birds
Golden Eagle - 4 some impressive flight displays near a nest site
Am . Kestrel - 15
Merlin - 2

1 agressive Redtailed kept chasing 2 Bald & 1 Golden Eagle that were hunting too close to the hawk's nesting territory. Some impressive barrel rolls by the eagles and lots of talon flashing made for an exciting few minutes as we had them all in bright light and full scope views.
We seem to have been a bit early for Swainson's Hawk which should arrive in about 3-4 days if they are on time.

Lots of ducks on all of the open water, but we did not scan the many flocks in search of rarities. Still no sign of Blue-winged Teal, of which the vanguard could be along any day.
High winds kept a lot of the passerines out of sight, but in truth, we were looking mostly at charismatic megabirds, so a lot could have easily given us the slip.

A great day in the grasslands all told.!!

Cheers

Rick Howie
Kamloops, BC
rick.howie at shaw.ca