Hi y'all
Not that one can ever really predict migration patterns, but if Sunday was
any indication (in combination with strong NW winds and rain forecast), no
doubt we may see some busy days at Rocky Point coming up...
Today, we banded 27 new birds, but also had and remarkable 17 (!) retraps
(plus two birds escaped/released before banding, plus two Rufous
Hummingbirds in net for total of 48 birds handled and this only with 11 nets
as front two remained closed due to wind). There also remain large numbers
of juvenile Chipping and White-crowned Sparrows in upper field and
gorse/broom patches, plus first Savannah's have just shown up.

Most interesting re-trap today was a male Wilson's Warbler originally banded
as an after hatch-year (AHY) in July 2000, meaning the bird is at least
three years old! In addition, a hatch-year Purple Finch was a banding
highlight for your truly (but they have a painful nip!). On Saturday, we
banded a lovely AHY female Black-headed Grosbeak.

Ob's highlights today: 1 Tree Swallow, 1 Harlequin Duck, 5 Surf Scoters, 2
Western Gull, 1 Ring-billed Gull, 2 Red Knots seen just beyond "Killdeer
Flats", and a single Tufted Puffin was seen way out, west of "Eagle Rocks"
(and flying towards Race Rocks). Of interest, different observers both
independently saw a crane/ibis-like bird (seen flying over Eemdyk Passage
while they stood at banding shack), so keep your eyes out! Note that this
would be a very early record of Sandhill Crane, and even though it is more
rare, is even more likely a Glossy/White-faced Ibis (right "window" for this
rarity from south). Finally, the Marbled Godwit first seen last Saturday was
last seen yesterday, but could still be in the area.

Season banding total is now 277 of 30 species (after nine days; avg.
~30/day). Official species list for first week is an impressive 97 species
(year list is 138).

David Allinson
President, Rocky Point Bird Observatory
572 Atkins Avenue
Victoria, BC
V9B 3A3
Ph. (250)391-1786

Web site: www.islandnet.com/~rpbo
274 species and counting!
Look for a bargraph checklist coming soon.

"Not everything that can be counted counts,
and not everything that counts can be counted."
Albert Einstein