Tweeters,

I had a great day of birding on May 11 between Kamloops and Merritt,
BC. Part of the day (about 9:30 A.M. to 1 P.M.) was spent leading a
field
trip from the Federation of BC Naturalists (FBCN) meeting south from
Kamloops along Highway 5A. Because there were 47 people registered for
the field trip, we split the trip into 3 groups, with Rick Howie and
Ken Taylor from Kamloops leading the other two groups. (This report is
only for the group of about 10 people that I led.) My group stopped
at the north end of Stump Lake (few waterbirds, many migrating
landbirds); south end of Stump Lake; Beaver Ranch Flats (Guichon
Flats), and Nicola Lake near the Nicola River mouth.

We saw lots of interesting birds. However, unfortunately for my group
members, I saw some even better birds when I revisited some of these
areas on my own later in the day. (The trip was a little fast-paced
compared with my normal rate of birding, and I suspected correctly
that we had missed quite a few birds, especially shorebirds.)

I also did some early morning birding along Rosehill, Deleeuw and
Scott Roads just south of Kamloops, some afternoon birding along the
Planet Mine Road on the east side of Stump Lake, and a (successful)
evening search for Common Poorwills and Flammulated Owls along the
Monck Park road near Merritt.

Highlights of the day included the following:

COMMON LOON-- total of at least 20 seen (17 on Stump Lake, 3 on
Nicola Lake)
RED-NECKED GREBE-- 25 (mostly paired) at the S end of Stump
Lake, more elsewhere on Stump Lake, 5 at Beaver Ranch Flats
WESTERN GREBE-- A scattered flock of 48 on Nicola Lake near
the Nicola River mouth. Not as impressive as the numbers seen
recently on Okanagan Lake, but undoubtedly part of the same
migratory movement.
BLUE-WINGED TEAL-- 6 along Deleeuw Road, 2 at the south end of
Stump Lake, 6 at Beaver Ranch Flats
CINNAMON TEAL-- 6 at the south end of Stump Lake, 2 along the
Planet Mine Road, 12 at Beaver Ranch Flats
SURF SCOTER-- A minimum of 69 seen on Stump Lake; 67 in a rather
scattered flock near the north end, and 2 from the defunct rest
area.
Four seen at a distance in the morning from the N end of Stump
Lake
may have been part of the flock of 67. Six were also seen with the
WESTERN GREBES on Nicola Lake.
WHITE-WINGED SCOTER-- 8 birds associated with the SURF SCOTERS
on Stump Lake. This scoter flock is the largest I have ever seen
in the
Kamloops/Merritt area; the location (Stump Lake) and timing (early
May)
were typical.
RED-BREASTED MERGANSER-- A pair seen by Rick Howie and me
with the scoter flock on Stump Lake (rare migrant in the area)
TURKEY VULTURE-- One seen by me and the FBCN group at Beaver
Ranch Flats was a surprise. Vultures are rare in the area, and
this was
my first sighting there. The bird was seen flying low, then landed
on a
fence rail and was seen eating some carrion.
(A COMMON RAVEN was seen flying off from the same spot with food
moments earlier.)
BALD EAGLE-- One adult on a nest in a ponderosa pine at the south
end of Stump Lake; two adults seen at another nest, also in a
ponderosa, at the north end of Nicola Lake
GOLDEN EAGLE-- One seen flying overhead on the Planet Mine Road
was first of all attacked by the pair of BALD EAGLES that were
nesting
nearby, then shortly later, was followed and repeatedly
dive-bombed by
a loudly-calling COMMON RAVEN. No rest for the wicked!!
VIRGINIA RAIL-- One heard calling in the marsh, Beaver Ranch Flats
AMERICAN AVOCET-- Two seen at Beaver Ranch Flats, but not
together; one at the N end, one at the S end (missed by the FBCN
group)
LESSER YELLOWLEGS-- Two at the north end of Beaver Ranch Flats
SOLITARY SANDPIPER-- One in the morning on a large pond on Deleeuw
Road; two at the N end of Beaver Ranch Flats
SPOTTED SANDPIPER-- One at Mitchell Lake near Kamloops, one at
the dam at Beaver Ranch Flats-- likely newly arrived.
WHIMBREL-- Not seen by me; one reported by Jude Grass at the S end
of Stump Lake. Very rare migrant in the BC Interior.
SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER-- One at the S end of Guichon Flats
LEAST SANDPIPER-- One seen by Rick Howie at the S end of Stump
Lake; 14 seen by me at Beaver Ranch Flats
BAIRD'S SANDPIPER-- One at the S end of Beaver Ranch Flats
PECTORAL SANDPIPER-- One at the S end of Beaver Ranch Flats,
feeding beside the above-noted SEMIPALMATED and BAIRD'S
SANDPIPERS. Three "year birds" for me in one little flock!
SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER-- One at the south end of Stump Lake,
seen by my FBCN group and later by Ken Taylor and the remaining
members of his group, whom I met there. A rare spring migrant,
but positively identified by plumage and by "tu-tu-tu" calls when
it flew.
WILSON'S PHALAROPE-- Two at Beaver Ranch Flats, down from 5 the
previous day; far fewer than normal for the date and locality.
FLAMMULATED OWL-- One heard calling near the entrance to Monck
Provincial Park-- same locality where I heard one on May 8 (and
several times in previous years)
COMMON POORWILL-- Four heard calling in the evening along Monck
Park Road near Merritt; three near the Harmon Estates subdivision,
and one just outside the entrance to Monck Park. The near-full
moon
assisted in finding these (they are more vocal toward full moon).
LEWIS'S WOODPECKER-- One seen independently by me and by Rick
Howie along the Planet Mine Road.
HOUSE WREN-- Three heard calling and singing in thickets along
Rosehill
Road near Kamloops; recent spring arrivals
BANK SWALLOW-- At least 10 seen and heard among more than 250
swallows feeding over Beaver Ranch Flats
MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD-- 8 seen along Rosehill and Deleeuw Roads
AMERICAN PIPIT-- Flock of 40 at the south end of Stump Lake; another
flock of 15 at Beaver Ranch Flats
YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD-- At least 200 seen at Beaver Ranch
Flats; two males at Mitchell Lake on Deleeuw Road near Kamloops.

A BIGHORN SHEEP ewe was seen by me and the FBCN group on the highway
shoulder near the Kokanee Beach resort on Nicola Lake; there are often
one or two present around the rock bluffs in this area. Many PACIFIC
TREE FROGS were heard calling along the Monck Park Road in the evening

Good luck and good birding,

Wayne C. Weber
Delta, BC
contopus at telus.net