Alberta - British Columbia April 10-22 2004

Matti Koivula

We (me, Hanna & kids) spent almost two weeks on Rocky Mountains and in British Columbia in mid-April. Total driving kms was 4236. The motels were relatively cheap because of the low season (variation 65-100 CAD per night for the whole family). A one-way ferry from Vancouver to Vancouver Island was 55 CAD. The whale trip was 150 CAD for all of us, no others in the boat, and we saw two Gray whales at a distance of 30-40 m!

The weather was fine almost all the time. We got some heavy rain in 19-20 April, but even then most of the days were without rain. Daily temperatures varied +10...+20 C, hard winds in the end of the period. (Worth mentioning is the 25-cm snowfall in Edmonton on 14 April!)

Abbreviations in the table: AB = Alberta, AB/WAB = Lake Wabamun, KA = Kamloops, VA = Vancouver city, VA/BB = Boundary Bay, VA/RI = Reifel Island, VA/TAW = Tawwassen Bay, VI = Vancouver island, VI/UC = Ucluelet, VI/NAN = Nanaimo, VI/TOF = Tofino, m = migrating individual(s), a = flock (e.g. a2 means a flock of two individuals). Moreover, e.g. 2/1 = two males and one female.

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Nr	Species	Scientific	Information
1	Red-throated loon	Gavia stellata	18.4. VI/UC 2 m
2	Pacific loon	Gavia pacifica	VI common; migrations 18.4. VI/UC 88 m, 20.4. 95 m (both include Gavia sp.)
3	Common loon	Gavia immer	common
4	Slavonian grebe	Podiceps auritus	common in VA and VI
5	Red-necked grebe	Podiceps grisegena	common
6	Western grebe	Aechmophorus occidentalis	only 13.4.VA/RI 4 local
7	Sooty shearwater	Puffinus griseus	20.4. VI/UC total 516 m (incl. Puffinus sp.)
8	Shearwater sp.	Puffinus sp.	18.4. VI/UC 1 m "Manx" type m
9	Brown pelican	Pelecanus occidentalis	18.4. VI/UC 1 juv (2cy) m (see photos here)
10	Brandt's cormorant	Phalacrocorax penicillatus	14.-16.4. Victoria total ca. 10
11	Pelagic cormorant	Phalacrocorax pelagicus	common
12	Double-crested cormorant	Phalacrocorax auritus	common
13	Great blue heron	Ardea herodias	common, nice colony in Victoria/Beacon Hill Park
14	Tundra swan	Cygnus columbianus	11.4. Banff, Lac Des Arcs ca. 170
15	Mute swan	Cygnus olor	13.4. VA/RI 7 local
16	White-fronted goose	Anser albifrons	18.4. VI/UC a4 m
17	Snow goose	Anser caerulescens	11.4. Banff, Lac Des Arcs 2 local, 13.4. VA/RI hundreds (snow/ross's)
18	Canada goose	Branta canadensis	common
19	Brent goose	Branta bernicla nigricans	13.4. VA/TAW ca. 3000, 13.-19.4. VI total ca. 15 local 15 m
20	Wood duck	Aix sponsa	13.4. VA/RI ca. 8, 21.4. KA 1/1 local
21	Mallard	Anas platyrhynchos	common
22	Pintail	Anas acuta	common
23	Gadwall	Anas strepera	common
24	American wigeon	Anas americana	common
25	Eurasian wigeon	Anas penelope	11.4. Banff, Lac Des Arcs 1 male local in A ame flock
26	Shoveler	Anas clypeata	common
27	Cinnamon teal	Anas cyanoptera	13.4. VA/RI 1/-, 21.4. KA 2/-, 21.4. Valemount (Starratt) 1/1
28	Green-winged teal	Anas carolinensis	common
29	Lesser scaup	Aythya affinis	total a few tens
30	Greater scaup	Aythya marila	13.4. VA/TAW ca. ca. 600
31	Ring-necked duck	Aythya collaris	total ca. 20
32	Canvasback	Aythya valisineria	22.4. AB/WAB ca. 60 local
33	Redhead	Aythya americana	total ca. 20
34	Harlequin duck	Histrionicus histrionicus	common in VI (total ca. 40)
35	Long-tailed duck	Clangula hyemalis	13.4. VA/TAW ca. 120
36	Surf scoter	Melanitta perspicillata	common in VA and VI; migration 18.4. VI/UC 548 m, best local flock 20.4. VA/Horseshoe ca. 450
37	Black scoter	Melanitta nigra	only 20.4. VI/UC 8 m
38	White-winged scoter	Melanitta fusca	common, VI total ca. 50
39	Goldeneye	Bucephala clangula	common
40	Barrow's goldeneye	Bucephala islandica	only 21.4. KA 1/- local
41	Bufflehead	Bucephala albeola	common (superabundant in VI)
42	Goosander	Mergus merganser	common
43	Red-breasted merganser	Mergus serrator	common
44	Hooded merganser	Mergus cucullatus	13.4. VA/RI -/1, Clearwater 2/-
45	Ruddy duck	Oxyura jamaicensis	21.4. KA ca. 15, 21.4. Valemount (Starratt) 1/-
46	Turkey vulture	Cathartes aura	total ca. 20
47	Northern harrier	Circus hudsonicus	total ca. 10
48	Cooper's hawk	Accipiter cooperi	total 2 in VI
49	Sharp-shinned hawk	Accipiter striatus	total 4
50	Red-tailed hawk	Buteo jamaicensis	common
51	Osprey	Pandion haliaetus	Tofino 2-3 local, 22.4. AB/WAB 4 at nests
52	Golden eagle	Aquila chrysaetos	11.4. Penticton 2 ad local, 12.4. Keremeos 1 ad, 21.4.near Hope 1 ad
53	Bald eagle	Haliaeetus leucocephalus	common
54	American kestrel	Falco sparverius	total only 8
55	Merlin	Falco columbarius	total 3 (of which one in Victoria)
56	Ring-necked pheasant	Phasianus colchicus	common in Osoyoos
57	Gray partridge	Perdix perdix	only 10.4. Calgary a2
58	Ruffed grouse	Bonasa umbellus	total 4
59	Blue grouse	Dendragapus obscurus	18.4. VA/UC 1
60	California quail	Callipepla californica	common in Osoyoos and Victoria
61	Sora	Porzana carolina	13.4. VA/BB 1, 21.4. Valemount (Starratt) 1
62	American coot	Fulica americana	common
63	Black-bellied plover	Pluvialis squatarola	common in western VI
64	Semipalmated plover	Charadrius semipalmatus	19.4. VI/TOF a4 local
65	Killdeer	Charadrius vociferus	total only 5
66	Black oystercatcher	Haematopus bachmani	common in VI rocky shores
67	Black-necked stilt	Himantopus mexicanus	21.4. KA a2 local (see photos here)
68	Greater yellowlegs	Tringa melanoleuca	total ca. 25
69	Whimbrel	Numenius phaeopus	20.4. VI/UC 1 m
70	Black turnstone	Arenaria melanocephala	common in VI rocky shores
71	Sanderling	Calidris alba	13.4. VA/BB ca. 50, 19.4. VI/TOF ca. 20
72	Dunlin	Calidris alpina	common in VI and VA/BB, where 13.4. ca. 3000
73	Western sandpiper	Calidris mauri	19.4. VA/TOF 3 local (+ca. 250 Calidris sp.)
74	Short-billed dowitcher	Limnodromus griseus	dowitchers common, ca. 5 identified to griseus
75	Black-legged kittiwake	Rissa tridactyla	18.4. VI/UC 5 ad m, 20.4. VI/UC 368 m (+ small Larids 452 m)
76	Bonaparte's gull	Larus philadelphia	common, e.g. 20.4. VI/NAN ca. 400
77	Franklin's gull	Larus pipixcan	22.4. AB/WAB ca. 10
78	Mew gull	Larus brachyrhynchus	common in VI, lacking elsewhere (a few in VA/BB)
79	Ring-billed gull	Larus delawarensis	common in AB, scarce in BC, lacking from VI
80	California gull	Larus californicus	relatively common in VA
81	American herring gull	Larus smithsonianus	common in VA and VI
82	Glaucous-winged gull	Larus glaucescens	common in VA and VI
83	Western gull	Larus occidentalis	only 18.4. VI/TOF 1 (3cy), 19.4. VI/TOF 1 ad
84	Common murre	Uria aalge	total ca. 35 (incl. unidentified Alcidae)
85	Pigeon guillemot	Cepphus columba	common in VI seas
86	Marbled murrelet	Brachyramphus marmoratus	common in VI seas, especially east coast
87	Rhinoceros auklet	Cerorhinca monocerata	common in VI seas
88	Rock dove	Columba livia	common
89	Band-tailed pigeon	Columba fasciata	only 16.4. Jordan River 1
90	Belted kingfisher	Ceryle alcyon	total ca. 10
91	Black-chinned hummingbird	Archilochus alexandri	12.4. Osoyoos 1/-
92	Anna's hummingbird	Calypte anna	14.-15.4. Victoria, Beacon Hill Park 1/-
93	Rufous hummingbird	Selasphorus rufus	common in VI
94	Northern flicker	Colaptes auratus	common
95	Downy woodpecker	Picoides pubescens	12.4. Manning Nat. Park 1-2, 15.4. Victoria 1
96	Hairy woodpecker	Picoides villosus	16.4. VI/MacMillan Park 1, 17.4. VI/TOF 1/-
97	American three-toed woodpecker	Picoides dorsalis	12.4. Manning Nat. Park -/1
98	Pileated woodpecker	Dryocopus pileatus	total 6
99	Sapsucker sp.	Sphyrapicus sp.	12.4. Manning Nat. Park 1 drumming
100	Western wood-pewee	Contopus sordidulus	12.4. Manning Nat. Park 1
101	Say's phoebe	Sayornis saya	12.4. Osoyoos 2 (Desert Centre)
102	Steller's jay	Cyanocitta stelleri	common in BC
103	Blue jay	Cyanocitta cristata	22.4. AB/Edmonton 1
104	Gray jay	Perisoreus canadensis	12.4. Manning Nat. Park 6-8
105	Clark's nutcracker	Nucifraga columbiana	11.4. Banff 1
106	Black-billed magpie	Pica hudsonica	common in AB, scarce in southern BC, lacking from inland BC
107	American crow	Corvus brachyrhynchus	common inland
108	Northwestern crow	Corcus caurinus	common at the BC coast and VI
109	Raven	Corvus corax	common in mountaineous areas
110	Skylark	Alauda arvensis	15.4. Victoria airport 2 singing
111	Tree swallow	Tachycineta bicolor	total ca. 50
112	Violet-green swallow	Tachycineta thalassina	total ca. 30
113	Barn swallow	Hirundo rustica	total ca. 15
114	Purple martin	Progne subis	only 21.4. KA 3
115	Black-capped chickadee	Poecile atricapilla	21.4. Valemount 1
116	Mountain chickadee	Poecile gambeli	11.4. Banff 1
117	Chestnut-backed chickadee	Poecile rufescens	common in BC
118	Red-breasted nuthatch	Sitta canadensis	VI total 5-6
119	Pygmy nuthatch	Sitta pygmaea	12.4. Osoyoos (Pocket Desert) 2 local
120	Brown creeper	Certhia americana	total ca. 5
121	Marsh wren	Cistothorus palustris	total ca. 10 (all in BC)
122	Bewick's wren	Thryomanes bewickii	common in VA/RI
123	Winter wren	Troglodytes troglodytes	common in VI
124	Golden-crowned kinglet	Regulus satrapa	common
125	Ruby-crowned kinglet	Regulus calendula	common
126	Western bluebird	Sialia mexicana	12.4. Osoyoos 3 (1/1 Desert Centre, 1/- Pocket Desert)
127	Varied thrush	Ixoreus naevius	total only ca. 10
128	American robin	Turdus migratorius	common
129	Hermit thrush	Catharus guttatus	13.4. VA/RI 1 local
130	Buff-bellied pipit	Anthus rubescens	20.4. VI/NAN 9 local, 22.4. Jasper a16 local
131	Bohemian waxwing	Bombycilla garrulus	10.4. AB/Edmonton calls, 22.4. AB/Edmonton 1 local
132	Starling	Sturnus vulgaris	superabundant
133	Orange-crowned warbler	Vermivora celata	common in BC
134	Nashville warbler	Vermivora ruficapilla	12.4. Osoyoos 3
135	Townsend's warbler	Dendroica townsendi	15.4. Victoria (Highlands) 2-3
136	Yellow-rumped warbler	Dendroica coronata	scarce until 21.4. (total only ca. 5), but 21.-22.4. total ca. 50 (KA, Valemount, Jasper)
137	Common yellowthroat	Geothlypis trichas	13.4. VA/BB 3
138	Spotted towhee	Pipilo maculatus	BC total ca. 20
139	Savannah sparrow	Passerculus sandvichensis	common in dry open lands
140	Fox sparrow	Passerella iliaca	BC total ca. 5
141	Song sparrow	Melospiza melodia	common at marsh edges
142	Lincoln's sparrow	Melospiza lincolni	BC total ca. 5
143	Dark-eyed junco	Junco hyemalis	BC total ca. 30 (mostly "oregon" type)
144	White-crowned sparrow	Zonotrichia leucophrys	common in BC
145	Golden-crowned sparrow	Zonotrichia atricapilla	common in BC
146	Western meadowlark	Sturnella neglecta	common in mainland BC's open lands
147	Red-winged blackbird	Agelaius phoeniceus	common at wetlands, but still scarce in AB
148	Brewer's blackbird	Euphagus cyanocephalus	common in BC
149	Brown-headed cowbird	Molothrus ater	only 13.4.VA/RI 2
150	Red crossbill	Loxia curvirostra	ca. 5 flocks in VI
151	Evening grosbeak	Coccothraustes vespertinus	only 12.4. Manning Nat. Park a50
152	House finch	Carpodacus mexicanus	common in BC
153	American goldfinch	Carduelis tristis	common in Osoyoos
154	Pine siskin	Carduelis pinus	common in mixed and coniferous forests
155	House sparrow	Passer domesticus	common