Tufty

Previously on the Vancouver Big Year blog, the ptarmigetters were loafing in the warm glow of success when Daniele noticed a rare bird alert had been issued: "Tufted Duck is back at Iona" he says. So much for "if some of Vancouver's most active birders are clambering around mountain peaks with me, they're not turning up rare birds elsewhere".

The Tufted Duck was first found on January 31st, but was dipped by those who twitched the following day, myself included. At the time we were under speculation that this was the same bird as last year, which also turned up mid-winter and was initially quite unsettled and difficult to find before settling at the Iona ponds until mid-March. However, after it could not be located on subsequent visits during the following two weeks, I had parted with that theory and dismissed it as a one-day wonder.

Meanwhile, there was only one person who did not respond to my ptarmi-ptrek APB. Naturally I took the opportunity to gloat by phoning him from the summit: "Hey Mike, I'm on top of Seymour and I need help identifying this all white bird with feathery feet." In retaliation to this poor birding etiquette and under the assumption I was still on the mountain,  Mike went and re-found the Tufted Duck.

Fortunately there was still daylight remaining and I justified going right away as follows: 1) There was risk that this was another one day visit; 2) I would have very little time for twitching during the work week; 3) I would be very unproductive at work with my mind occupied by Tufty. So there I was at Iona, where Daniele quickly found the bird in the NW pond making for a pretty spectacular finish to the day.

Tufted Duck - 2/15/2015 - Iona Island inner ponds.

Count update: 162 as of Feb 15.

Ptarmigan Ptrek

Ptarmigan are a bit of a mythical creature within the Vancouver checklist area. Suitable habitat is quite limited and the likelihood of encounter is greatest during the winter months when high elevation snowfall moves these mountain chickens around on adjacent peaks. However, for this same reason, accessibility in to this habitat becomes difficult and few birders make the effort to look for them. The Checklist of the Rare Birds of the Vancouver Area lists 11 records of Rock Ptarmigan and 4 records of White-tailed Ptarmigan, though I have been recently made aware of a couple additional observations of White-tailed Ptarmigan that are unaccounted for on this checklist.

There are enough records that ptarmigan are a possibility and one that I figured needed to be explored during a big year. The traditional approach for local ptarmigan seekers has been a late fall hike following the first snowfall, but our unseasonable winter with hardly any snow prompted me to organize this effort in February. I anticipated this proposition would require the most foolish of birders and would take some convincing still. But to my surprise everyone responded with a resounding “yes” and our group progressively expanded to 16 individuals. I was quite pleased with our group size for these reasons:

• the more eyes looking for these cryptic chickens, the better the chance of success; 
• it would be a fun success to share with a good group of friends; and 
• if some of Vancouver’s most active birders were clambering about mountain peaks with me, they would not be turning up rare birds elsewhere. 

At the start of the day some had remarked that our good luck was used up simply picking a suitable day for a mountain hike two weeks in advance. But we received some encouraging news that suggested otherwise when we stopped some backpackers to ask if they had seen any white chickens. Surprisingly, they said they had (being Australian, they actually said “white dove”) and even showed us an iphone photo of a White-tailed Ptarmigan strutting about their camp site on Mount Seymour!

I had clambered up some rocky outcrop just before pump peak when I heard someone shout “I got it!” from up above. I could see Rob looking at something across a saddle, but could not see the white blob in front of him. This meant it was scampering time. I took the most direct route (not advisable) and got to the peak to find most of the group having lunch with a WHITE-TAILED PTARMIGAN in front of them.

Chicken ptarmigana for lunch.

Between our group, there was probably over 200 combined years of Vancouver birding experience, and yet this was a new Vancouver bird for everyone but one member of our party! Brilliant views were had before the bird gradually descended down a chute on the back side of the peak, where it would have been invisible had we passed through an hour later. This really put in to context just how lucky we were to come across this chicken.

White-tailed Ptarmigan - 2/15/2015 - Pump Peak, Mount Seymour

"The Ptarmigetters" excited by success and having temporarily forgotten that they still need to get down.

A celebratory coffee was had in North Vancouver where the fine points of how wing-clipped Kakapos gain enclosure ingress were debated, when Daniele noticed a rare bird alert had been issued. To be continued….

Strix nebulosa

As the weekend approached, there were no critical year birds to chase and I was looking forward to birding wherever I wanted rather than where my year list dictated. However, that did not last long once a couple reports of Great Gray Owls popped up on Saturday. The first report came from a rather inconvenient location relative to my residence, and naturally my reaction was: "For flock's sake, I'm going to have to drive all the way over there again". But then, saving grace came in a second report from a much closer and considerably unlikelier location, and so with a healthy dose of skepticism I decided to follow up on that one instead. After a little bit of looking, a lot of standing around, and then returning after birding somewhere else, the Great Gray Owl had materialized! 

Great Gray Owl - 2/8/2015 - This nest box appears to be its favourite perch; perhaps it will stay to nest in it this spring?

Count update: 159 as of Feb 8.