[Ontbirds]Winter Birding in Canada - 2007-2008 - Mid-season Update

[Blake Maybank]

Dear OntBirds;

Winter Birding in Canada - 2007-2008 -  Mid-season Update

We are pleased to finally welcome Ontario into the fold!  They've 
been missed, and are most welcome.

Environment Canada's long-term forecast [ http://tinyurl.com/yu46t7 ] 
(calling for below average temperatures for the December-February 
period for pretty much the entire country) was depressingly 
accurate.  Thus far almost every part of Canada has experienced an 
"old-time" winter, colder than any in the past 15+ years.

Now, by the mid-point of the season, the early predictions of lower 
than average species counts have been realised, and no province has 
yet even reached its long-term winter average total, and though this 
may yet happen, no province will likely set any records.

But despite the weather, birders have been afield, and they've found 
a number of remarkable species.  And certain trends have emerged: 
lots of redpolls everywhere in the south, and a noticeable 
displacement of western birds to the east, most particularly with 
respect to Townsend's Solitaires, but to a lesser extent Varied 
Thrushes, Bullock's Orioles, "western" juncos, and a few others.

The rarest bird remains the Cook's Petrel in British Columbia, a 
first for Canada.   It flew against a home-owner's door in Lillooet 
following a vicious storm.  Although the bird was taken into care, it 
subsequently died.  But Nova Scotia's Magnificent Frigatebird must 
come a close second.

Here are the various regional totals as of Jan. 22, with a few 
highlighted species, for all ten provinces, as well as the French 
islands of Saint-Pierre et Michelon, and the country of 
Iceland.   I've also provided links to each region's winter birding page.

PROVINCES FROM EAST TO WEST:

Newfoundland:  http://tinyurl.com/2jqo5p
135 species - Greater White-fronted Goose, Slaty-backed Gull, 
Yellow-legged Gull, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Bullock's Oriole.

Nova Scotia:  http://tinyurl.com/2u2ulg
187 species (average = 195) - Magnificent Frigatebird, Ivory Gull, 
Empidomax flycatcher sp., White-eyed Vireo, Fieldfare, Grasshopper 
Sparrow, Indigo Bunting, Bullock's Oriole.

Prince Edward Island:  http://tinyurl.com/3bkhwz
         103 species (average = 118) - Carolina Wren, Bullock's 
Oriole, Hoary Redpoll.

New Brunswick:  http://tinyurl.com/36hpe4
         155 species (average = 162) - Osprey, Spotted Sandpiper, Lark Sparrow.

Quebec:   http://tinyurl.com/2ngu7n
         153 species - Eurasian Collared-Dove, American Pipit.

Ontario:   http://tinyurl.com/23b2zf
191 species - Barnacle Goose, Osprey, Slaty-backed Gull, 
Black-throated Gray Warbler, Harris's Sparrow.

Manitoba:   http://tinyurl.com/yjtx52
         90 species (average = 101) - Green-winged Teal, Black-headed Grosbeak.

Saskatchewan:  http://tinyurl.com/2qde59
97 species (average = 111) - Barrow's Goldeneye, Greater Sage-Grouse, 
Gray Catbird, Red-bellied Woodpecker.

Alberta:   http://tinyurl.com/yke4sl
138 species (average = 141) - Greater Sage-Grouse, Eastern 
Screech-Owl, Lewis's Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Cassin's Finch.

British Columbia:   http://tinyurl.com/33bmzc
240 species (average = 250) - Arctic Loon, Short-tailed Albatross, 
Cook's Petrel, Pectoral Sandpiper, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Bobolink.

Other Reporting Regions:

French Islands of Saint-Pierre et Michelon:   http://tinyurl.com/y45kl5
87 species (average = 84) - Northern Harrier, Nashville Warbler, 
Chipping Sparrow, Brown-headed Cowbird.

Iceland:   http://www.fuglar.is/vetrarhlaup.php
90 species - Pink-footed Goose, Surf Scoter, Eurasian Woodcock, Song Thrush.

Good (winter) birding,

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Blake Maybank
maybank at ns.sympatico.ca

Editor, "Nova Scotia Birds"

author, "Birding Sites of Nova Scotia"
http://maybank.tripod.com/BSNS.htm

White's Lake, Nova Scotia, Canada  
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