
We made a few more passes of the dove spots, but by the early afternoon we figured it was time to move on and check for the reported Slaty-backed Gull near Boundary Bay. We found a large flock of Glaucous-winged Gulls in the field but no dark birds. Time to move on to the next Slaty-backed spot in Chilliwack! We got to the Bailey Landfill in Chilliwack around 3:20pm and followed Rick Toochin's directions to a good look-out spot. Sure enough there were thousands of gulls present, but try as we might, we could not pick out a Slaty-backed Gull. There was a bird easily as dark as a Slaty which got us excited but it turned out to be an apparently pure WESTERN GULL-- still a new one! (very dark back, pink legs, huge orangy bill, clean white head, and bi-coloured underwings seen in flight). From our hilltop perch we counted a few Herring Gulls mixed in, as well as a good variety of weird hybrid birds that varied greatly in mantle tones.
From there it was back to the Okanagan where our only stop before hitting the hay at my parents' place in Penticton was 3-Gates Farms for a quick try for saw-whet and screech owl (both would-be lifers for Kevin). Instead we heard a distant LONG-EARED OWL answer to our whistles! Not a year-bird but another awesome moment to-be-sure!
Hey Russ,
ReplyDeleteGreat to hear about your 'Big Year'! I am going to catch up with all your adventures at the weekend when life is not so hectic and I have time to read. I did my own kind of big year in 2009 on the NMT challenge. It was great fun but am to be done (for now):)
Here is my site: www.westcoastbirding.wordpress.com
and would like to add you to my links if that is ok?
Anyhow, looking forward to hearing about all the birds your going to get!
Good luck man and if you need a place to crash in the mid island just let me know
Cheers Rich Mooney
Parksville BC
Great to hear from you Rich! I look forward to seeing you soon, as I will probably be passing through your area in mid-February.
ReplyDeleteYour link has been added on the side there, and a NOTICE TO EVERYONE: please feel free to send me appropriate links to post especially if they involve NMT/BC birding/listing.
Regards,
RUSS