The southbound flight of the snow geese over the Sunshine Coast has been ongoing through October. The flocks appeared to arrive in three separate pulses on Oct. 1, 8 to 10 and 19 to 24. The numbers vary from year to year depending on the success of the birds on their nesting grounds on Wrangell Island in Siberia, but generally involves more than 20,000 birds.
During November the geese can be observed in one or more huge flocks in the Fraser Delta. Westham Island, on the way to the Reifel Bird Refuge, is a great place to encounter the flock, and when thousands of snow geese are put to flight by an overflying eagle, it is truly a spectacular blizzard. I recommend a visit.
Most of the geese overflying our area are snow geese, but there can be four other species too: white-fronted, Canada, cackling and brant. For the past two weeks, a flock of 11 white-fronted geese has been present, along with Canada geese, at the turf farm on Mason Road in West Sechelt. Migrant Canada geese are infrequently reported on the Sunshine Coast and should not be confused with the local sedentary flock that remains all year.
In Pender Harbour, Joe and Solveigh Harrison reported the first returning Barrow’s goldeneyes of the winter at Oyster Bay on Oct. 21. The Harrisons watch for this event every year, and though the exact date varies from year to year, this is an average date. Goldeneyes, of two species, are abundant wintering birds on the Sunshine Coast, after returning from their northern and interior nesting grounds. We also await, any day now, the first buffleheads of the winter.
The Sunshine Coast Natural History Society’s hawk watch on Oct. 13 saw many migrating hawks. The regular observation location is from a large clearcut on the slopes of Mt. Elphinstone, and the best viewing days are those immediately following the passage of a low pressure system. Over two to three hours, 19 red-tail hawks, 17 sharp-shinned hawks, 11 bald eagles, a merlin, a northern harrier and a rough-legged hawk were recorded. The hawks utilize the thermals over the Elphinstone ridge to assist in their southbound migration.
On Oct. 17, John Hodges located a blue-gray gnatcatcher in the bushes surrounding the Wilson Creek estuary. This is a rare species in B.C., normally found only as far north as southern Oregon, and is a first Sunshine Coast record. It was seen by other observers over a three-day period. John Dafoe reported a parasitic jaeger harassing a flock of Bonaparte’s gulls off Nelson Island on Oct. 22.
To report your sightings or questions contact [email protected]. Good birding.
