Bird #420 - HERMIT WARBLER in Courtenay

I went with my friend Peter Candido and Mike Toochin to twitch a pure Hermit Warbler that was found by Lori Smith in Courtenay. This was the second Hermit Warbler I twitched on Vancouver Island the first turned out to be a hybrid as per experts who study the species. That bird had a green back, however this bird showed no signs of hybridism and off we went. In person the bird was so beautiful they are one of my fave warblers. This male was singing and the kind lady who found it was there so excited over her great find. She was very sweet she also found a Veery a year ago on the island and has produced a tape that Ian Cruickshank verified. She should go buy a lottery ticket.

Anyways, when we got to the spot on Mt. Washington we saw 10 others there Ed Jordan from Quadra Island, Mark Wynja and Dave Baird from Parksville, plus Michael Bentley, Val George and Rick Hardy from Victoria just to name a few. They had just seen the bird and it took about 10 mins for it to fly in front of us. It was spitting rain and we stayed an hour with the bird before leaving for the ferry. It took 2 hours by ferry and a 1 and 1/2 hour drive to get to this bird and would beothe same home plus rush hour in Vancouver. It was worth the effort of course and I love being up on Mt. Washington where I saw my lifer Vancouver Island Marmots.  By the Hermit Warbler there were a few Olive-sided Flycatchers calling. It seemed like the warbler was on territory and hopefully it stays for many more to come see it.

A highlight on the ferry ride home was 8 Killer Whales, 4 near Nanaimo and 4 near Tsawwassen.

This was BC bird # 420 for me. 2 birds in less than 2 weeks ain't bad and now if only that Common Cuckoo would fly to Vancouver.

Hermit Warbler in Courtenay - Photo: Melissa Hafting






Comments

  1. Peter ZadoroznyJune 13, 2018 at 11:28 AM

    Another whirl wind trip and another BC Bird 420 - you are on a roll. Congrats. Always nice when you have a great image to note your observation with, gives the rest of us something to dream about.

    ReplyDelete
  2. LaryJune 14, 2018 at 1:43 PM

    Your blog has great content and design. I can say that your observations affected me. As with every letter we have, it will be nice to share your next one.

    ReplyDelete
  3. ViktorJune 15, 2018 at 12:41 PM

    Gorgeous shot!! Congrats on getting it!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Melissa HaftingJune 16, 2018 at 1:27 AM

    Thank you all for your very supportive and kind words really means a lot!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Logan Baldwin.June 23, 2018 at 4:59 PM

    Logan Baldwin.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular Posts

Dowitcher Identification

Image
Birders notoriously find it difficult to tell Short-billed and Long-billed Dowitchers apart. I have got a request to do an identification explanation on them so here goes, I hope it will be helpful. Short-billed Dowitchers and Long-billed look so similar. Using their habitat is helpful but not diagnostic. Short-billed Dowitchers tend to prefer Salt water and brackish water and Long-billed Dowitchers tend to prefer fresh water. However, I have OFTEN seen Short-billeds in freshwater and Long-billeds in brackish and salt water. Therefore, DO NOT rely on habitat. Another feature many people will tell you to rely on is spotting on the side of the flanks of Short-billeds and barring on the side of Long-billeds. Usually this is a mark that you can use but it is not always as distinct as you like. I have seen Short-billeds with a barred appearance to the flanks. It is only at the side of the breast where you have to look for this diagnostic feature for the spots on a Short-billed and t
Read more

Hawk Identification Tips from every angle (Sharpie vs Cooper and Red-tailed Subspecies)

Image
I get several questions about the difference between accipiters. The most common ones are between Sharp-shinned Hawks and Cooper's Hawks and between Cooper's Hawks vs Northern Goshawks (to a lesser degree). Next, I get many questions dealing with a certain race of buteos the Western Red-tailed Hawk and Harlan's. So I thought I would do a post on these to help answer those questions. I will deal with Cooper's and Sharpies and not Goshawks because they are much more common here and look much more alike. My friend John Reynolds inspired me to write this up. COOPER'S AND SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS EYE COLOUR - YELLOW OR ORANGE? RED? Normally a juvenile Cooper's hawk has a bright yellow eye and a Juvie Sharpie has a orange eye but some cooper's can have a dull yellow eye that looks a bit orangish. Cooper's Hawks usually only transition to the orange eye colour when they are sub adults, so in good light, it's a very very reliable feature. However you
Read more

STINT IDENTIFICATION

Image
As per request, here are some tips that I hope will be helpful in identifying and differentiating Red-necked Stint from Little Stint. I will also do a brief intro on Long-toed and Temminck's Stint... if you build it they will come right?😉 Red-necked and Little Stints look very much alike in worn breeding plumage. The amount of Red on the face, throat and breast in Red-necked Stint is vary variable). They look even more alike in non-breeding plumage, that is why it is essential to learn structural differences to separate the two. They are similar to Semipalmated Sandpipers as well as Sanderlings. Both species are often confused for Red-necked Stints. Little Stints rarely get confused with Sanderling because they have a hind toe which helps differentiate it from this species. Sanderlings in breeding or worn breeding are usually confused with Red-necked Stints but they are much larger than Red-necked Stints. Let's first start with Bills in this complicated ID proces
Read more

*Updated - The most famous Red-tailed Hawk is eating fish on the ground just like a Bald Eagle!

Image
Update - There are plans in the works to make a documentary film on this young Red-tailed Hawk who thinks he's an Eagle. You can read the latest news about that on CBC HERE . Watch this incredible footage of the little Red-tailed Hawk who grew up in a family of three Eaglets and 2 Bald Eagle Parents. He is imprinted now on Bald Eagles. He looks and acts just like one, as you can see here in the video below. He is standing over a large salmon carcass, just like a Bald Eagle would and he's eating the decaying flesh. Red-tailed Hawks like to eat voles and rabbits etc. not fish! Imprinting is usually irreversible according to raptor expert David Bird. However, I hope it's reversible so that he doesn't attempt to mate with a Bald Eagle, as the Eagle would kill him because it would view him as a Hawk. Eagle expert David Hancock said that the bird will likely starve and get killed by an eagle. He said this possibly can be prevented if someone grabs it and takes it to O
Read more

My First Mother's Day Without My Mother

Image
This is my first Mother’s Day without my mom. I am still deeply affected and afflicted with emotional pain. I took the day off from the RBA to just remember her and honour her. My dad, sister and I visited her grave with a bouquet of flowers. I cried a lot but it gives me a bit of comfort that she now has a head stone that I can touch. I didn't want to leave. I can’t believe it’s been just over 4 months since I lost her. To my Mom: Mom you were so great. You were so loved. I miss you so much today. I wish every day that you were here with Meghan, Dad and I.  I will never be truly happy again until I see you once more. Thank you for being such a wonderful mother. I will never ever forget you. I cannot wait to see you again in Heaven. Since you died in my arms, this is one of the hardest days I have been through without you. Normally I would be taking you out for brunch today, hugging you and telling you how much I loved you. Mom, you watched me take my first breath and I unfortunate
Read more