May 25, 2019 — GREENWOOD, BC (BG)

Today we offer the second edition of our annual Greenwood Bird Survey, updating the progress of local birdwatchers, who are compiling a photo-digest of the great variety of birds sighted in the Boundary.

The birds represented in our Bird Gallery were sighted in the Boundary region which, for the purpose of this survey, spans from Rock Creek to Grand Forks, and all points in between: Kettle Valley, Midway, Boundary Falls, Anaconda, Greenwood, Phoenix, Eholt and Jewel Lake.

Last year we added 38 new species to the previous year's list. This year, we have added another 44 new birds (2 are sub-species), for a total of 139. We know there are many more beautiful birds living in the Boundary that haven't yet been sighted, identified and photographed. For example, the Okanagan, which is world-famous for its diverse population, listed 332 species in 2018. With a few more years of record-keeping, we'll undoubtedly see that the Boundary is equally rich in the diversity of its bird population.

Compared to the Okanagan, certain geophysical attributes are unique to the Boundary. Elevation, placement of mountain valleys and other aspects all effect our micro-climate zones, and these unique pockets no doubt attract certain birds, at certain times of the year, some of which may vary from the Okanagan.

Greenwood habitats range from mountains to lowland forest, rolling hills, rough rock screes, mining ruins, grasslands and lowland pasture, streams, wetlands, lakes, and the urban green we call our 'city'. The birds attracted to these surroundings are just as varied: perching birds and songbirds, woodpeckers, owls, raptors, game birds and waterfowl.

Even as amateur birdwatchers, there's so much we can learn about the birds who visit here on migratory fly-overs, and those who come to stay year-round.

Loosely grouped, following is our list of the birds we've seen in the Boundary over the last year, with this year's new additions in blue:

Anna's Hummingbird
Black-chinned Hummingbird
Calliope Hummingbird Rufous Hummingbird

Bushtit
House Wren
Dusky Flycatcher
Hammond's Flycatcher
Pacific-slope Flycatcher
Say's Phoebe
Western Wood-Pewee
Song Sparrow
American Tree Sparrow
Chipping Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Vesper Sparrow
White Crowned Sparrow
Cassin's Vireo
Warbling Vireo
MacGillivray's Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Yellow-throated Warbler
Audubon's Yellow-rumped Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle's)
Western Tanager

Common Redpoll
Lesser Redpoll
Pine Siskin
Green-morph Pine Siskin
Black-capped Chickadee
Mountain Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch

American Goldfinch
Cassin's Finch
House Finch
Purple Finch
Mountain Bluebird
Western Bluebird
Lazuli Bunting
Oregon Dark-eyed Junco
Slate-colored Junco
Evening Grosbeak
Red Crossbill
White-winged Crossbill
Hermit Thrush
Song Thrush
Swainson's Thrush
Townsend's Solitaire
Varied Thrush

American Robin
Spotted Towhee
Bullock's Oriole
Western Meadowlark
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
Eastern Kingbird Western Kingbird
Northern Shrike

Bohemian Waxwing
Cedar Waxwing
Clark's Nutcracker
Blue Jay
Grey Jay (Whiskeyjack)
Steller's Jay
Rough-winged Swallow
Tree Swallow
Violet-green Swallow
Eurasian Collared Dove
Mourning Dove
Ring-necked Dove
Rock Pigeon
Magpie

Yellow-headed Blackbird
Brewer's Blackbird
Red-wing Blackbird
European Starling
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
American Crow
Common Raven

Northern Red-shafted Flicker
Red-naped Sapsucker
Williamson's Sapsucker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Downey Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Lewis's Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker

Barred Owl
Great Gray Owl
Great Horned Owl
Northern Pygmy Owl
Cooper's Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Rough-legged Hawk
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Swainson's Hawk
Common Nighthawk
American Kestrel
on Hawk page Merlin Falcon
Black Merlin Falcon
Bald Eagle
Golden Eagle
Turkey Vulture

Canada Goose
Ringneck Pheasant
California Quail
Chukar Partridge
Grey (Hungarian) Partridge
Spruce Grouse
Wild Turkey

American Dipper
Killdeer
Wilson's Snipe
Seagull
Solitary Sandpiper
Spotted Sandpiper
American Coot
Pied-billed Grebe
Greater Greater Yellowlegs
Common Loon
American Wigeon Ducks
Bufflehead Ducks
Cinnamon Teal Ducks
Common Merganser Duck
Gadwall Ducks
Golden Eye Ducks
Green-winged Teal Ducks
Hooded Merganser Duck
Mallard Duck
Ruddy Ducks
Wood Duck
Belted Kingfisher
Great Egret
Great Blue Heron

Today also marks the start of our summer holiday. This will be our last posted feature until we resume publication in September. We will, however, continue to add new birds as they come in, and will periodically announce updates on our Facebook page. Please join us by contributing to the Bird Gallery. Send your photos of birds sighted in the Boundary region, along with month/year and general location of sighting, to: editor@beautifulgreenwood.com. We also welcome and greatly appreciate corrections, should you find any misidentified species in the flock!

Have a wonderful summer, and make bird-watching part of your time outdoors. It's a great way to learn more about the place we call home!

Warblers — John James Audubon