May 16, 2020 — GREENWOOD, BC (BG)

Today we offer the third edition of the 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 44 new species (2 are sub-species) to the previous year's list. This year, we have added another 17 new birds, for a total of 156. 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:

PERCHING BIRDS

Bushtit
House Wren
Dusky Flycatcher
Hammond's Flycatcher
Pacific-slope Flycatcher
Say's Phoebe
Western Wood-Pewee
Song Sparrow
American Tree Sparrow
Chipping Sparrow
House Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Vesper Sparrow
White Crowned Sparrow
Cassin's Vireo
Warbling Vireo
MacGillivray's Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Townsend's Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Common Yellowthroat Warbler
Audubon's Yellow-rumped Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle's)
Western Tanager
Pine Siskin
Pine Siskin (Green-morph)
Black-capped Chickadee
Mountain Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
American Goldfinch
Cassin's Finch
House Finch
Purple Finch
Common Redpoll
Lesser Redpoll
Mountain Bluebird
Western Bluebird
Lazuli Bunting
Oregon Dark-eyed Junco
Slate-colored Junco
American (Buff-bellied) Pipit
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
Loggerhead Shrike
Magpie
Bohemian Waxwing
Cedar Waxwing
Clark's Nutcracker
Blue Jay
Grey Jay (Whiskeyjack)
Steller's Jay
Barn Swallow
Rough-winged Swallow
Tree Swallow
Violet-green Swallow
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Brewer's Blackbird
Red-wing Blackbird
Common Blackbird
European Starling
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
American Crow
Common Raven

SWIFTS & HUMMINGBIRDS

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

PIGEONS & DOVES

Rock Pigeon
Eurasian Collared Dove
Mourning Dove
Ring-necked Dove

WOODPECKERS & KINGFISHERS

Northern Red-shafted Flicker
Red-naped Sapsucker
Williamson's Sapsucker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
American Three-toed Woodpecker
Downey Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Lewis's Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Belted Kingfisher

BIRDS OF PREY

American Kestrel
Merlin Falcon
Black Merlin Falcon
Cooper's Hawk
Northern Goshawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Rough-legged Hawk
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Swainson's Hawk
Common Nighthawk
Bald Eagle
Golden Eagle
Turkey Vulture
Western Osprey

OWLS

Barred Owl
Great Gray Owl
Great Horned Owl
Northern Pygmy Owl

UPLAND GAME BIRDS

Ruffed Grouse
Spruce Grouse
Grey (Hungarian) Partridge
Chukar Partridge
California Quail
Wild Turkey

WATERFOWL

American Wigeon Duck
Blue-winged Teal Duck
Bufflehead Duck
Burrows Golden-Eye Duck
Cinnamon Teal Duck
Common Merganser Duck
Gadwall Duck
Golden Eye Duck
Green-winged Teal Duck
Hooded Merganser Duck
Mallard Duck
Ring-necked Duck
Ruddy Duck
Wood Duck
American Coot
Canada Goose
Ringneck Pheasant
Horned Grebe
Pied-billed Grebe
Common Loon
Whistling Swan
American Dipper
Killdeer
Wilson's Snipe
Seagull
Solitary Sandpiper
Spotted Sandpiper
Sora
Greater Yellowlegs

WADING BIRDS

Great Egret
Great Blue Heron

Today also marks the start of our annual break. This will be our last posted feature until we resume publication in the fall. 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, stay safe out there, 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