Another New Bird For the Year

This morning's 'first for the year' was a lovely bright Wilson's warbler, seen along the lower path at the Government House grounds. It really was something of a saving grace, as until I had the pleasure of seeing it the birding had been dull as ditch water.
It didn't really pick up much after that to be honest, and the remainder of my visit was taken up with seeing the regular birds in-residence.

For those reading this blog who may be unfamiliar with the commoner birds of western Canada (or at least this wee pocket of Victoria...) here's a full list of birds seen and heard this morning.

Great blue heron (flyover)
Mallard
Cooper's hawk
Glaucous-winged gull
Anna's hummingbird
Hairy woodpecker
Downy woodpecker
Northwestern crow
Violet-green swallow
Chestnut-backed chickadee
Bushtit
Red-breasted nuthatch
Brown creeper
Bewick's wren
Golden-crowned kinglet
American robin
Eurasian starling
Orange-crowned warbler
Wilson's warbler
Spotted towhee
Song sparrow
Dark-eyed junco
House finch
Pine siskin
House sparrow

So, while that would be an exceptional day on the Scillies or the Outer Hebrides, down here that's fairly mundane stuff.

I'm surprised, as others seem to be, at the lack of number of common migrants passing through so far this spring. I have had no falls of anything - last year I was regularly encountering 30+ groups of yellow-rumped warblers and such, and I find it quite amazing that I have only seen 1 rufous hummingbird so far...
Perhaps the 'good' weather has allowed direct passage to breeding grounds, allowing migrants to bypass stop-offs? There doesn't seem to be any blocking weather to the south of us, so I can't see any reason for a hold-up. Be interesting to see how the spring develops.

* Oh, and thanks the Nathan Hentze for providing the relevant contact info regarding the Nanaimo vesper sparrow. Cheers.

Devil birds over Nanaimo

The undisputed highlight of my day was noticing some dark scythes heading my way, as I glanced out of the office window just before 11am today. A small flock of approximately 12 black swifts started feeding around the building, having come in just ahead of a gloomy, dark cloud. They continued to whizz around for about 40 minutes before spiralling away. Excellent stuff - another bird I hadn't seen for quite a few years!
The only other ave of notice was the male Anna's hummer down at the Mafeo Sutton Park at lunchtime.

In the evening, Adrian joined me for his final Canadian birding jaunt down to Holden Creek, before heading back to Blighty in the morning. It was pretty unremarkable - 3 spotted sandpiper were the only waders seen. Otherwise, it was hirundines, cowbirds and goldfinches... and Mike Ashbee.