Today was a changing of the guard, or at least a departure of the guard. We sent Chris off to pursue his life as a student for the next few years. Hopefully one day he’ll hire me.
It was steady- again. We are fortunate to be having a good run of success here since I hear it is slim pickings elsewhere. Nothing crazy today but we banded 36 and recaptured 12, to continue the high ratio of recaptures. To be sure, birds are hanging around the vast riparian area that is the TLBO census area. We nailed another flock of Cedar Waxwings, but this time only five. Also, Chris reported a Bullock’s Oriole by sound across the river and he’d be angry if I was skeptical- so I’ll put it into the obs spreadsheet. That would only be the second one reported in four years. I thought I heard a Fox Sparrow but I wouldn’t have been so brazen since I didn’t get a look. Called it a Lincoln’s.
While Chris was off driving to Victoria I went on a bit of a mountain biking trip with some friends around Tatlayoko Lake, on my free time after work.
We didn’t see much in the way of birds- just one Sharp-shinned of note, circling above. Oh, and a Loon and some California Gulls. From one vantage on the west side of Tatlayoko Lake, we could see both fires: the Lava Canyon fire and especially the Franklin Arm fire at Chilko Lake. They are HUGE. The Lava Canyon fire is over 33,000 hectares, which is, well, a lot of acres. Anyway, there were big plumes of smoke coming from both blazes.
Another heat wave is upon us. Gotta get it while it’s good.
Steve
I personally believe Chris’ obs of BuOr given his bounty of time spent surveying desert riparian habitats in Eastern Oregon. Coincidentally the other TLBO obs of BuOr was in 2006 and credited to one Chris Chutter. Steve I will of course hire you as my field assistant, but unfortunately it is a volunteer position and you will be doing all my data entry and mist-net repair.
Rare sighting of the day?: Tighty-whities