Last May Blog

Well it  has been a while since I’ve felt obliged to blog and it’s not that I’ve been doing nothing. Actually I’ve been busy………..

Recently we hosted guests from Australia; Chris and Susanne Poingdestre and we went on a few drives in and around the greater Nakusp area – sadly the camera was still battery-less and photos were not forthcoming. The weather too was a little poor…..

Last weekend we had visitors from Portland, Oregon; Bob and Adrienne, both keen birders. They stayed with Gary and Marie. Needless to say we did a little birding.

The first morning involved the Nakusp birding tour; the village itself, Brouse, Crescent Bay Road, Kuskanax Creek and, as a suitable finale, the Sewerage ponds.

Sunday saw a very enjoyable walk around Summit Lake with a final evening at the Nakusp Hot Springs.

Brouse Fields

We saw some great birds including a few FOY’s for me! Around Brouse the Lazuli Buntings have moved well and truly in such that at least 8 males were seen and heard singing. The male is a beautiful blue bird with an orange breast and white belly. One or two of the more conservatively coloured females were witnessed as well. Eastern Kingbirds – first seen this year with Chris and Susanne at Edgewood the weekend before have now found the fields of Brouse to their liking and were hawking along the fence lines. Bobolinks too have moved in and can be seen and heard around Brouse. My FOY Black Headed Bunting was heard and then eventually seen on the Brouse loop as well.

The lake had little waterfowl however down by the lake three Mourning Doves were perched providing another Nakusp FOY.

The sewerage Ponds – or more correctly the small conifer stand adjacent – revealed to me a Empid Flycatcher clearly not sounding like the expected Hammonds. Gary, as my reference was called for and he quickly identified the bird as a Least Flycatcher – yet another uncommon bird for Nakusp.

Summit Lake Track

Summit Lake resounded in song – mostly from Warblers and Song Sparrows with Red-winged Blackbirds doing their best to wreck it! Yellow, Yellow-rumped, McGillvray’s, Common Yellowthroat, Northern Waterthrush, American Redstarts and a Nashville provided much of the soundtrack. Bald Eagles did some engaging fly bys. Hammonds were seen and heard. A probable Willow flycatcher but remained annoyingly mute. Western Wood Peewee was heard briefly and then not seen nor heard again. Chickadees – BC and Chestnut sided – were seen with Nuthatches. Pacific Wren was heard. We found some nesting Ravens and some fishing Ospreys. A large wriggling Common Garter Snake was seen and briefly handled with the expected excreted result.

Warbling Vireos were common and a FOY Red-eyed Vireo was heard before our walk began.    

Perhaps the most exciting sighting involved a lifer! Great views of two Veery, another secretive Thrush specie. We also heard my Foy Swainson’s Thrush – I remain quite keen to see it.

The others also heard a drumming Ruffed Grouse but I missed it.

All in all an excellent morning walk which I’m very keen to repeat.

The weekend finished in relaxing fashion at the Hotsprings where three Hummingbird feeders were seemingly just enough to keep pace with a flock of Rufous Hummers that flew and fought and fluffed to finish their fueling for the night.

Western Kingbirds – an uncommon bird species around Nakusp- were seen at Crescent Bay Road – on the 31 May – the last day perhaps of Spring. It was great to see such an attractive bird again and again it was an FOY! Kestrel and a few Vultures, Ravens and five species of Swallow [Cliff, Rough winged, Tree, Violet-green and a few Barn] filled the air. One Mourning Dove – my second Nakusp record – was hanging out in a large lone tree. As usual the main noise was that of the Ground Squirrels. Song and Chipping Sparrows were there also.