Category Archives: Birds

Kamloops Christmas Bird Count

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The Kamloops CBC was held on Dec. 15, 2018. We tallied 75 species and 15,185 individuals. Highlights included Snow Goose, Sandhill Crane, Ruby-crowned Kinglet and a bumper crop of Robins. A Belted Kingfisher was seen during the count period. The order below follows the 7th edition of the AOU checklist plus recent supplements to 2017. Snow Goose – 1 Canada Goose – 2817 Trumpeter Swan – 63 Northern Shoveler – 43 Gadwall – 10 American Wigeon – 3 Mallard – 1684 Green-winged Teal – 26 Ring-necked Duck – 4 Greater … Continue reading →

Rough-legged Hawk

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The Rough-legged Hawk (Buteo lagopus) is a visitor to the Kamloops area and does not breed here. It can be seen as a migrant from its northern breeding grounds around mid-September. Some birds continue on southwards while others will spend the winter in the open country around Kamloops. Northbound migrants peak during April with some stragglers seen as late as mid-May or so. This buteo is highly variable in its plumage, ranging from very light individuals through very dark with many variations in between. The variations across its range are … Continue reading →

What’s the History Behind Those Ord Road Birds?

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This article appeared in the last issue of Sage Whispers. You can find the complete issue here. The article originally appeared in the Kamloops Daily News on June 14, 2011.  YOU ASKED: I’m curious to know more about these pretty, partridge-like birds that roam around Ord Road. People call them chukars and say they are not indigenous to the area. Where did they come from? – Ollie Weisbeck OUR ANSWER: When it comes to birds, there is only one person we ever need to call upon – Kamloops bird expert … Continue reading →

Winter Buteos

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Buteos are the large hawks that we often see perched atop powerpoles, trees  or on fences, especially in open country but some prefer the forests as well. The 3 common buteos that we see around Kamloops are the Red-tailed Hawk, Swainson’s Hawk and Rough-legged Hawk. The Ferruginous Hawk has been seen periodically but rarely. One other buteo that has been seen recently during the fall migration is the Broad-winged Hawk which may become more frequent.  The Swainson’s Hawk only occurs here during the summer and will not be a focus … Continue reading →

River Otter Attacks Molting Goose!

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A few days ago club member Lyn MacDonald was at the McArthur Island butterfly garden when she heard a commotion in the slough. She witnessed a river otter attacking an adult Canada goose. It killed the goose and carried it away to eat! Right now the geese are molting. It’s an annual occurrence where they drop all their feathers at once and will be flightless for 4-5 weeks. By September they’ll be flying again and have sturdy new feathers for fall migration. Unfortunately (for them) they are vulnerable to predation … Continue reading →