Brandt's Cormorant

Phalacrocorax penicillatus 

Appearance:
Large cormorant
Long black body
Long, slender neck
Short black legs
Dark bill with blunt or hooked tip
Pale patch at base of bill
Breeding:
     Blue throat patch
     White plumes on sides of head, neck and back
     Turquoise eyes
Immature: (photographed)
     Brownish-black upperparts
     Tan on underparts
     Pale "V" at the border of breast and neck

Listen to its call.

There are three species of cormorant commonly seen along the coast in Victoria: Double-crested, Brandt's and Pelagic. I frequently have difficulty identifying the two larger species at a distance. At this year's Christmas Bird Count, one of the more experienced birders gave me a pointer which I'm happy to pass along. Although the Brandt's Cormorant is approximately the same length as the Double-crested Cormorant, the latter holds its neck slightly crooked whereas the Brandt's Cormorant's neck is almost always fully extended in flight. 

Learn more about the Brandt's Cormorant.

Tropical Kingbird

Tyrannus melancholicus 

Appearance:
Large flycatcher
Heavy gray bill
Gray head
Darker eye mask
Grayish-green back
Brown wings and  tail
Pale throat
Bright yellow underparts

Listen to its call.

This photogenic bird was hanging out in Ten Mile Point last weekend. Although a rarity to the area, records of Tropical Kingbird sightings occur annually in southwestern BC.

Learn more about the Tropical Kingbird.

Red-throated Loon

Gavia stellata

Appearance:
Small, slender loon
Thin bill, tilted upward slightly
Red eyes
White underparts
Breeding plumage: 
     Black bill
     Triangular red throat-patch    
     Dark grey-brown back, head and neck
     Narrow black and white stripes on the back of the neck
Non-breeding plumage: (photographed)
     Pale grey bill
     Pale grey-brown back, speckled with white
     White throat and face, extending above the eyes
     Dark grey head cap and neck
Juveniles:
     Pale grey bill 
     Brownish-grey plumage, with no pattern on back
     Pale neck

Listen to its call.

The lone call of a loon is haunting: similar to a wolf howling but more delicate somehow. This sorrowful sound is not, however, a sign of unhappiness at being alone. It is actually used to contact or attract the attention of a mate. 

Learn more about the Red-throated Loon.

Red Phalarope

Phalaropus fulicarius

non-breeding

Appearance:
Smaller wader
Straight bill
Short legs
Lobed toes
Adults:
     Distinct white stripe down the wing
     Dark stripe down the tail
     Contrasting color on sides of rump

     Breeding plumage:    
         Rufous neck and underparts
         Dark brown and black above
         White cheek patches
         Yellow bill
         Black cap (female) / Brown cap (male)
     Non-breeding plumage: (photographed)

         Light grey above, unstreaked

         White below
         White head

         Black ear patch behind the eye

         Black bill with lighter base

Juveniles:
     Black backs edged in buff
     Buff underparts and head
     Dark patch through the eye  

Listen to its call. 

 

Although phalaropes are sandpipers, which are typically shorebirds, these birds spend most of the year out at sea. They are also one of the few birds where the female of the species is more colourful and larger than the male. This is because the females are polyandrous. They have to look good to attracted the attention of multiple males. In contrast, the males need to be duller to avoid detection of predators while providing most of the parental care.

Learn more about the Red Phalarope.

Yellow-headed Blackbird

Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus

Appearance:
Medium-sized blackbird
Long, pointed, conical, black bill 
Male:
   Black body
   Bright yellow head and breast
   Black face mask
   Distinct white wing patches
Female:
  Grayish-brown body
  Dull yellow head and breast
Immature male:
  Similar to female
  Dark smudging on yellow head
  Some white at bend of wing

Listen to its call. 

I took a short walk on the Galey Farms trail by Blenkinsop Lake today and spotted this bird in a field among a large flock of Red-Winged Blackbirds and Starlings.  Another was perched on a wire with hundreds of other birds of similar size and shape.  Luckily for me, they stood out in the crowd.

Learn more about the Yellow-headed Blackbird. 

Western Gull

Larus occidentalis 

Appearance:
Large gull
Dark gray back
White head and underparts
Dark grey wings with black tips
Large, yellow bill with red spot near the end
Pink legs

Listen to its call.

When feeding young gulls at the WildArc where I volunteer, we are told to put the food in red dishes. Why, you ask?  I can only assume it is to mimic the small red spot near the end of the adult's bill that chicks peck in order to stimulate feeding.

Immature

Learn more about the Western Gull. 

Swainson's Hawk

Buteo swainsoni

Appearance:
Large, slim hawk
Long, pointed wings
Dark flight feathers
Light-phase: (photographed)
    Dark brown upperparts
    Reddish-brown bib
    White belly and underwings
    Dark head with white surrounding bill, extending down to throat and up to eyes

Tail has about six narrow dark bands and one wider sub-terminal band

Dark-phase:
     Dark brown overall
     Reddish-brown belly and underwings    

Listen to its call.

This hawk was flying fairly low over a field at Rocky Point Bird Observatory yesterday.  Birders more experienced than I (me?) identified it as a light-phase, second year bird as its bib is incomplete with a patchy mix of brown and white feathers.

Learn more about the Swainson's Hawk.

White-throated Sparrow

Zonotrichia albicollis

Appearance:
Medium-sized sparrow
Rusty-brown striped upperparts
Two white wing-bars 
Grayish underparts
White throat 
Black and white striped crown
Black eye line
Yellow lores (spot between eye and bill)

Listen to its call.

The White-throated Sparrow comes in two forms: white-crowned and tan-crowned. On tan-striped birds, the white and black crown is replaced with tan and brown. In addition, the white throat is split in three sections by dark streaks descending from the bill.

Here's an interesting fact that I came across in my reading -- males of both morphs prefer females with white stripes and both morphs of females prefer tan-striped males.

Learn more about the White-throated Sparrow. 

Great Horned Owl

Bubo virginianus

Appearance:
Large, powerful owl
Bold, yellow eyes
Long, ear-like tufts
Prominent facial disk
Mottled brown plumage with white and black barring
White throat
Horizontal bars on belly

Listen to its call.

Although I often hear a pair of these outside my bedroom window at night, this is the first time I've seen one in the daylight.  He/she was napping in a tree by the Swan Lake parking lot this morning. Despite its size, the owl managed to blend in with his surroundings remarkably well.

Learn more about the Great Horned Owl.

Swainson's Thrush

Catharus ustulatus

Appearance:
Medium-sized thrush
Brown upperparts
Brown spots on buff throat and breast
White belly
Dark mustache stripe
Pale buff eye-ring

Listen to its call.

Although similar in appearance, the Swainson's Thrush and Hermit Thrush can be differentiated by their eye-ring, as well as their plumage. The Swainson’s Thrush has uniformly brown upperparts, whereas the rufous tail of the Hermit Thrush contrasts with its brown back.

Learn more about the Swainson's Thrush.

Townsend's Warbler

Setophaga townsendi

Appearance:
Small songbird
Olive upperparts
Grey wings with two white wing bars
Yellow breast with streaks on flanks
Yellow face with dark cheek patch and stripe across eye
Yellow crescent below eye
Thin, pointed bill
White outer tail feathers
Male: (photographed)
     Black cap, cheek patch, eye stripe and throat
Female & Immature:
     Olive cap, cheek patch and eye stripe
     Yellow throat
 
Listen to its call.

This handsome bird stopped into the Pedder Bay banding station on the weekend, along with a variety of other warblers. Migration is in full swing as these birds head south to winter in Mexico and Central America.

Learn more about the Townsend's Warbler. 

Lincoln's Sparrow

Melospiza lincolnii

Appearance:
Small sparrow
Brown crown with gray central stripe
Gray face and eyebrow
Brown line extending behind eye
Pale eye-ring
Grayish-brown upperparts with darker streaking
Buff breast and flanks with fine streaking
White throat and belly

Although very similar in appearance, the buff upper breast with its fine streaking distinguish the Lincoln's Sparrow from the Song Sparrow. Other differences include its smaller size and the lack of a spot in the center of its breast.

Listen to its call.

Learn more about the Lincoln's Sparrow. 

Willow Flycatcher

Empidonax traillii

Appearance:
Small flycatcher
Broad bill
Grey upper mandible / pale lower mandible
Minimal (or absent) eye-ring
Olive-brown upperparts
White throat
Whitish underparts
Dark wings with two white wing bars
Immature: (photographed)
     Yellower underparts
     Buff coloured wing bars

Listen to its call.

My first year birding, I took a picture of a Empidonax flycatcher that I wasn't able to identify. Although I felt discouraged by this at the time, I have now learned that their identification is among the most difficult for birders. It is so difficult, in fact, that the bander of this bird had to use a mathematical formula to confirm its identity. This involved comparison of the ratios of and differences between measurements of the bird’s body parts (bill length and width, wing length, tail length, etc). 

Learn more about the Willow Flycatcher. 

Red Crossbill

Loxia curvirostra 

Appearance:
Stocky finch
Thick, curved bill with crossed tip
Long, pointed blackish brown wings
Short, notched, blackish brown tail
Male:
     Brick red to reddish-yellow head and body
     No wingbars
Female: (photographed)
     Uniformly olive or grayish plumage
     Greenish or greenish-yellow chest and rump
     No wingbars
Juvenile:
     Gray-brown back tinged with pale green
     Heavy dark streaks on whitish chest
     Yellowish rump with dark streaks
     Thin, buffy wingbars

Listen to its call.

This adult female Red Crossbill caused a few smiles last week as it was a first for the banding station. The age of the bird was determined by its wrinkled brood patch. This is a patch of featherless skin that is visible on the underside of birds during the nesting season.

Learn more about the Red Crossbill.

MacGillivray's Warbler

Geothlypis tolmiei 

Appearance:
Stocky, sluggish warbler
Olive upperparts
Yellow underparts
White crescent above and below eye
Full gray hood, covering head, nape and throat
Male:
     Dark, charcoal gray hood
     Black area in front of eyes
Female:
     Paler gray hood
Immature: (photographed)
     Whitish-gray chin and throat

Listen to its call.

I haven't read anywhere that MacGillivray's Warblers have particularly short tails but this little one sure did. In fact, it was almost non-existent as can be seen in the picture below.  Anyone have any insight on this?

UPDATE:  Since my original post, I have discovered that this hatch year bird was probably going through its preformative molt. Typically during this molt, not all of the feathers are replaced.  However, I read that juveniles sometimes lose their entire tail prematurely and when it regrows it features adult rectrices.

Learn more about the MacGillivray's Warbler. 

. 

Wilson's Warbler

Cardellina pusilla

Appearance:
Small songbird
Yellow underparts and face
Olive green back
Dark wings and tail
Male:
     Black cap

 Listen to its call. 

Day two of banding turned up a number of new birds for me, including this hatch year, male Wilson's Warbler.  What a handsome bird! It's not surprising they call a group of warblers a 'bouquet'.

Learn more about the Wilson's Warbler.

House Wren

Troglodytes aedon 

Appearance:
Small, compact bird
Fairly long, curved bill
Longish tail
Gray-brown upperparts
Dull, grayish-white underparts, including sides of head
Dark barring on wings and tail
Juvenile:
     Blackish mottling on breast

Listen to its call.

This is another hatch year bird that we banded last weekend.

Most wrens are small and brown with short wings and tails which they often hold upright. So, how do you tell them apart? Well, here are a few distinguishing features that help with wren identification.

• House Wren -- curved bill, faint eyebrow, fairly long tail and dingy breast
• Bewick's Wren -- straight bills, bold eyebrow and white breast
• Pacific Wren -- almost no tail, bold eyebrow, smaller and darker than House Wren 

Learn more about the House Wren.

Pacific-slope Flycatcher

Empidonax difficilis

Appearance: 
Small flycatcher 
Pale yellow to white, teardropped shaped eye-ring
Two white wingbars 
Greenish-brown back 
Yellowish underparts 
Yellow lower mandible
Immature:
     Wingbars buffy in colour

Listen to its song.

This weekend, I had the pleasure of volunteering at RPBO's banding site for the first time.  I thoroughly enjoyed the experience with one exception.  The 5 am start time was for the birds!

Not only is the experience helping with my bird identification, I'm also learning a lot about aging the birds.  This little flycatcher was one of the many birds that stopped in for a visit. Its buffy wingbars identify it as a juvenile. 

Learn more about the Pacific-slope Flycatcher. 

Additional pictures:

very young juvenile; still covered in down

Pacific Golden-Plover

Pluvialis fulva

Appearance:
Medium-sized plover
Moderately long legs
Large head
Large, dark eyes
Golden and black speckled back
Breeding plumage:
    Black from face to belly, bordered with white
    Black speckling along the white border by the underparts and under tail
Non-breeding plumage:
    Buff wash with dark speckling on the breast
Juvenile:
    Light barring on chest and flanks
    Yellowish head and breast

Listen to its call. 

When I initially spotted this shorebird, I thought it was a Black-bellied Plover as they are fairly common around Victoria. It wasn't until I was reviewing my photos later that I realized my mistake. There are a number of differences between the two species, one of which I found a bit ironic. There is more black on the belly of the Pacific Golden-Plover then on the Black-bellied variety.  

Learn more about the Pacific Golden-Plover.

Peregrine Falcon

Falco peregrinus

Appearance:
Large falcon
Long, pointed wings
Long, narrow tail, rounded at the end
Black, hooked bill with yellow base
Yellow feet
Black claws  
Adult:
   Slate grey upperparts
   Barred underparts 
   Black crown and 'moustache' along cheeks
   White chin and throat
Juveniles: (photographed)
   Brown upperparts
   Heavily streaked underparts
   Brown crown and 'moustache' along cheeks

Listen to its call.  
 
I was photographing peeps on the beach last week when this bird suddenly swooped in looking for dinner, resulting in mass exodus. Fortunately, both for me and the tiny sandpipers, he went away hungry -- but not before I was able to get some nice photos.

 

Learn more about the Peregrine Falcon. 

Say's Phoebe

Sayornis saya

Appearance:

Medium-sized flycatcher
Pale brownish-gray upperparts
Pale rufous belly and undertail
Long, black tail

Listen to its call.

This bird was spotted yesterday on Mount Tolmie in a Garry Oak meadow. I love the fact that the Rare Bird Alert on eBird indicates where interesting birds have been sighted. Whenever I see a report of one that's not on my blog yet, I rush right over hoping to snap a picture. Of course, I'm not always successful in my quest but it does make things a lot easier.



Learn more about the Say's Phoebe.

Western Bluebird

Sialia mexicana

Appearance:
Small thrush
Thin, straight bill
Male:
    Cobalt blue on upperparts and throat
    Reddish-brown breast, flanks and center of back
    Gray belly
Female:
    Gray-brown with blue tinge on head, wings and tail
    Pale chestnut colour on breast and flanks
    Solid gray throat and belly

Listen to its call.

Three of these birds (two males and a female) were perched on a fence in a field north of Blenkinsop Lake yesterday afternoon. They were quite a distance away, the fence being on the opposite side of the field from the the trail, but were still visible to the naked eye (when you knew what you were looking for). Flashes of the brilliant blue of the males could be seen as they flew back and forth between the fence posts and the ground foraging for food.

Learn more about the Western Bluebird.

Red-breasted Sapsucker

Sphyrapicus ruber

Appearance:
Medium-sized woodpecker
Red head and breast
Yellowish-white belly
Black upperparts with white barring
White stripe on sides
Two rows of whitish bars on back
Juvenile:
   Brown head
   Extensive brown mottled on underparts

Listen to its call.

I went for a walk through Royal Roads Forest today and it was glorious. The weather was perfect, the company was delightful and I added another bird to my list of sightings. I have to credit my husband with catching sight of this woodpecker near the top of a rather tall snag.

Learn more about the Red-breasted Sapsucker

Harris's Sparrow

Zonotrichia querula

Appearance:
Large sparrow
Pink bill
Black bib, forehead and crown
Brown back with dark streaks
Underparts white with some streaks along side
Two white wing bars
Breeding plumage:
    Grey cheeks
Non-breeding plumage:
     Brown cheeks
Juveniles:
    Similar in appearance to non-breeding adults but lack the black face and head

Listen to its call.

The Harris's Sparrow is rarely found east or west of the middle of North America. So, I have to wonder what this foolhardy one was doing in a garden in Oak Bay. He appears to be overwintering in Victoria, having joined a flock of Golden-crowned Sparrows. Apparently, it is not uncommon for smaller birds to form mixed-species flocks in winter. The benefits? It both improves foraging and reduces the risk of becoming prey.  hmmm .... Maybe this little one isn't featherbrained after all.

Learn more about the Harris's Sparrow.

Marbled Murrelet

Brachyramphus marmoratus

Appearance:
Small, chunky auk
Short, pointed, black bill
Short tail
Winter plumage:
   Black upperparts
   White underparts, throat, chin and collar
   White stripe over wings
Breeding plumage:
    Dark mottled brown all over

Listen to its call.

I saw a pair of these murrelets yesterday off the breakwater at Ogden Point.  They only stopped by for a minute before diving underwater, presumably in search of food.

Learn more about the Marbled Murrelet.

Black-legged Kittiwake

Rissa tridactyla

juvenile

Appearance:
Medium-sized gull
Black legs
White head and underparts
Slate-gray back and wings
Black wingtips
Small, yellow bill (adult)
Juvenile:
    Gray patches on nape and crown
    Dark spot at the ear
    Black spot above rear half of eye
    Black collar and terminal band on tail
    Black "W" bar across wings
    Black bill

Listen to its call.

The Black-legged Kittiwake is usually far out at sea. However, a number of them have been seen around the Victoria shoreline lately, probably as a result of the storm we had a few weeks back.  I photographed this bird off the Ogden Point Breakwater this morning. Apparently, there had been two immature birds and an adult around a bit earlier, but I only saw the one.

Learn more about the Black-legged Kittiwake.

Northern Flicker - yellow-shafted

 Colaptes auratus auratus

Appearance:
Large woodpecker
Brown back with narrow black bars
Black chest patch
Black spots on belly
White rump
Yellow under wings and tail
Grey head
Brown face and throat
Red crescent on nape of neck
Black moustache (male)

Listen to its call.

Yellow-shafted Flickers reside in eastern North American while the Red-shafted ones reside in the west. So, you can imagine my surprise to see one with a yellow tail at my backyard feeder this morning.  In the picture below, you can just see the red crescent on the nape of her neck. Note the absence of a moustache.

Learn more about the Northern Flicker.