birding...

Steller`s Jay Cyanocitta stefferi © Don Getty http://www.dongettyphoto.com

To fully appreciate the birding experience its valuable to have an understanding of the geography of the province, and the general regions in which bird species are found. It will help with planning your trip and compiling a list of which species can be seen where. British Columbia has ten separate eco-regions. But just four will produce all the birds that can be found in the province – the Georgia Depression, the Okanagan Valley, the Peace River Parklands and Taiga Plains. A brief description of each and a hint of the bird species found there are set out below.

Northeast Pacific ocean or Pelagic Waters
Two currents run in the area; the cool Alaskan current reaches Queen Charlotte Islands in summer and the warmer California current reaches northern Vancouver Island at the same time. Organized pelagics usually take place in fall off Vancouver Island. A drive into Washington State may give more pelagic opportunities. Serious pelagic birders might find Laysan Albatross, Short-tailed Albatross, Mottled Petrel and Parakeet Auklet.

Humid Maritime Highlands - Coast & Mountains
Along the Pacific coast, the Coast Mountains, Nass Mountains, Nass Basin and Nass Ranges hold huge, irregular strips of wet coniferous forest dominated by Douglas fir, red-cedar, yellow-cedar, western hemlock, Sitka spruce and amabilis fir. The region includes the windward side of these mountains, the western coast of Vancouver Islands and all of the Charlotte Islands. Along water courses the deciduous trees hold warbling vireo. The coniferous woodland is not particularly rich in bird life but holds Band-tailed Pigeon, Spotted Owl, Western Screech-owl, Red-breasted Sapsucker, Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Steller`s Jay, Northwestern Crow, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Winter Wren, Varied Thrush, and Townsend`s Warbler.

The littoral waters of the coastal inlets, islands, straits, shores and adjacent lowlands are species rich and the coastline is a major flyway for a plenitude of species from shorebirds and waterbirds to a mixture of passerines. The habitat is similar to that of the Georgia Depression so see that paragraph for typical birds. The temperatures along the coast rarely drop to zero in winter and the snowfall is light but as one ascends temperatures drop accordingly. Summer is rarely above 20C to 30C and it is cool at night and cloud cover and precipitation is abundant all year with the driest period being July through September.

Southern Interior - Okanagan Valley
The dry interior of British Columbia is the northernmost extension of the great semi-arid steppe plateaus of the western United States; known collectively as The Great Basin. The Okanagan Valley is one of the only desert-like habitats in Canada and is a must for any birder`s itinerary as it provides an excellent illustration of the attitudinal zonal vegetation and consequent segregation of bird species. The diversity of habitat makes it species rich and there have been some 308 species recorded, 193 species breeding and 107 resident. Where the original steppe remains typical species includes Long-billed Curlew, Mountain Bluebird, Grasshopper Sparrow, Vesper Sparrow, Lark Sparrow and Western Meadowlark. Where sagebrush dominates expect Sage Thrasher and Brewer`s Sparrows. In arid valley bottoms watercourses attract migrants and resident breeders alike. Grouse, Owls, and passerines can be found. Rocky bluffs may hold chukar, swift and swallows, Canyon and Rock Wren etc. Scattered Ponderosa pines attract woodpeckers, etc. The zonal divisions abound and anyone visiting the area would do well to invest in a local guidebook to appreciate what can be found where.

Central Interior - Cariboo Plateau
To the east of the coat mountains lies the region between the Fraser Basin and the Thompson Plateau containing the Chilcotin, Cariboo and Nechako plateaus. Patchwork areas of lodge-pole pine and Douglas fir punctuate the major grasslands and gentle hills. Great Grey Owl skulk in the forest edge, and the grasslands hold Swainson`s hawk, Savannah Sparrow and Sharp-tailed grouse; a mix of southwestern and northwestern species. Meandering streams and low depressions have created numerous small lakes and marshes that dot the area. The wetlands have concentrations of breeding waterfowl including the only colony in the province of pelican. Breeding Sandhill Crane, Greater Yellowlegs and yellow-headed Blackbird are typical. The region has a typical continental climate of cold winters and warm summers.

Sub-Boreal Interior
The sub-boreal interior is the northernmost extension of the humid uplands. The towns of Quesnal, Prince George and Mackenzie lie within its borders. A gently rolling countryside that abounds with lakes, rivers and wetlands. Boreal owl and Yellow-bellied Flycatcher are typical. Precipitation is all year round with very cold winters and warm summers.

Boreal & Taiga Plains - Peace River Parklands
The northeast corner of British Columbia consists of semi-open country of deep river valleys, moist shrub-lands and groves of trembling aspen, and, in the higher elevations are spruce and lodge-pole pine. Typical of the area are Black-and-white, Cape May, Bay-breasted, and Canada warblers, Le Conte`s and Swamp Sparrow and Rose-breasted Grosbeak. The Peace River Parklands are described in the top spots below.

Northern Boreal Mountains - Sub-Arctic Highlands
The north of the Province consists of high plateaus and mountains with intermontane lowlands influences by Arctic air. Gyrfalcon, Short-eared Owls, Ptarmigan and waders are typical. Say`s Phoebe breed as do Gray-cheeked Thrush, Golden-crowned Sparrow and Smith`s Longspur etc. Redpoll, Rusty Blackbird and Gray-crowned Rosy Finch are among the specialities along the Haines Road. Winters are long and cold, summers short and cool and precipitation hardly varies throughout the year.

Alpine
Alpine is widespread in British Columbia in the high inaccessible peaks. The only accessible areas are ski developments and logging roads from which the characteristic birds can be seen such as Gray Jay, Golden Eagle, Willow Ptarmigan etc.

Georgia Depression
The Georgia Depression is a large basin containing the east coast of Vancouver island (with the Southeast Coastal Lowlands); and the Lower Mainland, the coastal lowlands surrounding the city of Vancouver, north to include the Sunshine Coast and eastwards along the Fraser valley. Although it lies within the Humid Maritime Highlands Eco-division it is distinguished from the wet coastal woodland and high mountains by an expanse of fertile, marshy alluvial plain – the Fraser Delta (and other lowlands). It holds a juxtaposition of varied habitats including drier deciduous forests, mixed forest, urban parks, urban development, agricultural areas, open sandy shore, rocky coastline lagoons, intertidal mudflats and both freshwater and saltwater marshes.

The population of over two million people does not over impact on the avifauna and dedicated watchers spot many accidentals in this area. Many bird species are best looked for here as opposed to any other part of the province. They are too numerous to list but include herons, geese, swans, ducks, shorebirds, gulls, alcids, owls, and many passrines. Saught after species include Crested Myna, (Vancouver) Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Tropical Kingbird, Tufted Puffin, Little Gull, Anna`s Hummingbird, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Spotted Towee, Western Tanager and many more. The georgia Depression is also a major flyway for migrants and of international importance for wintering loons, grebes, and ducks. The Fraser delta is particularly good for raptors. The whole area has the best climate in Canada with dry warm springs, sunny summers, and mild autumns.

The text above is a precis of some opening pages of Keith`s The Birder`s Guide: British Columbia details below in the useful reading section. Fatbirder

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