There were two things on my to-do list that I was planning on getting done before I headed out in near-perfect weather to go birding today.  But then…..  A post on the BCVIBIRDS Yahoo Group that a (not-so) Common Redpoll had been photographed near downtown Victoria on Monday.  A vagrant, and definitely a bird I would want to get for my big year list!  I have a “ready” bag that would allow me a quick escape to other parts of the island, but it wasn’t much help today.  This evening, I was slated to be the guest speaker for the Camosun Gyro monthly dinner meeting.  Not a problem in that the bird and the meeting were in the same town, but one of those things I was going to do was prepare the presentation (yes, I know, but it’s how my life goes!)  So instead of packing warm clothes an other overnight necessities, I had to repack with clothes suitable for a semi-formal dinner (including cruel shoes) and gather up all of my tech gear for the still-to-be-assembled presentation.  Then I was out the door!

Upon arrival and the intersection that had been mentioned in the post, I found myself searching balconies for the tube feeder that had been described.  Rather than waste too much time, I called Ted Ardley, who had not taken the photo, but had relayed the information from ogopogocheryl on Flickr.   He was able to provide the most important clue–a string of blue Christmas lights–and I was soon at the feeder. In fact, the edge of this apartment block’s property was festooned with feeders, including the one where the redpoll had been seen the previous day.  I was feeling good!

I am grateful to the owner of the feeders for providing such a wonderful banquet for the birds.  So beneficial to my mission! However, she seemed to have a mission of her own today, and went in and out of her door, past the feeders, no less than 10 times in the first 20 minutes that I was there.   When she finally left (whew!), her roommate, dressed in a bright yellow shirt decided that the front window needed a REALLY good cleaning, giving the feeders the “Snowy Owl” treatment (lots of movement with a white cloth) for the next 10 minutes.  Did I mention that part of my plan for my big  year was to develop patience?  I really got to work on that today.

The next hour provided several new birds for my year list: Bushtit, American Goldfinch, Downy Woodpecker and House Finch, but no redpoll.  Eventually, I had to move my car, so I took a short trip to Clover Point to see what I could find there.   Surfbirds and Black Turnstones were in good supply, and there was an assortment of gulls as well as most of the expected seabirds.  I came across Matt and Court Cameron working on their own Big Half-day list, and told them about the redpoll.  We met again at the feeders a little while later.

A Common Redpoll would be a lifer for Court and Matt, but they sadly couldn’t stay too long.   I watched a Cooper’s Hawk stir things up at the feeders three times today.  But still no redpoll.  After another hour or so (I’m not used to sitting in one place for so long), I went on another short trip and managed to find Eurasian Wigeon at one of the duck ponds in nearby Beacon Hill Park.   Then back to the feeders.  I was thinking I might call it a day by about 3 pm and return first thing Wednesday morning.  Then it happened.
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An email from Quadra Island.  The Great Gray Owl had been relocated.   Argh!  Two chaseable birds about 4 hours of driving apart.  Now  I REALLY wanted that redpoll to show up!  Two more birders, Mary Robichaud and Cathy Reader arrived to  provide reinforcements for the search, and I stuck it out  until a little after 3:30.  I decided to try to pick up a couple quick ticks  and be on my way.  Oh, yeah.  Did I mention that I had a presentation to prepare for a 6:30 meeting?  Nevermind!  Snow Goose and Greater White-fronted Goose visible from the street at the Victoria Golf Course.  Yes!

I grabbed a tea to go as I passed a Tim Hortons, and headed off to another near-daily commitment, a visit with my mom.  My mother has been in extended care for more than five years now, and I typically visit her five days a week.  I won’t go into the details at this point, but my visits are very important to her.  My big year is definitely going to throw our routine out of whack, so I will make an effort to spend more time with her when I am in town.  But today, I had an extra motive–I really had to get somewhere where I could work on that presentation!

Fortunately, I have a bit of a library of prepared presentations, and since the Gyro only wanted a 20-minute slideshow, I knew that I could cut an existing show down to size.  With an hour to spare,  I changed into appropriate dinner apparel (the muddy jeans would definitely not have worked) and visited with my mom.  The presentation went smoothly, and I’m hoping that most of these men will look at birds a little differently now.  Dinner was good, too!

So, Common Redpoll, a vagrant that has been showing up in Victoria more frequently, or Great Gray Owl?  The choice is obvious!  I’m heading back to Quadra Island in a few hours.

Species as of January 6: 111