With three commitments on Thursday, I wasn’t expecting to get much birding in, but I had to follow up on Wednesday’s possible Clay-coloured Sparrow.  I got up early and headed back to Maber Flats, thankfully not too far from home.  It was a magnificent misty morning at the marsh, a scene that might not be possible for too much longer.As mentioned in a previous post, the water is being drained from half of the property and before long, the land might be tilled.  And that would be the “good” option.  Several months ago, there was an announcement that the property was under purchase negotiations by the Nature Conservancy (the other half to be used for stormwater storage by the municipality).  Sadly, those negotiations have not resulted in a sale.  It looks like a portion of the land could still end up with NCC, but there would be other adjacent owner, which would undoubtedly put pressure on the municipality to “maintain” a tidier property.

Common Yellowthroats were singing, but not being particulary cooperative as far as photography was concerned. This is such a beautiful little bird. I even remember the first time I saw one of these!

With no sign of the sparrow or even any new shorebirds, I had to head home for a teleconference for the Canadian Migration Monitoring Network.  We meet via phone every six weeks or so.

Following that, I was giving a presentation at the Westshore Seniors meeting.  I had hoped that I might have enough time to make a quick stop at Observatory Hill to look for a solitaire, but it was not to be. Thursday’s slideshow was a selection of photos we gathered for the Victoria Natural History Society’s Nature Guide to the Victoria Region.

This is a great publication that touches on most natural history categories from fungi to mammals.  Proceeds go to the Victoria Natural History Society and the Royal BC Museum.

I had remembered to turn my phone ringer off, which turned out to be a good thing, as while I was speaking I received two phone calls and four texts.  After my presentation, I was invited to stay for tea.  After seeing my phone notifications, I had to decline and take off.  A Sabine’s Gull had been found by Keith Taylor and it was still being seen at Clover Point!

Traffic was not my friend, and what would have taken thirty minutes most of the time, took 45 minutes on Thursday. When I arrived, Mary Robichaud and Christian Kelly were monitoring the gull. so it was a quick “tick”.  I had expected to see this species on one of the pelagic trips I’d be taking, but I am delighted to get it in Victoria now.  With the bird resting on the rocks, I’m sure I got a better look that I would from a rocking boat. There are a few previous records of this species being seen while a ship was at sea, but it’s decidedly rare for us to get to see one like this.  I watched it for the better part of an hour. The Sabine’s was a good one to get on my list, for sure!

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These birds are marine masters and are rarely seen on land.  Other birders had already come and gone, but several showed up while I was there.  That included Aziza Cooper and Ken Walker  who arrived in time to have a good look, but Warren Lee,  Jeff Gaskin, Liam Singh and Mike Ashbee arrived moments after the bird took off.  It was still in the scopes, but the view would result in what I call a “cheesy” tick. When Cathy Reader called to say she was on her way with Emma and Rebecca, our best suggestion for a good look was around the breakwater.

Indeed, that is exactly where the bird went, and eagle-eyed Emma relocated it right near the Dallas Road waterfront. Most, if not all of the people who had been at Clover Point got a second chance at a stunning look at this bird.  I would have like to have joined them, but by this time, though, I had to run with the rush hour traffic home to pick up things I needed for an evening RPBO board meeting —  and then turn around and go about 80% of the way back to where I was standing..

I am grateful for everyone who is calling me with interesting birds.  This is definitely “our” big year, not just mine!