Lifer 140

Wilson's PloverCharadrius wilsonia

Tuesday afternoon I passed to check the water level at Chancery Lane’s Swamp after a few days of heavy rain.  The swamp was about 10% of its full capacity but it had a few shorebirds wading and feeding.  There were Sanderlings,(Calidris alba) Semipalmated Plovers (Charadrius semipalmatus)and a single Willet(Tringa semipalmata). One bird among the Semi-plovers caught my eye. It was about the same size as the plovers but a little paler and a had a large bill. Straight away I knew it was a Wilson’s Plover (Charadrius wilsonia), a rare bird for the island.  It was also my 140^th lifer for the island.

Wilson's Plover is a stocky 'ringed' plover, about 7-8” in size, with a large head and a long heavy black bill.  Males have a black breast band while females and immature birds have a brown breast band.  This is the second lifer I recorded for this year.

North American Birding

I am spending 17 days in Calgary, Alberta, Canada and even though it is not a birding trip I will be trying to see as much birds as possible. I will list my lifers here.

Day 1, August 1st

1. Black-bellied Magpie
2. American Crow
3. American Robin
4. Canada Goose
5. Mallard
6. Common Merganser 
7. Ring-necked Pheasant 
8. Double-crested Cormorant
9. American White Pelican 
10. Downy Woodpecker 
11. Northern Flicker
12. Least Flycatcher 
13. Eastern Kingbird
14. Northern Rough-winged Swallow
15. Black-capped Chickadee
16. Cedar Waxwing
17. American Goldfinch 
18. Clay-colored Sparrow
19. Lincoln's Sparrow 
20. Red-winged Blackbird
21. Brown-headed Cowbird
22. Yellow-rumped Warbler
23. Warbling Vireo ------ Day 2,  August 02nd
24. Tree Swallow
25. Red-breasted Nuthatch 
26. White-breasted Nuthatch 
27. Gray Catbird
28. European Starling
29. Dark-eyed Junco
30. Song Sparrow
31. Common Grackle
32. Sharp-shinned Hawk
33. Redhead
34. Bufflehead
35. Common Goldeneye
36. Red-eyed Vireo
37. Wood Duck --------- Day 3, August 03rd
38. California Gull
39. Foster's Tern
40. Chipping Sparrow
41. Savannah Sparrow
42. Pileated Woodpecker 
43. Bald Eagle --------------Day 4, August 04
44. Blue Jay
45. Common Raven
46. Western Wood -Pewee 
47. Canvasback
48. Swainson's Hawk -------Day 5, August 05 (Not a birding day)
49. Great Horned Owl ------Day 6, August 06th
50. Red-necked Phalarope
    
51. Hairy Woodpecker 
52. Red-necked Grebe -----Day 7, August 07th
53. Yellow-headed Blackbird
54. Brewer's Blackbird
55. Baltimore Oriole
56. Tennessee Warbler
57. Orange-crowned Warbler
58. Eared Grebe ------ Day 8, August 8th
59. Western Grebe
60. Horned Grebe
61. American Avocet
62. White-faced Ibis
63. Marsh Wren
64. House Finch ------ Day 9, August 9th
65. Mountain Chickadee ----- Day 11, August 11 (Banff)
66. Golden-crowned Kinglet
67. Ovenbird----------- Day 12, August 12th
68. Gadwall
69. Pine Siskin
70. Wilson's Warbler ------- Day 13, August 13th
71. Black & White Warbler ------ Day 14, August 14th
72. Western Tanager
73. Mourning Dove
74. Olive-side Flycatcher------- Day15, August 15
75. Townsend's Warbler. -------Day 16 August 16 (Last Day in Calgary)

Mammals

1. Mink
2. Eastern Grey Squirrel
3. Red Squirrel  
4. Bobcat 
5. White-tailed Deer
6. Mule Deer
7. American Beaver
8. Richardson's Ground Squirrel (Gopher)
9. Long - tailed Weasel 
10. Least Chickmunk 
11. Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel