Storm Season - Vancouver Island and many parts of B.C. were battered on Nov. 11 by the first major storm of the season. High winds and heavy rain caused havoc in many areas including a major mudslide near Sayward. Ferries were cancelled, trees were toppled, houses were damaged, and power outages were commonplace. At the height of insanity, a few crazy surfers at Tofino even tried to make it out to the monster waves but were probably fortunate that they couldn't even cross the beach as the howling 100 km/hr wind drove them back. It was a good day stay home. Since then there have been several smaller storms of little consequence except to make bird photography almost impossible

I've often wondered what happens to birds in major storm conditions. How many get blown off course? How many perish? Maybe they enjoy the wind. Maybe for them it's the equivalent to an extreme sport.

Despite the monsoons, there have been a couple of interesting birds reported on the Island since my last journal. The most interesting was the Hooded Warbler discovered by a hiker and naturalist beside the John Hart Dam in Campbell River on Nov. 4. Hooded Warblers nest in the southeastern states and only a very few ever disperse as far northwest as Vancouver Island. The only other report I am aware of was the Duncan CBC in 2002. Coincidentally, almost at the same time, a Tropical Kingbird took up residence on Mallard Street in Saanich. Tropical Kingbirds nest in southern Arizona and Mexico and northward dispersion up the Pacific coast is fairly regular. At least two or three make it to Vancouver Island every fall. The question is, "How many make it back south where they belong?"

The northward dispersion of some species is referred to by some as reverse migration. Like migration itself, it is another of nature's great mysteries that is difficult to explain. There are theories, but that's all they are. Regardless of the answer, it has provided Vancouver Island with many fascinating birds over the years, and it gives us hope that other rare birds might show up, or that history might be repeated for birds like the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Ucluelet), Green-tailed Towhee (Comox), Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow (Saanich), and Dickcissel (Port Alberni).

Nov. 8 - Barrow's of Fun

It's interesting how different birds have preferences for different locations. Take the Barrow's Goldeneye for example. They are scarce around Oceanside. I've only seen a few small scattered groups from Nanaimo to Deep Bay in my almost 5 years of birding. I reinforced that notion today as I made a bid to find my first Barrow's of the fall. I checked several waterfront locations from Deep Bay to Nanaimo with nary a goldeneye of any description. Just by fluke I happened to stop in Chemainus on my way to Duncan. Voila! At the public boat ramp - 200 Barrow's! Now I know where they like to hang out.