Isaac knew of a place where Williamson’s Sapsucker is annual near Merritt so we headed down there super early this morning.  Before getting to the site, we also saw some Western Bluebirds, a new regional bird for me.  A female Williamson’s showed up within 10 minutes of being on site and it turned out to be the only one encountered in the area.  This is a prime nesting area.  We were privileged to see a Barrow’s Goldeneye nesting hole which was a first for both of us.  Unfortunately it didn’t poke its head out for a photo after flying directly in.  In the Aspen stands there, we found the nests of the following cavity nesters: White-breasted Nuthatch, House Wren,  Barrow’s Goldeneye, and Northern Flicker.  Also in the area or later in the day we found the nests of a Robin and Mountain Bluebird.  All species are either calling on territory, busy with nests, or both.  An incredible early morning out.

Merritt–Midday Valley Road, Thompson-Nicola, British Columbia, CA

May 12, 2020

Protocol: Traveling

12.0 kilometer(s)

Checklist Comments:    Not birded thoroughly.  Target birding.

57 species (+1 other taxa)

Mallard  15

Ring-necked Duck  2

Lesser Scaup  2

Bufflehead  1

Barrow’s Goldeneye  1

Ruffed Grouse  2

Mourning Dove  1

Calliope Hummingbird  1

Wilson’s Snipe  1

Spotted Sandpiper  1

Red-tailed Hawk  1

Williamson’s Sapsucker  1

Red-naped Sapsucker  3

Downy Woodpecker  1

Hairy Woodpecker  3

Pileated Woodpecker  2

Northern Flicker (Red-shafted)  5

Western Wood-Pewee  6

Hammond’s Flycatcher  1

Dusky Flycatcher  17

Cassin’s Vireo  2

Warbling Vireo  2

Steller’s Jay  2

Clark’s Nutcracker  7

Common Raven  6

Mountain Chickadee  8

Tree Swallow  19

Golden-crowned Kinglet  1

Ruby-crowned Kinglet  6

Red-breasted Nuthatch  5

White-breasted Nuthatch  3

Pygmy Nuthatch  1

Brown Creeper  1

House Wren  26

Western Bluebird  2

Mountain Bluebird  13

Townsend’s Solitaire  3

American Robin  10

House Finch  5

Cassin’s Finch  7

Pine Siskin  1

Chipping Sparrow  16

Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon)  4

Golden-crowned Sparrow  1

Vesper Sparrow  10

Savannah Sparrow  3

Song Sparrow  2

Lincoln’s Sparrow  1

Spotted Towhee  5

Western Meadowlark  4

Brown-headed Cowbird  2

Orange-crowned Warbler  5

MacGillivray’s Warbler  3

Yellow Warbler  2

Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)  2

Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon’s)  13

Wilson’s Warbler  2

Western Tanager  5