After the mega-rare Fieldfare last month in Salmon Arm we thought we had exhausted all the excitement for a while. But on the first day of January a Cape May Warbler showed up locally here in Abbotsford, at Mill Lake. This bird created a lot of interest amongst the many walkers and birders that frequent this area and it made the local news media.
This Warbler can drink flower nectar and consume bugs to survive.
Although the Cape May has been known to nest in the Peace River area, this is the first record for it in southern BC.
I don't think I have ever seen a more obliging subject. Its many admirers didn't seem to bother it at all. As I write this, it has been in the same location for a least 22 days.
Nectar has caked up on its bill but it was washed off the next day.
The tongue of the Cape May Warbler is unique among warblers. It is curled and semitubular, and is used to collect nectar during winter.
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| This range map shows the Cape May should be in the West Indies this time of year. |
This Pied-billed Grebe was frequenting the same area as the Cape May.
American Goldfinches were also at Mill Lake.
The Cape May Warbler considered Anna's Hummingbirds competition and it was kept busy chasing them away from the nectar source.
We had a Wood Duck pose for us.
A Rough-legged Hawk was vacationing in Delta, BC from its breeding grounds in the Arctic.
Just when we thought all the rare birds had been found, a report of a Dusky Thrush took us on a day trip to Nanaimo. The bird was close to the ferry docks so we decided to go for it. This is BC's third record for this Siberian beauty. It was difficult to get a good picture but you get the idea.
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Congrats on getting the dusky thrush and such nice shots! We were in Ecuador so missed him unfortunately. Lovely shots of the CMWA too
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