היומן של quinnbirds

These are the bird lifers I've seen since May. Some of these birds (like Spotted Towhee) I've seen in other places but were still new for my Alberta life list so I'm counting them as well.

I found my old name stupid but it took me a really long time to come up with another one, and I still think this one is kinda dumb but whatever. RIP Ballsussysus 2021-2023

There's something fascinating to me about Wigeons. More so the American than the Eurasian, though I am ecstatic for them as well. Wigeons, especially the males when they are in breeding plumage, are so intrinsically beautiful. I would love to be able to get up close to one.

A surprisingly successful trip. I was expecting to see very few birds due to the season. Instead I saw 3 new birds, my first hybrid bird, some of my favourite ducks (Buffleheads, Redheads, Harlequins), and a Coyote.
My new birds were:
-Cackling Goose
-Barrow's Goldeneye
-Tundra Swan

There have been so many times where I have spent hours searching for a rare bird with vague location details only to come back empty handed. But the times when you do see it, it's the greatest feeling.
My first rare bird was the Yellow-crowned Night-heron at Inglewood. (Successful)
Then a Thayer's Gull at Weed Lake (Successful)
Then Western Bluebirds at Plumbers Road (Failed)
Then Snowy Plovers at Weed Lake (Successful)
Then the Red-headed Woodpecker at Dinosaur PP (Failed)
Then the Green Heron at Fish Creek PP (Successful)
Then the Lesser Black-backed Gull at Pearce Estate Park (Failed) but I eventually saw it at Mallard Point in Fish Creek.
Then a Whooping Swan at Dalemead Reservoir (Failed)

The Savary Island deer are much noticeably smaller than the mainland deer. This is for obvious reasons, such as the limited amount of fresh water on the island, and the islands size. But I wonder that if say these deers were to be placed on the mainland, if they would grow back to regular size within a few generations. I know that the deer on Texada are also smaller than mainland deer, but to a lesser extent than those on Savary and probably Harwood and Hernando as well. I would estimate the size of a full grown deer on savary to be a bit smaller than an 8 year old child. The squirrels on Savary are also noticeably smaller than mainland Douglas Squirrels I have observed in Sechelt and Powell River. To my knowledge the fauna of Savary has not been studied much, if at all. Species which I would say to be of not, either because of their large presence on Savary or because of difference I have observed between those on Savary and those on the mainland include: Spotted Towhee, Barred Owl, Thirteen-lined June bug, Killdeer, American Robin, Pileated Woodpecker. as well as to a lesser extent the White-crowned Sparrows, American Goldfinches, Flycatchers, Chestnut-backed Chickadees, Brown Creepers, Minks, May Beetles, Click beetles, Garter snakes, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Northern Flickers, and Deer Mouse. While some of these animals do migrate (the birds especially), a lot of those on this list are year-round residents of Savary Island. As well as the migrating Spotted Towhee's and American Robins which have such a key part in Savary's ecosystem that I would doubt that they are similar whether in call or stature to those on the mainland.

Mississauga