Sunshine Coast

To report rare bird sightings and submit photographs for this page, please email Melissa Hafting at BCbirdergirl@gmail.com


***Melissa is away please report your rare birds to Bridget Spencer at bspencer158@gmail.com ***


Mountain Bluebird (3)
Location: Sechelt Airport - Sechelt
Reported: March 11 (Arnold Skei)

Golden Eagle (3)

Location: 2 at Sechelt Landfill - Sechelt
Date: Dec 3/23-March 5/2024 (Martin Davis, m.obs)

Location: 1 at Oyster Bay - Kleindale
Date: Dec 24/23-Jan 3/24 (Solveigh Harrison, m.obs)
Golden Eagle in Sechelt - Photo: Karen Holland

Whimbrel (1)
Location: On field on Sandpiper Rd near Heritage Rd - Sechelt
Reported: Jan 21 (John Hodges)

Rufous Hummingbird (1, rare in winter)
Location: On trail between Park Rd and Strom Ln - Gibsons
Date: Dec 30 (Mari Petznek)

LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL (1)
Location: Sechelt Dump (please stay away from entrance gate)
Reported: Dec 17-18 (Mari Petznek, m.obs)
Lesser Black-backed Gull in Sechelt - Photo: Mari Petznek

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (1)
Location: Briefly at end of Roberts Creek pier - Roberts Creek
Date: Nov 8 (John Hodges)

Canvasback (2)
Location: Cranberry Lake - Powell River
Reported: Oct 27 to Nov 2 (Carol Reid, m.obs)

Horned Lark (1)
Location: Mission Point - Sechelt
Reported: Nov 1 (Karen Holland)
Horned Lark in Sechelt - Photo: Karen Holland

Canvasback (1)
Location: North Lake - Egmont
Reported: Oct 30 (Kaiden Bosch)

Horned Lark (1)
Location: Roberts Creek Pier - Roberts Creek
Reported: Oct 28 (Karen Holland)
Horned Lark in Roberts Creek - Photo: Karen Holland

Rusty Blackbird (1)
Location: foraging by the lagoon close to the gate at Wilson Creek Estuary - Sechelt
Reported: Oct 28 (Mari Petznek)
Rusty Blackbird in Sechelt - Photo: Mari Petznek

Redhead (1)
Location: Cranberry Lake - Powell River
Reported: Oct 27 (Carol Reid)

Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches (3)
Location: Wildwood Bluffs in Powell River.
Reported: Oct 26 (Pierre Geoffray)

Snow Buntings (10)
Location: Wildwood Bluffs in Powell River.
Reported: Oct 26 (Pierre Geoffray)

American Avocet (1)
Location: Chapman Creek - Sechelt
Reported: Oct 25 (Harry Hill)

Canvasback (1)
Location: South end of Porpoise Bay (near Blue Heron beach access) - Sechelt
Reported: Oct 25 (John Field)

Canvasback (2)
Location: McNeill Lake - Madeira Park
Reported: Oct 25 (John Field)

Lapland Longspur (1)
Location: End of Roberts Creek Pier - Roberts Creek
Reported: Oct 25 (Karen Holland)
Lapland Longspur - Photo: Karen Holland

Say’s Phoebe (1)
Location: Wildwood Bluffs; Powell River
Reported: Oct 12 (Pierre Geoffray)

Brown Pelican (1)
Location: Briefly at Mission Point and then flew east  - Sechelt
Reported: Oct 8 (Mari Petznek)
Brown Pelican in Sechelt - Photo: Mari Petznek

Broad-winged Hawk (1)
Location: Flying over Dakota Ridge - Sechelt
Reported: Oct 1 (Arnold Skei)

Vesper Sparrow (1)
Location: Gospel Rock - Sechelt
Reported: Sept 26 (Karen Holland)

Vesper Sparrow in Sechelt - Photo: Karen Holland

Swainson’s Hawk (2)
Location: Flying over Chapman Creek - Sechelt
Reported: Sept 22 (John Hodges)

Franklin’s Gull (1)
Location: HERE at Porpoise Bay - Sechelt
Reported: Sept 17-19 (Mari Petznek, m.obs)
Franklin's Gull in Sechelt - Photo: Mari Petznek

LONG-TAILED JAEGER (2 juv)
Location: HERE offshore Roberts Creek
Reported: Sept 4 (Ashley Keegan)
1 of 2 juv Long-tailed Jaegers in Roberts Creek - Photo: Ashley Keegan

Lewis’s Woodpecker (2)
Location: Last seen HERE on a snag on Grandview Rd - Gibsons
Reported: Aug 31-Sept 3 (Karen Holland, m.obs)
Lewis’s Woodpecker in Gibsons - Photo: Karen Holland

Horned Lark (9)
Location: On Elphinstone High School soccer field - Gibsons
Reported: Sept 1 (Karen Holland)
Horned Lark in Gibsons - Photo: Karen Holland

ARCTIC TERN (1 immature)
Location: End of Roberts Creek Pier - Roberts Creek
Reported: Aug 30 (Karen Holland)
Arctic Tern in Roberts Creek - Photo: Karen Holland

Stilt Sandpiper (1)
Location: Wilson Creek Estuary - Sechelt
Reported: Aug 28 (John Hodges, m.obs)
Stilt Sandpiper in Sechelt - Photo: Rand Rudland

LEACH’S STORM-PETREL (1)
Location: Viewed by boat off Roberts Creek Jetty - Roberts Creek
Reported: Aug 7 (Andy Scheffler and Ashley Keegan, m.obs)
Leach’s Storm-Petrel in Roberts Creek - Photo: Ashley Keegan 

Wilson’s Phalarope (1 juv)
Location: Wilson Creek Estuary; Sechelt
Reported: July 27-29 (Mari Petznek, m.obs)
Wilson’s Phalarope in Sechelt - Photo: Mari Petznek

California Scrub-Jay (1)
Location: HERE at 5306 Cedarview Place at residential home (please be respectful of private residences and view from public street) - Sechelt 
Reported: June 26-July 2 (Daniel Pollock, m.obs)
California Scrub-Jay in Sechelt - Photo: Daniel Pollock

Redhead (1 female)
Location: Sechelt Marsh - Sechelt
Reported: June 19-28 (John Hodges and Eric Habish, m.obs)
Redhead in Sechelt- Photo: Eric Habisch

American Redstart (1 male)
Location: Across the road from 4330 Hilltop Rd - Sechelt
Reported: June 24 (Mari Petznek)

Green Heron (1)
Location: Wilson Creek Estuary - Sechelt
Reported: June 22 (John Hodges)

Redhead (1 male)
Location: Sechelt Marsh - Sechelt
Reported: June 11 (Donna Giberson)
Redhead in Sechelt - Photo: Donna Giberson

Green Heron (1 adult)
Location: Sechelt Marsh - Sechelt
Reported: June 11 (Robyn Rietze)

INDIGO BUNTING (1 male)
Location: HERE at Gospel Rock - Gibsons 
Reported: May 27-June 6 (Karen Holland, m.obs)
Indigo Bunting in Gibsons - Photo: Karen Holland

Eastern Kingbird (1)
Location: Gospel Rock - Gibsons
Reported: June 6 (Karen Holland)
Eastern Kingbird in Gibsons - Photo: Karen Holland

Eastern Kingbird (1)
Location: Gospel Rock - Gibsons
Reported: June 3 (Robyn Rietze, m.obs)

Eastern Kingbird (1)
Location: Wilson Creek Estuary - Sechelt
Reported: May 30 (Mari Petznek)

Western Kingbird (1)
Location: Gospel Rock - Gibsons
Reported: May 24-29 (Karen Holland, m.obs)
Western Kingbird in Gibsons - Photo: Karen Holland

Yellow-headed Blackbird (2)
Location: In the grass at Holland Park - Gibsons 
Reported: May 24 (fide Karen Holland)

Western Kingbird (8)
Location: Port Stalashen - Wilson Creek
Reported: May 23 (Jack Stein)
Western Kingbird in Wilson Creek - Photo: Jack Stein

Western Kingbird (2)
Location: Roberts Creek Jetty - Roberts Creek
Reported: May 22 (Andrew Chick) 

Green Heron (1)
Location: Head or Porpoise Bay - Sechelt
Reported: May 12-16 (John Hodges, m.obs)

Vesper Sparrow (1)
Location: In parking lot at Sechelt Golf Course - Sechelt 
Reported: May 11 (Mari Petznek)
Vesper Sparrow in Sechelt - Photo: Mari Petznek

Vesper Sparrow (1)
Location: Gospel Rock - Gibsons 
Reported: May 8-9 (Karen Holland)
Vesper Sparrow in Gibsons - Photo: Karen Holland

Yellow-headed Blackbird (1)
Location: Sechelt Marsh - Sechelt 
Reported: May 3 to 9 (Robyn Rietze, m.obs)
Yellow-headed Blackbird in Sechelt - Photo: Robyn Rietze 

Mountain Bluebird (1)
Location: Brew Bay - Powell River
Reported: May 6 (Iwan Van Veen)

American White Pelican (16)
Location: Flying north over Random Rd - Powell River
Reported: May 4 (Winnie Ferrier)

Baird's Sandpiper (1)
Location: Wilson Creek Estuary - Sechelt
Reported: May 2 (Mari Petznek)
Baird’s Sandpiper in Sechelt - Photo: Mari Petznek

Red-naped Sapsucker (1 male)
Location: HERE in Cedar Tree on Ocean Beach Esplanade - Gibsons
Reported: April 22-24 (Jack Stein, m.obs)
Red-naped Sapsucker in Gibsons - Photo: Jack Stein

Say’s Phoebe (1)
Location: Roberts Creek Jetty - Roberts Creek
Reported: April 23 (Karen Holland, m.obs)
Say’s Phoebe at Roberts Creek Jetty Pier - Photo: Karen Holland 

Rusty Blackbird (1)
Location: Cranberry Lake - Powell River
Reported: April 22 (Iwan Van Veen et al.)

Mountain Bluebird (8)
Location: Brew Bay - Powell River
Reported: April 22 (Iwan Van Veen et al.)

BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER (1, reported)
Location: Private Home - Gibsons
Reported: April 22 (Barry Janyk)

Mountain Bluebird (3)
Location: The Shores - Sechelt
Reported: April 20 (Fianna W.)

Mountain Bluebird (3)
Location: In meadows at the head of Oyster Bay - Kleindale
Reported: April 18 (John Field)

Mountain Bluebird (6)
Location: Sunshine Coast Golf Course (near clubhouse) - Sechelt
Reported: April 18 (Jonathan Brown)

Mountain Bluebird (2)
Location: Cross Rock development at Gospel Rock; Gibsons
Reported: March 28-April 17  (Karen Holland, m.obs) 
Mountain Bluebird in Gibsons - Photo: Karen Holland

Mountain Bluebird (4)
Location: Seawalk off Marine Ave - Powell River
Reported: April 17 (Iwan Van Veen et al.)

Yellow-billed Loon (1)
Location: Sliammon Point; Sechelt
Reported: March 30 (Pierre Geoffray)

Mountain Bluebird (4)
Location: Sechelt Blue Ocean Golf Course (please go on the course only before the course opens to golfers and be respectful of golfers)
Reported: March 27 (Karen Holland)

Clay-colored Sparrow (1)
Location: Last seen in the Wakefield Beach development Wave #1. Please park no at Mason Rd and walk in. First seen HERE at Wakefield Creek - Sechelt
Reported: Nov 4/2022-Feb 23/2023 (Blythe and Fianna Wilde, m.obs)
Clay-colored Sparrow in Sechelt - Photo: Karen Holland

Golden Eagle (1 juv)
Location: Flying over Pell Road Power Line - Roberts Creek
Reported: Feb 14 (John Hodges)

Swamp Sparrow (1)
Location: In the marsh at Sergeant Bay at the first access point past the washroom and first information board - Sechelt
Reported: Jan 2, 2023 (John Hodges)