Ever heard of a "red-phase" Western Screech?

Check out this photo of a rare "red/brownish-phase" macfarlanei Western Screech-Owl. The red-phase of the Eastern Screech-Owl is well known, but few (if any) have ever seen the Western (interior) Screech version! Or could this be a hybrid macfarlanei x kennicottii or simply a kennicottii (coastal ssp.) that has made it up into the interior?  This bird was found in the upper Fraser Canyon by Jared Hobbs et al.

[Typical gray-phase on left, with reddish bird on right]

[Photo Credit: Jared Hobbs]

Lesser Goldfinch in Lillooet

[Photo: Ken Wright]

Found at a private residence in Lillooet on April 23rd, and is continuing up until at least the 26th. The landowner has requested that the precise location be kept private.

April 26 UPDATE--There are now *2* males LEGOs at the feeder!


April 27--Last seen on this date

ARCTIC LOON--Jordan River

On Apil 15th an Arctic Loon was reported from the Surfer's Parking Lot in Jordan River by Louis Haviland. The bird was Alone and close to shore and was photographed several times.

April 21 Update: STILL PRESENT

Ross's Goose returns for 3rd spring in a row!

CRESTON: Gary Breault just photographed this ROSS'S GOOSE at the first 90 degree corner on Channel Rd, near Duck Lake. This is the third spring that a Ross's Goose has turned up at this exact location--must be the same bird? Sightings have ranged from April 14th to May 4th.

Apr 12--SAGE SPARROW in Kelowna

From Avery Bartels:

At Munson Pond this morning (9:30am) I had a Sage Sparrow. It was foraging on its own, on both sides of the road but was last seen on the north side as it ducked behind the piles of debris and wood chips. A couple hundred metres after turning onto Munson Rd. there is a bare field (mostly bare ground, with little grass) on the left. I first had the bird here before it flew across the road and continued foraging on a dirt track and the aforementioned wood chip piles.

The bird was quite pale brown with a contrastingly grey head, strong white malar stripe, a fairly short and weak white supercilium, an unmarked nape with a streaked back, faint wingbars and and a dark spot on the centre of its chest, underparts white. It often held its long tail cocked up and ran about quite actively.

I managed to digiscope a couple of poor shots with my ipod which I will post when I figure out how to do transfer them off my ipod. [April 12]

--Will post photo soon