RBA: REDWING in Victoria AGAIN! - Dec.19-April 14th

On December 19th during the Victoria CBC, Nathan Hentze and Mike Davis found a Redwing at about 13:45. The bird was first in a vacant lot on the east side of South Valley Dr. in Victoria (off of Wilkinson, near Victoria General Hospital). It then flew to the west side where another vacant lot is, and disappeared potentially into a large cedar tree. The house closest to these lots is 3940 S. Valley Dr. *Note that if viewing this area on Google Maps, south valley drive ends on both sides of these lots, and it shows up as a dead-end. This has since been paved, and the road now connects through. However, this gap on the map is exactly where the vacant lots are located. Some google earth maps of the area can be viewed at: https://volantbc.wordpress.com/2015/12/19/seeing-redwing/

The road is relatively narrow here. Please do not park directly across from another parked vehicle as this may prevent service vehicles from getting through. There are several pull-outs on the road for visitor parking. There have been a couple incidents with an angry resident, so please do not use any driveways to turn around in, trespass, block vehicles, or anything else that might overstay birders' welcome in this neighbourhood.

Remarkably, this is the exact area where an out-of-town visitor photographed a Redwing on Dec. 16, 2013 (though unfortunately not known to the birding public until several months later).

The Redwing was still present through April 14th. The bird is mostly being seen in the holly tree and oaks in the lane behind 3957 South Valley Drive.

The bird has not been seen since April 14th.

This is the second record for BC.

Photo: Daniel Donnecke