Monday, September 28, 2020

RBA: BLACK PHOEBE near Brentwood Bay - Sept 28-Dec 11th

At 10:55am on September 28, 2020, Donna Ross found a Black Phoebe sitting on a fence on the Willow Way Trail at Maber Flats.  She viewed the bird close up through her binoculars and although was not able to get a photo described the bird well. She last saw the bird moving south down a hedgerow.

Map to location HERE

On Sept 29th, Veronica Goidanich relocated the bird and photographed it HERE on the Willow Way Trail.

The bird continues on Dec 11th and has been viewed by multiple observers.

This is the 31st record for the province of BC.

**As per current Public Health directives due to COVID-19 - Please remain 2 metres apart when viewing this bird. Please follow all public health directives (including not birding in groups) during this pandemic. The BC Public Health directives can be found HERE*

**eBird's statement on how to bird mindfully during the pandemic can be viewed HERE.**

Sunday, September 27, 2020

RBA: RED-LEGGED KITTIWAKE in Deep Bay - Sept 27th

At 12:15pm on Sept 27-2020, Mark Wynja found an adult Red-legged Kittiwake sitting on the shore at Deep Bay.  The bird was viewed for 45 mins by a few observers. At 1 pm the bird flew west and high over the mountains and they watched it fly for ten mins out of sight.

The bird was not relocated despite multiple observers looking.

Map to location HERE

This is the second confirmed record for BC.

As per current Public Health directives due to COVID-19 - Please remain 2 metres apart when viewing this bird. Please follow all public health directives (including not birding in groups) during this pandemic. The BC Public Health directives can be found HERE*

**eBird's statement on how to bird mindfully during the pandemic can be viewed HERE.**

Red-legged Kittiwake in Deep Bay - Photos: Mark Wynja

RBA: NAZCA/MASKED BOOBY near Galiano Island - Sept 27th

At 10 am on Sept 27-2020, while working aboard a boat; Jada Cavanaugh spotted an adult Masked/Nazca Booby just NE of Galiano Island. She was able to take photos with her iPhone and did note an orange hue to the bill. If the bill was indeed orange it would make it a Nazca Booby. Current photos unfortunately do not confirm this. The bird flew around the boat once and then flew SE.

Map to exact location of where bird was seen HERE 

Probable Nazca Booby near Galiano Island - Photo: Jada Cavanaugh

Saturday, September 26, 2020

RBA: INDIGO BUNTING in Saanich - Sept 24-30th

An immature male Indigo Bunting has been coming to a feeder at Brian Crossley's home since Sept 24-2020 at the corner of Laval Ave and Bear St in Saanich.

Map to location HERE

Birders are asked not to trespass and please do not block driveways. The homeowner has graciously scattered seed to enable viewing, as the bird frequently feeds from the ground with House Sparrows.

*Please only look for the bird from the road.*

The bird was last seen on Sept 30th and was been viewed by multiple observers. It was not relocated on Oct 1st.

*As per current Public Health directives due to COVID-19 - Please remain 2 metres apart when viewing this bird. Please follow all public health directives (including not birding in groups) during this pandemic. The BC Public Health directives can be found HERE*

**eBird's statement on how to bird mindfully during the pandemic can be viewed HERE.**

Indigo Bunting in Saanich - Photos: Ann Nightingale

Tuesday, September 22, 2020

RBA: ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER in Delta and Richmond - Sept 22-Oct 27th

At 3:15pm on Sept 22, 2020 - Grant Edwards found and photographed an Ash-throated Flycatcher at Brunswick Point. 

The bird was in some bushes between the second set of benches and the farmhouse. 

Map to exact location HERE

It has also been frequently viewed HERE by the old picnic table

The bird was last seen at Brunswick Point on Oct 22nd and was been viewed by multiple observers.

***On Oct 27th-2020, the bird was relocated by Tom Plath HERE at the east end of Finn Slough in Richmond.***

*As per current Public Health directives due to COVID-19 - Please remain 2 metres apart when viewing this bird. Please follow all public health directives (including not birding in groups) during this pandemic. The BC Public Health directives can be found HERE*

**eBird's statement on how to bird mindfully during the pandemic can be viewed HERE.**

Ash-throated Flycatcher in Delta - Photo: Grant Edwards

Ash-throated Flycatcher in Delta - Photo: James MacKenzie

Thursday, September 17, 2020

RBA: SNOWY PLOVER in Tofino - Sept 17th

At 3pm on September 17, 2020 - Margaret Munro found a Snowy Plover on the northwest end of Wickaninnish Beach in Pacific Rim National Park near Tofino.

Map to location HERE

The bird has not been relocated since.

This is the 30th record for BC.

*As per current Public Health directives due to COVID-19 - Please remain 2 metres apart when viewing this bird. Please follow all public health directives (including not birding in groups) during this pandemic. The BC Public Health directives can be found HERE*

**eBird's statement on how to bird mindfully during the pandemic can be viewed HERE.**

Snowy Plover in Tofino - Photos: Margaret Munro

Wednesday, September 9, 2020

RBA: CURLEW SANDPIPER in Parksville - Sept 9th

At 6pm on Sept 9-2020, Derek Isbister found a juvenile Curlew Sandpiper off the end of Johnstone Rd. Multiple observers got to view the bird.

Map to location HERE

The bird was last seen sitting on a spit with a flock of turnstones near the windsurfer parking lot off Admiral Tryon Blvd HERE. It flew around 7:15pm and was not relocated by sunset, despite multiple observers looking.

The bird was not relocated thus far on Sept 10th.

This is the 15th record for BC.

**As per current Public Health directives due to COVID-19 - Please remain 2 metres apart when viewing this bird. Please follow all public health directives (including not birding in groups) during this pandemic. The BC Public Health directives can be found HERE*

**eBird's statement on how to bird mindfully during the pandemic can be viewed HERE.**

Curlew Sandpiper in Parksville - Photos: Derek Isbister

RBA: SNOWY PLOVER in Campbell River - Sept 8-10th

At 7:30pm on Sept 8-2020, Kyle Fitzpatrick and Morgan Armstrong found a Snowy Plover feeding with Semipalmated Plovers and Killdeer near Shelter Point in Campbell River. The bird was found along the beach by walking 5-10 mins north from the end of Engles Rd where it meets S Island Hwy. The bird was still present when he left at 8:15pm.

Map to location of bird HERE

The bird was seen in the same spot on Sept 10th and was viewed by multiple observers. The bird was last seen flying high out of sight over the ocean on the evening of Sept 10th.

This is the 29th record for BC.

**As per current Public Health directives due to COVID-19 - Please remain 2 metres apart when viewing this bird. Please follow all public health directives (including not birding in groups) during this pandemic. The BC Public Health directives can be found HERE*

**eBird's statement on how to bird mindfully during the pandemic can be viewed HERE.**

Snowy Plover in Campbell River - Photos: Nancy Bock 


Tuesday, September 8, 2020

RBA: CURLEW SANDPIPER in Delta - Sept 8-10th

At 3pm on Sept 8-2020, John Gordon found and photographed a juvenile Curlew Sandpiper at the west field at Reifel Bird Sanctuary. Multiple observers present were able to view the bird.

Advanced bookings must be made via the Reifel website HERE for entry. Reifel is located at 5191 Robertson Rd in Delta. Reifel is open Tues-Sun 9am to 4pm. Adults are 5$ each.

This could be the same bird first photographed by John Reynolds on August 28th.

Map to location HERE

This is the 14th record for BC.

The bird was last seen in the west field at Reifel on Sept 10th and was viewed by multiple observers.

**The bird was not relocated on Sept 11th or 12th, despite multiple observers looking.**

**As per current Public Health directives due to COVID-19 - Please remain 2 metres apart when viewing this bird. Please follow all public health directives (including not birding in groups) during this pandemic. The BC Public Health directives can be found HERE*

**eBird's statement on how to bird mindfully during the pandemic can be viewed HERE.**

Juvenile Curlew Sandpiper in Delta - Photos: John Gordon

Monday, September 7, 2020

RBA: 2 FERRUGINOUS HAWKS in Creston - Sept 7-9th

At 11:30 am on Sept 7-2020, Paul Foth found and photographed 2 immature light morph Ferruginous Hawks in Creston. The birds were sitting on hay bales side by side and actively hunting in a field on Kootenay River Rd near Speers Rd.

Map to location of birds HERE

On Sept 9th-2020, both birds continued in the same location but were not seen on Sept 10th..

**As per current Public Health directives due to COVID-19 - Please remain 2 metres apart when viewing this bird. Please follow all public health directives (including not birding in groups) during this pandemic. The BC Public Health directives can be found HERE*

**eBird's statement on how to bird mindfully during the pandemic can be viewed HERE.**

1 of 2 Ferruginous Hawks in Creston - Photo: Brody Kunze


Sunday, September 6, 2020

RBA: BELL’S VIREO in Saanich - Sept 6-21st

At 11:30am on Sept 6-2020, Aziza Cooper found a Bell’s Vireo at Island View Beach. The bird was found along the main trail north of the parking lot about half-way to the pit toilets. She had a brief view of the bird and heard it singing for 20 mins. She was able to obtain a recording of the bird singing. You can listen to it HERE

The bird appears to be of the Eastern Subspecies. 

This is the first record for British Columbia.

Map to location of where bird was first heard HERE and it was also seen by multiple observers HERE in crabapple trees.

The bird was last seen on Sept 21st by the washrooms HERE and also HERE in the field on Sept and has been viewed by many observers. 

The bird was not relocated on Sept 22nd despite multiple observers looking.

**As per current Public Health directives due to COVID-19 - Please remain 2 metres apart when viewing this bird. Please follow all public health directives (including not birding in groups) during this pandemic. The BC Public Health directives can be found HERE*

**eBird's statement on how to bird mindfully during the pandemic can be viewed HERE.**

Bell’s Vireo in Saanich - Photo: Roger Beardmore