RBA: GREEN-TAILED TOWHEE in Victoria - Dec 30/24-Jan 4/2025

At 1pm on December 30-2024, Tate Wray found and photographed a Green-tailed Towhee in a bare tree off Dallas Rd in Beacon Hill Park in Victoria.

Map to location HERE

The bird continues in the same location and also has been seen HERE in the holly shrubs and grass on Jan 4/2025 and has been viewed by multiple observers.

This is the 16th record for BC.

Green-tailed Towhee in Victoria - Photo: Nick Park

Green-tailed Towhee in Victoria - Photos: Geoffrey Newell

RBA: TUFTED DUCK in Duncan - Dec 18/24-Jan 5/25

At 11:55 am o  Dec 18-2024 Jean-Pascal Giroux found the returning male Tufted Duck at the Duncan Sewage Lagoons. This is likely the same bird that was first found at the site in 2020.

There is no public access inside the lagoons but birders can view the bird through the fence from the elevated trail off Wharncliffe Rd that gives a good view over most of the sewage lagoon.

Map to location HERE

The bird continues on Jan 5/25 and has been viewed by multiple observers.

Tufted Duck in Duncan - Photo: Jean-Pascal Giroux

RBA: SUMMER TANAGER in Delta - Dec 15-18th

At 10:35 am on Dec 15-2024, Jon Lambert found a female Summer Tanager in his front yard. The bird has not returned since.

The home is open to the public if it returns. Please view from public sidewalk and do not trespass. Please be respectful of private residences and do not block driveways.

The address is 4595 54 A St in Delta

This is the tenth record for BC.

The bird was not seen on Dec 16 or 17th but was relocated by the homeowners at the same suet feeder on Dec 18th at 10:45 am. It has not been relocated since.

Summer Tanager in Delta - Photo: Ben Lambert

RBA: WHOOPER SWAN in Abbotsford - Dec 6/24-Jan 5/25

At 10 am on December 6-2024, Raymond Ng found a Whooper Swan in a field with over 200 Trumpeter Swans on Campbell Rd, 500m west of Marion Rd in Abbotsford. The bird is unbanded.

Map to location HERE

On Dec 7th, the bird was relocated HERE on Campbell Rd near to McDermott Rd and has been viewed by multiple observers.

On Dec 8th, the bird was relocated HERE on Wells Line and Bowman Rd and also later seen HERE at Wells Line and Cole Rd.

The bird was not relocated on Dec 9, 10th.

On Dec 11th, the bird was relocated on Lamson Rd just south of Vye Rd in Abbotsford. It was also seen in Sumas in WA State (USA) HERE on Dec 11-20th.

**On Dec 20th Cody Lane relocated it on the Canadian side HERE on Schneider Rd. and after going back to the US it was present again there on December 23rd and 27th and Jan 2-5, 2025 and was viewed by multiple observers.**

Please be respectful of farm vehicles and pull over completely on the side of the road to view this bird.

This is the third record for BC of a presumed wild vagrant.

Whooper Swan in Abbotsford - Photo: Rand Rudland

Whooper Swan in Abbotsford - Photo: John Gordon

RBA: BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER in Squamish - Dec 3-11th

At 2:55pm on December 3-2024, Mike, Barb and Kimberly McGrenere found a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher at the Squamish River Estuary. The bird was in a small flock of Golden-crowned Kinglets on the estuary trail near to 3rd Ave.

Map to location HERE

The bird continues at the same location on Dec 4th and has been viewed by multiple observers.

On Dec 5th, the bird continued HERE

On Dec 6-11th, the bird continued at the original location. It has not been relocated since.

This is the 29th record for BC.

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher in Squamish - Photos: Mike McGrenere