At 10:40 am on May 31-2025, Geoffrey Newell found a Black Phoebe in Saanich. The bird was flycatching from a fence and was on Lochside Dr, south of Lohbrunner Rd. The bird was with an Eastern Phoebe.
Map to location HERE
The bird was viewed by multiple observers.
The bird was not relocated on June 1st. On June 20th the bird was relocated by Carl Hughes and continues as of July 21st.
The bird successfully bred with an Eastern Phoebe and 3 out of 5 young survived. This is the first record of a Black Phoebe breeding in Canada and first of it breeding with an Eastern Phoebe. There is no public access to the nest site discovered by Les Peterson but birders should look for the hybrids when they fledge in the Blenkinsop Valley area.
This is the 54th record for BC.
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Black Phoebe and Eastern Phoebe in Saanich - Photos: Geoffrey Newell |
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Black Phoebe with hybrid Eastern Phoebe offspring in Saanich (Photos: Jody Wells) |