Hawaiian Petrel off BC

On 8 July, Paul Lehman and group were aboard another Princess cruise-ship "pelagic" from San Francisco to se. Alaska and had a HAWAIIAN PETREL in BC waters far southwest of Vancouver Island, at 47.105, 129.147, which is about 320 km SW of Estevan Point, or 340 km SW of Tofino, but actually due west of Washington state (but no closer there than 350 km's....). Otherwise this pass through these deep, far offshore waters was fairly slow, with mostly just about 300 Leach's Storm-Petrels, a few Fork-taileds and several Black-footed Albatrosses and Sooty Shearwaters to look at.

--Paul Lehman (San Diego)
Posted by Barbara Carlson

Jul 13--Indigo Bunting in Cawston

While returning home to Nelson from the coast, Janice Arndt found a singing male INDIGO BUNTING near the highway pull-off with the Eagle Valley interpretive sign, 4km south (toward Osoyoos) from the lone traffic light in Cawston. This is just outside of Keremeos if you were driving Hwy 3 to Osoyoos.

July 3-7--BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO near Kelowna

Around 10:15 on July 3, Michael Force and Doug Kragh heard a BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO in a densely-vegetated ravine near a bend to the left at KM 4.5 on the Beaver Lake Rd (east of Winfield in Lake Country, BC). Be sure to use the yellow KM markers on the road when zeroing your odometer. This is just north of Kelowna where Beaver Lake Rd is signed off Hwy 97 in Winfield.

Photo: Michael Force

Morning (545am-830am) and evening (630pm-830pm) seems to be best.

**LAST SEEN MONDAY, JULY 7 (early morning). The bird ranges from close to the road to several hundred meters south down the brushy ravine.

---The bird was not detected on several attempts Tuesday and Wednesday---PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU TRY FOR IT--even if you didn't see it!

June 29 - McCown's Longspur on Becher's Prairie, Chilcotin

Found in the area where Sprague's Pipit have nested previously, a male McCown's Longspur has been seen well and photographed by Phil Ranson and Sandy Proulx on private land on Becher's Prairie, west of Williams Lake. This is a species which historically may have bred in the lower mainland but it's occurrence in BC is represented by fewer than half a dozen records. If the bird is found again and is more accessible, details will be posted here.

McCown's Longspur at Becher's Prairie, Chilcotin, 29 June 2014 (photo: Sandy Proulx)

June 18--Ferruginous Hawk near Kamloops

On June 18, a group of birders taking part in an extension fieldtrip from the BCFO conference in Pemberton, spotted a Ferruginous Hawk on a private ranch in Knutsford, BC (SE of Kamloops). If the bird is seen again, look for updates here. (Fide Rick Howie et al.)

Western Scrub-Jays nesting in Maple Ridge, BC

John Gordon recently captured this image of an adult Western Scrub-Jay feeding recently fledged young along 119th Ave in Maple Ridge. There has been a 1-2 adults in this area for around 5 years but this is perhaps the first confirmed successful nesting-attempt in British Columbia/Canada (apparently this pair's nest failed last year). There are 2 fledglings according to John Gordon. 

June 14-15: Ash-throated Flycatcher in Jordan River

Victoria's weekly Saturday birding group turned up a great bird on June 14--Ash-throated Flycatcher! It was in the alders along Jordan River in the village of Jordan River--this is west of Sooke on Vancouver Island. It was still in the area on Sunday, June 15.

Photo--Aziza Cooper

Calvert Island -NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD

Last year around this time a Brown Thrasher was found at the Hakai Beach Institute on Calvert Island (BC Mid-Coast--in between Bella Bella and Port Hardy), and now Brian Starzomski reports that a Northern Mockingbird was present at the exact same compost heap (June 14), and a Gray Catbird was also around for several days before that in the same area (photos shown). Northern Mockingbirds are rare but annual in BC, while Gray Catbird is common within its interior breeding range however it is very rare on the outer coast!

June 12--Chestnut-sided Warbler in Gibsons

John Hodges found this Chestnut-sided Warbler at Gospel Rock near Gibsons, BC. This is the 3rd record for the Sunshine Coast. This bird was singing regularly--similar to most of the early summer records for SW BC--males that overshoot then set up territory so this bird might stick around! (Photo: Marcia Mason)
This is the 59th record for the province of BC.

June 2-3: SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER near Cape Scott, Vancouver Island

From Tom Maxie:

"I spotted a Scissor-Tailed flycatcher at Lowrie Bay near Sea Otter Cove on the west coast of Vancouver Island near San Joseph Bay June 2nd and again on the 3rd at the following coordinates 50 degrees 41.60' N X 128 degrees 22.09' W. The bird, apparently on its own, was quite contentedly perched and hunting both days I was there and I am confident it is likely still there."

*This area is accessible by logging roads in NW Vancouver Island--a backroads map and pre-trip research would be strongly advised.

June 3-6--SNOWY EGRET in Kelowna

Matthias Deter found this SNOWY EGRET at Robert Lake around 740pm on June 3rd. Apparently it came in from the east, moved around the lake a bit, then was last seen flying north toward Alki Lake/Glenmore Landfill.

Harvey Chapple managed this image (cropped obviously) before it flew north.

*June 6 UPDATE: Still present as of 9am June 6 (Stu Weir)---Robert Lake

June 2-3--Lesser Goldfinch in Princeton

Amanda Lahaie photographed this male Lesser Goldfinch at her house in Princeton. This is roughly the 14th BC record and the 3rd record for the little town of Princeton!

Visitors are welcome: Contact: "Amanda" <amlahaie@gmail.com>

HAWAIIAN PETREL NEAR TOFINO

Some great seabirding yet again from Paul Lehman, scanning the Pacific waters off the west coast from the comfort of cruise ship(s)....

May 25:

WASHINGTON/BRITISH COLUMBIA
Laysan Albatross:  263 km WSW of La Push  (47.168-169, 127.950-948)
Murphy's Petrel (photo'd):  261 km WSW of La Push or 260 km SW of 
Tofino  (47.226-228, 127.970-971)

BRITISH COLUMBIA
Hawaiian Petrel:  242 km SW of Tofino  (47.503, 128.099)

On 26 May, we had:

BRITISH COLUMBIA2 Horned Puffins:  96 km SW of w. end Vancouver Is.  (50.033, 129.302)

Kite invasion continues?

Jody McBlain reports a WHITE-TAILED KITE hunting on their farm in Canyon, BC (just south of Creston) for 3 consecutive days (May 19, 20, 21) . More specifically this was along 40th Street, off Canyon Lister Rd. Will post more info if the bird continues.

**May 27--White-tailed Kite seen flying north over Vaseux Lake boardwalk, Okanagan Falls (Ted Hillary)

May 21--White-faced Ibis in Revelstoke

This morning around 10:40am, Catherine Craig saw a White-faced Ibis near Cartier Point (south of Revelstoke airport). Around 11am Michael Morris coincidentally re-sighted it on a pond at the airport itself but it took off and was last seen flying north.

RBA: WHITE-TAILED KITE near Williams Lake - May 18th

At 10:30am on May 18-2018, Phil Ranson found a White-tailed Kite on Mission Road in 150 Mile House. The bird was hunting throughout the day over fields and was viewed by multiple observers until at least 6pm.

Map to last known location HERE

It was not relocated on May 19th.

White-tailed Kite in Williams Lake - Photos: Phil Ranson

May 17--Black-throated Sparrow in Osoyoos

Doug Brown found a singing Black-throated Sparrow in the arid sage hills of the Osoyoos West Bench. This is an area where he and others have had the species several times before. If this or other birds become reliable, watch for updates here.

This area is accessed by driving through the subdivision directly south of the Osoyoos Golf Course (Fairwinds Drive etc).

May 14--*60+* WHITE-FACED IBIS near Cranbrook!

From Chris N on the East Kootenay yahoo group:

"Had an amazing experience tonight.  Back at Bummer's Flats this evening.  Paddling upstream from the boat launch, came across a pair of cormorants standing on a log at the water's edge.  Assume they were the double crested.  On our way back to the launch, I looked downstream and there was a large flock of birds coming up river.  at a distance thought it was a big flock of Canada geese.  As they got closer I realized it was something different.  Ended up a flock of just over 60 white-faced ibis flew right over top us.  Sunlight was perfect to see the chocolate brown body, green wings, and of course the long bill.  fantastic site and we got extremely close."

Bummer Flats is a complex of wetlands along the Columbia River just north of Fort Steele. Will post more info as it comes.

May 11--BAR-TAILED GODWIT near Port McNeill

Peter Curtis photographed this Bar-tailed Godwit (right) on the Cluxewe Estuary (NW of Port McNeill) on May 11th. It was in the company of a Long-billed Curlew (also a rare bird for the upper island, particularly this late in the season). Juvenile 'Barwits' are nearly annual in fall on the BC coast but spring birds are few and far between!

May 11--Laysan Albatross off Ucluelet

Hi all,

I've just returned to the Alberni Valley after a very enjoyable Ucluelet pelagic organized by WildResearch BC. Highlight was a single LAYSAN ALBATROSS that stayed with the boat for over 15 minutes--it was also our first albatross of the day!

Laysan Albatross (Photo: Catherine Jardine)

Laysan showing upperside (Photo: Catherine Jardine)

For WildResearch's full report, click HERE.

*Note that the trip list is still being adjusted a bit as have 80+ birders on board can lead to a range of species lists and totals at times.

Russ Cannings

Late report: BLACK PHOEBE (Apr 10-11)

From Adrian Dorst:

"I just found out today about another Black Phoebe sighting for the west coast. It was seen on two consecutive days in April, on the 10th and 11th, at the Millstream subdivision northwest of Ucluelet by Ewen and Barbara Brittain... There have been a number of rare flycatchers sighted at that location over the years including Ash-throated Flycatcher, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, and Tropical Kingbird."

This is the 19th record for BC.

April 27--WHITE-TAILED KITE near Kamloops

**May 3--Possibly the same bird was seen by Ted Hillary at Salmon Arm Bay!

Original post:

Photo'd by Noreen Sadiwnyk

April 27--"It was on the Chase - Pritchard road north of the South Thompson River approximately 2 -3 kilometers passed the Neskonlith Lake turnoff. It was hunting in open fields ( near where the long billed curlews regularly nest close to the Wolf Creek Ranch)."

This location is between Chase and Kamloops.

*Has not been relocated since*

April 28--Little Gull at Nakusp

Gary Davidson photographed this apparent Little Gull at the mouth of Kuskanax Creek in Nakusp
(April 28). Comments welcome. It was consorting with some Bonaparte' Gulls.

April 24--Northern Mockingbird in Sechelt

John Hodges and Kai Bosch found a Northern Mockingbird at the Wilson Creek Estuary today south of Sechelt (Sunshine Coast).

April 12--WHITE-TAILED KITE near Port Alberni

George Bradd reports a WHITE-TAILED KITE flying over his place on the road to Great Central Lake (Just outside of Port Alberni).

Will post any updates or further sightings as they come.

March 27--King Eider returns to Little Qualicum

Guy Monty reports that scoter and gull numbers are swelling during a late spawn around Qualicum Beach. This morning (March 27) he relocated the first-winter male KING EIDER that was present back in February near the Little Qualicum River Estuary--west end of Surfside Drive. He also reports 4 Glaucous Gulls, 1 Nelson's Gull (Herring x Glaucous hybrid), and a Mountain Bluebird in the area.

First NORTHERN CARDINAL for BC?

This past December (2013), the Nanaimo Wild Bird Store received a report of a male Northern Cardinal near the corner of Metral Drive and Dunbar Road (north end of Nanaimo). Follow-up searches found nothing. Not surprisingly it was assumed that the bird had been misidentified (cardinals are reported fairly regularly to bird alerts and always turn out to be crossbills/house finches etc.). So it was quite the surprise when Colin from the bird store texted me this morning to report that the carcass had been found! I went and checked it out this afternoon, and as you can see from the photo it's definitely a male Northern Cardinal. This bird was found by Sandra Gaspardone on March 23 in the same area as the December report. Whether it died recently or was frozen under the February snow is unclear. If accepted, this would represent a first record for British Columbia and the only Pacific coast record north of Los Angeles (I think?). There is a hypothetical record from the Prince George area in the winter of 1994 when a male was well-described visiting a feeder but not confirmed by photos/local birders. There are multiple records from the Edmonton and Calgary area so this is an expected species for BC, but perhaps not all the way over here! Obviously origin will have to be considered, as cardinals are kept as cage birds in some areas though I'm unsure what the BC situation is. Apparently Washington has had 5 cardinal reports that have all been kept off the state list due to questions of origin. [Photo: Russell Cannings]

March 16-18--SAGEBRUSH SPARROW in Lardeau (N end of Kootenay Lake)

Marlene Johnston photographed this sparrow on March 16th as it fed with Juncos in Lardeau, BC. Formerly known as "Sage Sparrow" with less than 20 records for BC, this species has been recently split into Bell's Sparrow and Sagebrush Sparrow. Presumably all BC birds are the latter as they breed in south/central Washington State and migrate north around this time of year. This bird looks fairly good for the Sagebrush-types, but identification of this complex in the field is still being sussed out so conservatives may prefer to call this a "Sage Sparrow sp."
Whatever it is--it's very rare in BC!

Bird is still present as of March 18--Gary Davidson sends this photo from the 17th.

March 7-26--Baikal x Pintail hybrid

*Apologies for the annoying formatting of this post--can't seem to fix it!*

On the evening of March 7th I found a distinctly 'different' duck feeding in a flooded field just south of Nanaimo. Soon the report of 'Baikal Teal' went out and the birders flocked in. Upon closer inspection this bird now appears to be a good match for:

Baikal Teal x Northern Pintail hybrid

So why is the bird suspected of being a hybrid and why were the bird's abnormalities not picked up earlier? I will start with the observable attributes of the bird itself and why they are suggestive of a Baikal x Northern Pintail hybrid, then reflect on the second question, as I think it provides an interesting case-study of the psychological dynamics of 'vagrant-seeking' and 'vagrant-chasing' when it comes to the world of birding.

This is a photo from the morning of March 8th of the Nanaimo bird at a distance of roughly 250m in steady drizzle (with Mew Gulls behind). Note the thick line that divides the cream-coloured patches on the face and the extensive dark colouration on the chin. The extensiveness of dark colouration is atypical of pure Baikal Teal. Because of the low resolution, some of the finer aspects of the bird's plumage (e.g. scapulars) are not easy to assess.
(Photo: Daniel Donnecke) 

This frontal angle better illustrates the extensive dark colouration to the throat
(Photo: Jeremy Gatten)

Click HERE for photos of the bird swimming in brighter light (albeit distantly).

Because of the low resolution involved in these cropped images, there are certain features that are not visible (but are present on this bird) that are consistent with pure Baikal Teal. These include the bright white eye-brow line, and the similar white line on the hind-neck and the lower section of the cheek. The latter line was not as noticeable on the birds second day on view, possibly due to the heavy rain. The bird also does have relatively long scapular feathers, though perhaps not as long as expected in a full 'breeding plumaged' Baikal.

This bird has an orangey-buff breast with black centers to most of the feathers, a vertical white bar to the front flanks, and a parallel white stripe bordering the black undertail coverts. These are both typical of pure Baikal Teal. The bird is distinctly larger than Green-winged Teal but smaller in girth to Northern Pintail and shorter-necked and tails.

In addition to the facial pattern, problematic features (atypical of pure Baikal) include a more pintail-esque head-shape including a longer-looking beak, and relatively longer inner rectricies. The combination of structural and plumage abnormalities logically lead to the possibility of a wild-born hybrid or some form of captive-bred creation.

American Wigeon hybrids (e.g. with Northern Pintail or Green-winged Teal) could potentially produce a similar face and flank pattern, but given that apparent abundance of Baikal-like features, it appears likely that this bird is Baikal x ________. The longer tail and head/neck shape/colouring point to Northern Pintail as a likely candidate. A few Google searches and voila--it appears both wild and escapee Baikal x pintail hybrids are not rare in parts of east Asia. Below are a couple examples of presumed "Pinteals"

This bird lacks the vertical white bar in the front flanks but is otherwise very similar to the Nanaimo bird. 
Note the leg-bands--presumed escapee (Harteman Wildfowl)

This photo from Japan shows another presumed Baikal x Pintail cross. Again, this bird lacks the vertical white bar, has a paler chest,  and is perhaps longer-tailed than the Nanaimo bird, but shows a similar facial pattern.
(Photo: Shuichi Haupt)

The article link below shows a bird in Figure 2 that I believe is closest to the Nanaimo bird (including the white vertical bar). In their discussion they contend that hybrid offspring of baikal x pintail are biased to Baikal Teal in the male phenotype, and that these males tend to prefer female Northern Pintails when it comes to mate selection. Interestingly, many observors noted that the Nanaimo bird associated most closely with pintails and showed signs of courtship toward females and aggression to males.

Note on the external features and sexual behaviour of a wild hybrid Baikal Teal * Northern Pintail found at Hyo-ko Watefowl Park, Niigata, Japan.

'Provenance' is another interesting question--is this bird wild or an escapee? On the first evening I was able to see the birds legs as it walked around an area of short grass, and I noted no obvious bands. We will probably never know for sure but given the regular occurrence of presumed wild hybrids in east Asia and the bird's association with a wild mixed-flock of dabbling ducks, I would guess this is a naturally-occurring hybrid.

So why was this bird reported as a "Baikal Teal?"

After seeing the photos of the Nanaimo bird, some of you may be think---Dang Russ, it's so obviously a hybrid; how did you screw that up?

Believe me, I have mulled that question over in my head for a few days now and thought I would share my experience of this bird as a cautionary tale for birders of all levels of experience and expertise. As David Sibley and others have noted in the past, it is easy for bias to creep into bird identification when a rare bird or lifer is on the line. Many of us head out in the field hoping that today is the day we find the "mega"--that bird that we never expected. This unpredictability is one of the fundamental pleasures for birders, whether it's a bird that is out of season, unusual in a given habitat, or from a different continent, we get out there because we're not sure what might pop up onto that branch just up ahead. If you are lucky enough to find a rare bird on your own, it may be a bird that you are familiar with but is rare for that area. On the other hand, it may be a bird you've never seen before and this can sometimes cause problems. Case in point...

1. I have never seen a Baikal Teal before: As I scanned a large dabbler flock feeding in a flooded field south of Nanaimo, BC, a duck with a striking facial pattern came into view. Holy shit! I exclaimed. I knew right away that this bird had a similar-looking face to Baikal Teal--a bird I had never seen in the field before, but one that I have come across in fieldguides etc. Although I had seen illustrations and photos in the past, I was not familiar enough with the species to know that this bird's facial pattern was in fact atypical. I noted the longish tail and head/neck shape that seemed unusual for a "teal" and was also concerned about the vertical white bar on the front flanks--I know GW Teals have this, I did not know if Baikals did. So right off the bat I thought this bird could be a hybrid. I called my Dad who brought up some images online and I talked him through the fieldmarks I was looking at. My biggest mistake was saying "it has the classic Baikal face" then concentrating more the the body plumage and relative size. When all of these subjective features (including the white stripes on the face) checked out as a match for pure Baikal Teal (I chalked the longish tail up to it being naturally longer and larger than Green-winged Teal, and the fact that I had "never seen a Baikal before so maybe that's what the tail is supposed to look like"), it was like a switch was pulled in my brain. This was a massive rarity and there was still light left! I needed to call as many people as I could!

2. I didn't have a field guide: All I had was the Sibley App, but there is no Baikal in there, and my phone can access Google images. Therefore I had nothing to compare what I was seeing in the field to what it was actually supposed to look like.

3. I didn't make a field sketch/Usable photographs were not achieved on the first day: Because of the distance to the bird and low-light conditions, usable digi-scope shots were not achieved. In place of that, I should have made a detailed field sketch as I could see the bird fairly well in the scope. I did record some voice notes on the fieldmarks, but these can be subjective and again--"classic Baikal face" proved to be a fatal assumption.

5. I became more concerned with getting the word out than diligently studying Baikal Teal and other hybrid possibilities online: When I got home that night, almost all of my energy went into updating the BC Rare Bird Alert and making detailed directions to the site and possible alternate sites to check. These are important tasks but I really should have been studying online photos as well as hybrid possibilities carefully. I did check out some images briefly and noted that my bird's facial pattern seemed to include a thicker black vertical line, but without sketches or photos to physically compare the two, I assumed it must be close enough given that the rest of the bird looked pretty much identical to male Baikal.

6. Until someone voiced their concerns online in the middle of Day 2, no one questioned the ID: Five birders saw the teal on the first night, then close to fifteen more saw it well the next morning, before the flock was disturbed by some nearby hunters. Among the crowd were some of BC's most experienced birders. As I approached the group everyone was all smiles and high-fives etc were exchanged. Having their approval was a big relief and this is where I made the last major mistake. Now that I had taken some time to look at Baikal Teal images online and in field-guides, I should study this bird again and see if it matched up--I even had a field guide along this time. Instead I was satisfied to briefly check out the bird a few times and chat up some of the friendly faces I hadn't seen in a while. Fortunately two people managed distant photos before the bird flew, and the always cool and collected Nathan Hentze had noticed some disturbing features to this bird. With Jeremy Gatten's photos, he compared the Nanaimo bird to online images and noted that this bird bore a striking resemblance to presumed pintail hybrids.

When Jeremy sent his photos to me it felt like a truck hit me. After previously looking up various photos online it was like my image of the Nanaimo bird had morphed into a classic Baikal Teal. I almost wondered if the "two bird theory" was at play... but then I thought back to those first 30 minutes when it was just the bird, my scope, and I. The long tail, facial pattern, the weird head-shape for a teal. Things I had assumed were possible classic Baikal traits out of ignorance, were clearly atypical upon viewing online images.

As for the other birders that thought they had a great bird on their lifelists, I obviously can't blame them. This is an unfamiliar bird to North Americans, I had convinced myself, they trusted me, and who doesn't love a mega-rarity?

Add this duck to the problematic spizella sparrow I found a week earlier, and this has been quite the humbling and educational end to winter for me. While many reading this may not have made the same mistakes I made if put in a similar situation, I hope this story can be used as a reminder to birders of all levels of experience---Be aware of your own bias and limitations when attempting to identify an unfamiliar bird, and be equally critical (in a constructive manner) with the assumptions of others.

Here's hoping the next big one is a bit more straightforward!

For another perspective, check out Chris Siddle's latest blog post.

Late report; ***REDWING*** in Victoria! - Dec 16th

Ken Orich photographed this REDWING (a Eurasian relative of the American Robin) in Victoria, BC on December 16th, 2013. The ID was not known until photos were circulated recently. It was seen on the pedestrian walkway that runs east from Wilkinson Road, ~240m north of Tulip Avenue. This is just west of Panama Flats (a popular birding area in Victoria).

This is the first record for British Columbia.

Feb 14-March 7: Tufted Duck at Iona Island (Richmond)

This male Tufted Duck was discovered by Sunny Zhai on Valentine's Day, in one of the more romantic locales in Vancouver: The Iona Sewage Lagoons. It is still present, using both the inner (gated) and outer (near washrooms) ponds as of March 14. [Photo: Michelle Lamberson]

*Coincidentally another male Tufted Duck was found on the same day (Feb 14) on Bullock Lake, Saltspring Island, by Karen Ferguson. Bird is still present as of Feb 18 but this location is not accessible to the public.*

Feb 9-11: KING EIDER (Little Qualicum River Estuary)

Feb 9--This morning after checking out the mockingbird along Surfside Drive in Qualicum Beach, Russell Cannings spotted a first-winter male KING EIDER feeding on clams among a large flock of Black Scoters. It was still present as of 11am, Sunday. Take Kinkade Rd north off the Old Island Hwy west of downtown Qualicum Beach, follow this onto McFeely Dr then make a left on Surfside and park at the end (this is the Little Qualicum River Estuary). Walk down to the beach and scope through the scoters. At times the eider spent a lot of time underwater so be patient while scanning if it is not immediately visible. In addition to the creamy chest, this bird has white rear-flank patches (not visible in this photograph) which also help to distinguish it from other seaducks in the area.

This bird has not been seen since February 11th

First-winter male King Eider among a group of scoters on February 9 (Photo: Sher Falls)

*If anyone manages better photos, please send them to russellcannings@shaw.ca and I'd be happy to put them up on the alert!

Feb 7-21: Northern Mockingbird

Well it's been a while but there's a new rare bird out there! Not a mind-blower but a nice one indeed to warm up what has been a very chilly week for the entire province. On Feb 7 Donna and Guy Monty found a NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD along Surfside Drive near the Little Qualicum River Estuary (NW of Qualicum Beach, Vancouver Island).

Photo: Russell Cannings (Feb 9)

Bird is continuing as of at least Feb 21. It it seems to favour the holly bush near the junction of McFeely and Surfside Drive.

"Big Interview" with Ryan Johnston

This site is mostly a simple utilitarian "bird alert" but since it is a blog and I have been pretty busy and unable to keep things properly updated, I thought I'd offer a little extra content. Note that in the post before this that I have written up a summary of the great rarity year that was 2013.

And now for something new. We've never hosted an interview on the BC Bird Alert so what better way to start than with Ryan Johnson of Vancouver, BC, who recently tied Mike Toochin for the #2 spot on the all-time BC Big Year list. That means he scored 363 species in one calendar year--a phenomenal mark, and a venture that many of us around BC followed closely throughout 2013.

A rare photo of the mysterious Ryan Johston. An impressive big year effort in 2013 has thrust this young birder from Vancouver, BC into the limelight of BC bird forums and idle Tim Horton's line-up conversation. If you haven't checked out his blog, you really should. A great way to escape from the bitter cold or dampness (depending on your location) of January in Canada. Big years are getting popular across the country, whether they're in your neighbourhood or across a continent. Ryan chose the entire province of BC as his stomping grounds last year. 

Before we get to the interview, you might want to check out Ryan's blog: http://lastofthecurlews.blogspot.ca/

There you'll find plenty of great birding stories from around the province, as well as a final synopsis, bird list, and reflection of how the year went.

Having done a BC big year myself, it was a real treat to watch someone else do one. While I don't miss the long overnight drives while feeling under the weather, it's hard not to envy all the great birding adventures, lifers, new friends, and all the places that I never got to on my own big year (such as the Chilcotin Plateau for one).

Near the beginning of the year, Ryan set out to see 350 species so he beat that soundly. Toward the fall it seemed there might be a shot at the #1 (373) but a slow November/December hurt his chances. Looking at all the species reported this year however, it seems possible that more big year attempts in the future could yield higher and higher records. Just takes someone dedicated, crazy, and having an understanding spouse (or no spouse at all) really helps.

Now let's hear from Ryan...

Why do a big year? Did you start the year off knowing you were going to try it?

Ryan Johnston: I hadn't been a very active birder for about three years, I had started a band and was focusing most of my time writing and recording music and playing shows. Bands and Birding are polar opposites and waking up at sunrise on weekends is pretty hard when you play a show or have band practice til 2 am on a Friday night. Things were sorta cooling off in the winter of 2012 with some members leaving and having to start over with new ones. It got to be pretty frustrating and I started doing more birding again.

Probably chasing the Citrine Wagtail in Comox in November was the main kick starter. I did it on a whim, only deciding to go the morning of. I had never really chased a bird outside of the Lower Mainland before, and it was pretty exhilarating. When I entered the bird into Ebird(something I hadn't done in a few years) I discovered how improved the website had become. It had added a more competitive aspect with the top 100 birders for different areas. Also with the improved map search and hot spots it added new dimensions to listing.

It felt like my lists were all contributing to a greater network of information other than sitting in a big binder on my shelf. Bird Log also made the data entry aspect a lot easier, I could just submit everything in the field in real time. I started thinking about a Big year and doing research and planning but hadn't fully committed. I think I finally committed in the third week of January when I had already added Brambling and Red-flanked Bluetail, and it seemed like this would be the year to do it.

How did your friends/family/girlfriend react when you told them your plan? How did they see your big year as the months ticked by?

RJ: Well I don't think at first they understood what exactly it meant. Some have seen the movie "The Big Year" so they kinda knew. My girlfriend was a good sport, she went on some trips with me and I think she probably understands more than others the kind of effort it actually takes to do one. As the year went on my friends understood more because I was mostly absent from birthday parties and hanging out. I had to answer a lot of funny questions as I'm sure most birders do. "how do you prove you saw the bird?" "Do you have to take a picture?" "No I can't count birds I see in zoo's or on TV". By the end of the year everyone was rooting for me and super stoked about my results. If anything most friends tell me since they've known me they pay more attention to birds, so at least I've played a small part in opening people up to nature. 

Was there any point you felt like you might give up? Many big year birders talk about hitting a mental wall after missing a certain species, or getting fed up with constantly being on the move.

RJ: I had a few moments where I asked myself: "what the hell I had gotten myself into"? I remember driving home from Osoyoos non stop because a Dickcissel had been seen in Ladner and realizing this would be my life for another 8 months. 

Also the time when I had driven to Stone Mountain Park from Fort Nelson and found that the gate to the radio tower had been locked, and realizing I wasted a whole day in the peace for nothing. At that point I was still missing quite a few key species and it wasn't looking good.

 I had lots of big letdowns but I think the closest was November which was really depressing because there was just a terrible lack of rarities. I had expected it to be like 2012 but it definitely wasn't aside from the Great-crested Flycatcher(which I missed). Also my job had changed so I lost a bunch of days off and was working 8-4 Monday to Friday. I definitely thought about just giving up since i had met my original goal of 350, but I'm glad I persisted and kept going after the Sharp-tailed Grouse, it was a special bird for me. 

What were some of the best aspects of doing a big year? Did anything surprise you?

RJ: There were so many good aspects from my big year. One of the best being the birding itself. Since I was a kid I've always had birding in my life, and it was great to just spend so many hours outside in nature. I think I learned so much more about specific birds and their habitats, like spending 2 days waste deep in wetlands searching for Nelson's Sparrow in the Peace. 

I got to meet so many great birders including you (Russ Cannings), and Mark Phinney, Daniele Mitchel, Kevin Neil, Max Gotz. I've always felt like an outsider in the birding community and I think I came out of my shell a little which is always good. Another great aspect was just the fact I feel like I accomplished something, though it may seem trivial to some people, I set a goal and achieved it. There's a feeling of satisfaction that comes with that. 

Mostly I was surprised by just how much time and effort it really takes. If anyone wants to see 350 species in BC in a year, it is going to take up 1/3 of their time no doubt about it. You look in the field guides and see range maps and it doesn't seem all that hard, but man, just cause it shows Cape-May Warblers in north eastern BC doesn't mean you can just show up and see them, there's a lot of birds like that I only saw once, and it was usually in mosquito infested swamps or forests out in the middle of nowhere. 

What sucks about a big year?

Definitely the worst part is that there are no time outs. The only break I had was a week and a half in California, and the whole time I was just itching to get back, especially since it was the end of May and there was a big storm the day I left. I knew crazy stuff was going to get blown in and I was right as that week I was gone a Lark Bunting, Indigo Bunting and Loggerhead Shrike were all seen. 

Another thing that sucks is just the fact that no matter what you see its always about what you need to see next. The satisfaction of nailing almost everything on my Pelagics lasted about 5 minutes because there was a Smith's Longspur in Vancouver and I had to worry about getting back and seeing it. 

Probably the weirdest part of doing a big year is the fact that you are in an alternate reality compared to everyone around you, even the birders. While everyone around me was ecstatic about the Red-necked Stint at Boundary Bay, I was already thinking about where I was going to sleep in Hope before I went hiking in the morning for White-tailed Ptarmigan. Its pretty crazy but I wouldn't trade the experience for anything. 

What are your favorite highway rest-stops to sleep at?

My favorite has to be the rest area just north of Clinton. I slept there 3 times this year and its always pretty filled with campers, which I always like because I usually feel vulnerable sleeping in my car if there is nobody else around. Another good trick I learned when I lived in the Yukon is that you can usually sleep in Walmart parking lots. I slept in alot of those this year, they usually welcome RV's and it can be a life saver especially where there are no rest area's. For some reason the WalMart in Kamloops is against this and has big signs stating the fact. But especially up north its definitely a cheap alternative to a hotel. 

Best birding location you had never heard of?

Its definitely got to be the Rainbow Range in Tweedsmuir Provincial Park. I went on a hunch I might find Rock Ptarmigan, as from what I read in hiking guides its easy access to the alpine. I never found them but I was rewarded with Willow Ptarmigan, Northern Hawk Owl, Rusty Blackbird and Spruce Grouse. Even singing Blackpoll Warbler in August. The hike itself was fairly easy, I would recommend it to anyone, although its definitely pretty remote. 

Another Place I had never been was the back roads between Clinton and Williams Lake, it passes through the Fraser River and Churn Creek Protected Area. Its a massive grassland, with cliffs. I went because of an Ebird report of Prairie Falcon and was rewarded by a nesting pair on the huge cliffs along the road. There were also Dusky Grouse, Rock Wren, and more Vesper Sparrows than I've seen in my life. The Scenery is also stunning. 

What's next?

Good Question. During my big year things got a lot better with my band and we have been playing lots of shows, probably going on a mini tour to Alberta this year, and I hope to begin recording a full length album soon. On the birding front I decided to do a patch year for greenbirding.ca I chose Burnaby Lake because its close to my work and home. It's probably not a contender like Iona or Reifel would be but I've spent many hours there and I think I can maybe get 150 species if I work hard and am lucky. I also plan on nailing some of the birds I missed on my big year like Rock Ptarmigan and Hudsonian Godwit. I managed to get to 380 species on my life list, so 400 is within reach, probably not this year but the next couple. Hopefully I can have a few good vacations as well, probably San Jose area as that's where my girlfriend lives and I have over the past couple of years become familiar with the birds there. And possibly I will be driving up to Inuvik in June because I cannot deny my love of the North. Other than that I just want to enjoy the local birds, I always enjoy getting more experience with things like Gull and shorebird flocks.

THANKS RYAN--Good luck in 2014!

2013: A Year in Review

In the 10+ year Derrick Marven of the Cowichan Valley has been keeping track of BC's annual bird species tally, no year was better than 2013. From January 1st to December 31st, birders combined to find 417 species throughout the province, beating the previous record by 6. Was it a bumper year for unusual sightings? It certainly started out like that, with multiple BRAMBLINGS successfully overwintering in Vancouver, Summerland, and even snowy Revelstoke--not the mention the dynamic duo of amazing Canadian firsts with a CITRINE WAGTAIL in Comox and a RED-FLANKED BLUETAIL in New Westminster--both apparently making it all the way through the winter months. Add to that a smattering of other great winter rarities such as Cranbrook's BROWN THRASHER and it was perhaps the greatest winter for "megas" in BC's recorded birding history.

The famous CITRINE WAGTAIL that graced Comox for an entire winter. This was the second record for North America and a Canadian first--Photo: Jukka Jantunen

But the great birds didn't stop there, with notable spring sightings including an unbanded BURROWING OWL (i.e. Probably "countable" as opposed to the introduced birds in Merritt and Kamloops) in Williams Lake on March 31st, a HOODED ORIOLE at a feeder in Powell River on April 13th, a DICKCISSEL in Lander from April 20-26, a male TUFTED DUCK near Cranbrook (April 23-28), a BLACK PHOEBE at Comber's Beach near Tofino (April 24), a WHITE-FACED IBIS at Wasa Lake in the Rocky Mountain Trench on May 10th, at least 3 separate sightings of male LARK BUNTINGS in the Kootenays (all late May), an ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER on May 23rd in Agassiz (Fraser Valley), a singing BLACK-THROATED SPARROW in Osoyoos (May 30), and finally... another WHITE-FACED IBIS near Victoria--on Mandarte Island!

The Columbia region in SE BC experienced a mini-invasion of male LARK BUNTINGs in the summer fo 2013, including this bird that Jen Greenwood caught accidentally while mistnetting Savannah Sparrows.

Pheeeeeew. Take a deep breath. That's a good haul, though spring is always good for a few surprises, and this account leaves out may of the lesser rarities or scarce residents such as the WHITE-HEADED WOODPECKER seen on Anarchist Mountain in May, or the unprecedented flocks of SABINE'S GULLS that numbered close to 100 birds in Nakusp, Kelowna, and Banff! These reports may indeed constitute the largest flock(s) of Sabine's Gulls in the history of the interior of Norther America (at least in spring)! Please comment if you know of larger numbers on the Great Lakes or even Gulf Coast.

Summer usually sees a cooling off of rarities in BC, but this year we had lots to talk about, especially thanks to Paul Lehman and Co. who were birding from cruise-ships off-shore. Some of their summer highlights in BC waters included: 1 MURPHY'S PETREL and 7 PARAKEET AUKLETS on June 1st, 1 LEAST AUKLET on June 6th--and on the same day they had a THICK-BILLED MURRE and a MANX SHEARWATER. On July 11, during a similar cruise, a HAWAIIAN PETREL was observed, July 31 produced a SCRIPPS'S MURRELET, then the season was capped off with a GREAT SHEARWATER on August 5th!

Back on the mainland, the Okanagan's first photo-documented WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER was discovered in Kelowna on June 8th, a BROWN THRASHER spent mid-June on Calvert Island, yet another LARK BUNTING visited the SE corner of the province (Fernie) on June 21, and a singing NELSON'S SPARROW near Lumby (after some significant flooding in Alberta) was quite a surprise! To cap off the summer, our attention was drawn once again to the water, when a CRESTED AUKLET was photographed near Tofino and hung around for at least 2 days. Oh, and why not a BC-first to add to the seabird list for the year? On August 21st, a DOVEKIE was photographed near Banks Island!

For birders, August is considered full-on "Fall" when wayward juveniles start making their first migrations south, some straying far from their proper paths, at times to the delight of lucky birders. Even adults make a few slip-ups such as the gorgeous adult RED-NECKED STINT that spent at least 2 days on Boundary Bay near Vancouver. A male INDIGO BUNTING was seen at Tunkwa Provincial Park on August 6th; a FERRUGINOUS HAWK was photographed near Golden five days later; then an adult REEVE (female Ruff) was photographed at Pantage Lake NW of Quesnel--observers believed there may have actually been two reeves present! A young male PRAIRIE WARBLER was a big surprise in Revelstoke on August 23rd, but perhaps the best bird of all was a YELLOW-GREEN VIREO (a Canada first) photographed in Stanley Park, Vancouver, on September 18th!!!

Yellow-green Vireo from Stanley Park--Photo: Gary Thoburn

2013 was definitely the "Year of the Booby" with record numbers of both Brown and Blue-footed Boobies along the SW coast of North America, and even way over in Southern Ontario. BC was lucky enough to get in on the action with BROWN BOOBIES sighted off our west coast on Aug 23/24, Sep 4, and Nov 12/13! Even better was Canada's first record of BLUE-FOOTED BOOBY which was photographed near Port McNeill on Vancouver Island on Sep 24th!

The seabird feast continued in September with no less than *3* GREAT SHEARWATERS reported, along with several MANX SHEARWATERS, a LAYSAN ALBATROSS, and yet another CRESTED AUKLET--this one photographed near Victoria on September 8th.

The third annual WildResearchBC pelagic trip was another success with close to 100 birders setting out from Ucluelet on a daylong trip offshore. In addition to the pelagic highlights, the biggest surprise was a hatch-year female CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER that landed on the boat!

Up in Haida Gwaii, Andrew Keaveney from Ontario enjoyed a fun birding trip along with local residents Peter Hamel and Margo Hearne. Highlights from up there included BC's first CURLEW SANDPIPER since 1993 at Sandspit on September 28th, at least 5 RED-THROATED PIPITS (including one photographed on Oct 16), and a very lost BOBOLINK on October 11th.

CURLEW SANDPIPER in Sandspit, Haida Gwaii--Photo: Andrew Keaveney

Back on the "mainland," the fall produced such delights as a juvenile RUFF at Pantage Lake near Quesnel (how amazing is that place?!), a HOODED ORIOLE on Sep 22 in Jordan River (Vancouver Island), 2 separate RED-THROATED PIPITS near Victoria, an ORIENTAL TURTLE-DOVE near Tofino in late September, a DICKCISSEL near Victoria on Oct 2nd, a spate of TROPICAL KINGBIRD reports from the Island and the Lower Mainland as well as the northern most record ever--from Bella Bella! An ORCHARD ORIOLE made an appearance near Tofino on Oct 12; and on the same day, a YELLOW WAGTAIL species was seen in Royston, BC. Oct 16th produced a YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO at the Vaseux lake Bird Observatory, a BROWN THRASHER appeared in Tofino on Oct 17th, a CHESTNUT-COLLARED LONGSPUR showed for 2 days in Victoria in late October; an adult LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL paid Penticton a visit on Oct 26+27, then BC's 3rd ever GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER capped off the month in Chilliwack. Only days later, Prince George produced a rare flycatcher of its own with an ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER showing well on November 1st and 2nd.

Things slowed a bit going into December but a few doozies still came out to play. The first was a female PAINTED BUNTING that graced a feeder in Bowser (Vancouver Island) for a few days to start the month, then a HOODED ORIOLE appeared in Port McNeill on December 5th and was still present as of January 4th. A BLACK PHOEBE was found in Chilliwack on December 14th, then near the end of the year a birder twitching the Port McNeill oriole found a DICKCISSEL in the same neighbourhood!

The last rarity of 2013: This DICKCISSEL was found on December 28th my Alex Grey in Port McNeill, right beside a HOODED ORIOLE and HARRIS'S SPARROW. Not bad.

It's mind-blowing to read this whole list in one go. Was it the best year ever for rarities in BC, or are we finally starting to get some decent coverage? Or are there other factors at play such as climate change? There is no question we had more people reporting from offshore vessels in 2013, and thanks to the growing popularity of eBird birders of all skill levels are connected like never before. Modern digital photography has led to more rarities being identified, and the internet in a general sense, has allowed for forums to improve the identification and communication abilities of the birding community as a whole.

This website is heavily biased toward rarities, but on behalf of everyone on the Bird Alert, I wish everyone a great 2014, with plenty of wonderful birds around your home patch and anywhere else you may travel to.

Russ Cannings
Nanaimo, BC
January 9th, 2014

Patagonia Picnic Table In Effect: DICKCISSEL in Port McNeill - Decc 28- Feb 5th

On December 28, Alex Grey made a trip up to see the Hooded Oriole in Port McNeill.  While enjoying views of the oriole (yes, it's still around), he noticed a Dickcissel among the House Sparrows.

Dickcissel seen in the same yard as the Hooded Oriole in Port McNeill on December 28 - amazing example of the Patagonia Picnic Table Effect! (Photo: Alex Gray)

The Dickcissel can be tacked on to increasing list of interesting birds seen in this neighborhood since the Hooded Oriole was reported in early December.  Last week, Christopher Stephens made the journey up for the oriole and had a Harris' Sparrow as a bonus.  What will be the next rarity to show up in the same area?  How long would it take a Painted Bunting to take the scenic route from Bowser to Port McNeill?

*Last seen on Feb 23rd, 2014.*

This is the 23rd record for BC.

Late Report: PAINTED BUNTING in Bowser

This female Painted Bunting was present at a feeder in Bowser, BC (Vancouver Island) from November 25th to December 3rd. Apparently it disappeared when the cold snap hit. Penny Marshall, who took this photo, says this is actually the second time a female Painted Bunting has visited her feeder in late fall--the last one occurring about 6 years ago. That bird was photographed as well so apparently lightning can strike twice!

Black Phoebe Chilliwack Dec 14-15

Dave Beeke and his CBC team spotted a Black Phoebe in Chilliwack. It was seen on Kitchen Road. For more details and updates click Here

RBA: HOODED ORIOLE in Port McNeill!

UPDATE: The Hooded Oriole has been putting in frequent appearances and was reported most recently February 18th.  Feeders have been set up and seem to be visited often.  If you are keen to brave the roads, please refer to the B.C. Highway Cams website and check the conditions between Campbell River and Port McNeill to ensure you have a safe journey.  The bird can be searched for along Broughton Blvd. in the section between Cedar St. and McNeill Rd.  The bird seems to have a circuit more on the south/west side of the road, so efforts can be focused there.  There is a fair chance this bird will stick around, so keep an eye out for periodic updates here.

A report was received of a Hooded Oriole from today (December 5th) at a private residence in Port McNeill.  The observer of this rare oriole from the south will keep an eye out for it tomorrow and more details might become available for those hoping to make the trip up/over to see this bird.  For now, enjoy the absolutely stunning shot of this vagrant!

The Hooded Oriole, as the caption states, is thought to be an adult male, but further thoughts on the age and sex of rare birds are always appreciated!