Citrine Wagtail Still Present Mar 25

The Courtenay Citrine Wagtail was observed briefly at 3:30pm on Mar 25 ("L Dea").  The bird is now showing a yellowish wash to its underparts and cheeks.

[PHOTO: JUKKA JANTUNEN (March 11)]

BC Brambling #5

Brambling Mania has reached the Sunshine Coast with a confirmed sighting in the Gibsons area. Gibsons resident Peter Feichtner spotted the bird roughly a month ago, and local birders John Hodges and Marcia Mason confirmed the sighting February 3rd. This is the second Brambling record on the Sunshine Coast in 40 years of record keeping and the fifth current Brambling record in BC!

Photo Courtesy Marcia Mason

RBA - Brown Thrasher continues in Cranbrook, March 24..

                                         Photo by Greg Ross
Bird appeared at a suet feeder at a private residence in the Hilands neighborhood of Cranbrook, just after Christmas, 2012. Bird was identified by local birders and photographed on Jan 27 and remains to at least March 24. Property owner, and finder of the bird, Jack Loeppky can be reached at (250) 489-4597. Call him for viewing information! Jack says the best time to see the bird is between 8:30 and 10 AM.

Red-flanked Bluetail photos from Peter Candido

Here are two views of the Red-flanked Bluetail taken by Peter Candido today at Queens Park, New Westminster, BC.

13 Jan - 8 Feb -- RED-FLANKED BLUETAIL in Vancouver!

Found on the 13th by Colin McKenzie and confirmed on the 14th by Mike Toochin and George Clulow, a first-winter Red-flanked Bluetail is still showing well in Queens Park, New Westminster, Vancouver (https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=209184547269960571857.0004d346cbbf81bb15d10&msa=0&ll=49.216111,-122.907829&spn=0.014997,0.042272).
From the main parking lot, walk 1 minute north towards the playground where the bird was seen feeding around the picnic tables and the base of the conifers on Feb 7.

BRAMBLING MANIA IN BC!!

With SIX different BRAMBLINGS being reported in BC this winter, keep your eyes peeled at feeders for this rare Russian vagrant. Check out the Southern Interior & Okanagan, Sunshine Coast, Vancouver Island and Lower Mainland pages for details...

                                   

28 Dec -- Red-throated Pipits in Haida Gwaii

Continuing the streak of rarities in Haida Gwaii, Peter Hamel, Margo Hearne and Martin Williams located no fewer than five RED-THROATED PIPITS at the Massett Bird Sanctuary on 28 Dec.

27 Dec -- SMEW in Haida Gwaii

The Massett Christmas Bird Count in Haida Gwaii was held today and a drake Smew has been reported. The bird was found with a flock of Mallards in Massett by Martin Williams. The bird was not relocated on 28 Dec.

Lesser Black-backed Gull in Kelowna

An adult winter LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was found at the Maude Roxby Bird Sanctuary at the foot of Francis Ave in Kelowna the afternoon of Dec 26 (Chris Charlesworth & Ryan Tomlinson). While very rare throughout the province, this species is now annual in the Okanagan Valley. This represents the first record of Lesser Black-backed Gull in the valley so far this winter. In a late report, we've learned that what appears to be this same bird was photographed on the ice with other gulls at Robert Lk in Kelowna, on Dec 23 (Stu Weir).

                                                      Photo by Chris Charlesworth

RBA: TUFTED DUCK IN OSOYOOS

A female or immature TUFTED DUCK was found today along Lakeshore Dr. in S.E. Osoyoos. Bird was seen between Osoyoos Lk Regional Park and the Oasis RV Park. Found by Doug Brown on Dec 24.