31 March -- Burrowing Owl in Williams Lake

Phil Ranson has found an unbanded Burrowing Owl on the Sugarcane First Nations Reserve at the east end of Williams Lake. The bird is still present as of today (1 Apr) and anyone wanting to chase it should contact Phil (ranson1@telus.net) for specific directions.

Burrowing Owl at Williams Lake, 1 Apr 2013 (photo: Evan Nicholson)

Red-flanked Bluetail still present March 23rd

Check Vancouver page for more details or scroll down to see old posts on main page. This bird is still being seen in New Westminster.

Over 300,000 visits to the Bird Alert!

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to thank all the great people who contribute to this site, both directly as moderators (names listed to my right), and all of you who submit bird reports and photographs from every corner of the province. Since I started the blog in November, 2010, we've had over 310,000 hits on the site---a clear sign that people use it and enjoy checking on bird news from around the province.

I also want to apologize for not updating the twitter feed over the fall/winter since I've been traveling around Australia/Malaysia. It will be up n' smoking come mid-April--just in time for the main migrant push!

Have a great spring one and all, and get outside!

Russ Cannings
Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo

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.