RBA: BLACK-HEADED GULL near Sayward - Aug 20th-21st

On August 20th-2016, Andy and Nancy Bock found a Black-headed Gull in Sidney Bay near Sayward while they were out boating. The gull was seen with Mew Gulls and Bonaparte's Gulls on a log boom. They photographed the gulls on August 20th and 21st and 10 days later looked at the shots and discovered that they had captured a provincial rarity! This is the 2nd sighting of a Black-headed Gull in the province this year.

The gps coordinates are 50.516156, -125.601396 and it is only accessible by boat. Estimated travel time to the area by boat from Kelsey Bay near Sayward is 2 hrs.

This is the 25th record for the province of BC.

Photo: Nancy Bock

RBA: Ash-throated Flycatcher near Sechelt - Aug 28th

At 9am on August 28th-2016, Arnold Skei found an Ash-throated Flycatcher at the Wilson Creek Estuary near Sechelt. The bird was seen low in small trees near the concrete culvert sitting on the ground close to the second lookout over the inside section of the mudflats. There is a large sand pile that one can stand on and the bird was seen from there in the row of trees along the water's edge. Arnold returned later that afternoon but could not relocate the bird.

Arnold was able to get some digiscoped photos below:

Photo: Arnold Skei

SHORT-TAILED ALBATROSSES near Cape Scott - August 7th

At 11 am on August 7th-2016, Albert Michaud found and photographed two immature Short-tailed Albatrosses. He was conducting a whale survey at the time for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans near Cape Scott Provincial Park which is off the northwestern tip of Vancouver Island. The UTM coordinates of where he spotted them in flight were 50°27'01.9"N 128°32'57.1"W.

This is the second sighting this year of a Short-tailed Albatross in BC waters. The last one was a sight record on June 12th-2016 by Joseph Morlan. Joseph reported seeing an adult Short-tailed Albatross at UTM 50.582614, -128.858638. That location was near to this sighting about 15 miles SSW of Beresford Island, and slightly further SSE of Sartine Island. That bird was viewed from the Grand Princess Cruise Ship. He was unable to get photos during his brief view and there were no other observers. However, he is experienced with this species and his field notes were extensive.

Immature Short-tailed Albatross near Cape Scott Provincial Park - Photos: Albert Michaud

RBA: BLACK-THROATED SPARROW near Sechelt - August 7-9th

On the morning of August 7th-2016, Cathy McLellan found and photographed an adult Black-throated Sparrow feeding with some Dark-eyed Juncos on the driveway of her private home in Sandy Hook.

The bird was relocated on August 8th at 1:30pm by John Hodges in the same area. The bird was in a bush at the corner of Skookumchuk Rd and Deerhorn Drive.

At 6:15 am on August 9th, Daniele Mitchell relocated the tame bird feeding in the exact same location that John Hodges had it the day before. The bird was by the stop sign at the corner of Skookumchuk Rd and Deerhorn Drive. Please see map below for exact location.

At 12pm on August 9th, the bird was relocated by multiple observers in the same location as it sat in a cedar tree across from the stop sign at the above intersection.

Map to location HERE

The homeowner's property is NOT open to the public. When viewing this bird from the public street please be respectful of private property.

The bird was not seen on August 10th.

Photos: Daniele Mitchell

RBA: Lesser Goldfinch near Okanagan Falls - July 31st

At 6:30am on July 31st-2016, Doug Brown found a male Lesser Goldfinch as he was setting up the mist nets at the Vaseux Lake Bird Observatory's banding station which is situated North of Vaseux Lake. The bird was singing along the net lanes and Doug got a visual of the bird as well.

This area is open to the public.

The bird was not seen on August 1st.

RBA: RED-NECKED STINT in Delta - July 22-26th

Kevin Louth found an adult Red-necked Stint in breeding plumage at 11:46 am on July 22nd-2016. The bird was on the mudflats with some Western Sandpipers off the end of the 96th Street Boundary Bay Dyke in Delta. The bird is still present as of 12:54pm.

At 1:10pm Kevin Louth lost sight of the bird as it flew and the flock split up.

At 7:55am on July 23rd the bird was relocated by Daniele Mitchell and viewed by multiple observers on the mudflats at Boundary Bay at the foot of 88th St. The bird was in a large flock of 600+ Western Sandpipers, Sanderlings and some Black-bellied Plovers.

The bird was relocated at 9:25am by Ilya Povalyaev at the mudflats near the 80th St Pumphouse and is still present as of 9:57am and viewed by multiple observers.

The bird was last seen feeding off the mudflats off 72nd St at Boundary Bay at 10:10am.

At 8pm the bird was relocated on the mudflats off 96th St at the Mansion by Brian Self et al. The bird showed two times very briefly between 8-8:10pm.

On July 24th, the bird was relocated on the mudflats off 96th St at 8:40am and viewed by multiple observers. The bird was last seen at 9:00am.

The RNST was not relocated on the evening of July 24th nor the 25th.

At 11:30am on July 26th, the bird was relocated by Roger Foxall on the mudflats off 104th St in a flock of Peeps and Black-bellied Plovers.

The bird was not seen on July 27th.

The bird was photographed by several observers. A scope is required to view this bird.

 

Photos: Ilya Povalyaev

RBA: CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER in Victoria - July 21-Aug 10th

At 7am on the morning of July 21st-2016, Avery Bartels found an adult Female Chestnut-sided Warbler near the banding nets at Rocky Point Bird Observatory in Victoria. The bird was foraging along shrubs in the area. This location is not open to the public.

On July 25th, the bird was caught in the banding nets at RPBO and Serena Johnston banded the bird.

On August 2nd, David Allison saw the bird in the net lanes. The bird appeared to be in heavy moult and had no tail.

On August 4th, Avery Bartels had the continuing bird which has now been identified as a Second Year Female, after being aged in the hand.

On August 10th, David Allison saw the continuing bird again in the area near to the banding nets at RPBO but it has not been seen since.
 
This is the 62nd record for the province of BC.

Photo credit: Rocky Point Bird Observatory

RBA: WHITE-FACED IBIS in Ladner - July 17th-August 1st

At 2:20pm on July 17th-2016, Wayne Diakow found a single adult White-faced Ibis in worn breeding at Reifel Bird Sanctuary in Ladner. The bird flew by him and perched on a log in the South end of the SouthWest pond at Reifel. This pond is located directly south behind the house pond.

The bird was still present as of 5:30pm and was viewed and photographed by multiple observers.

The bird was relocated at 4:20pm on July 18th as it flew into the middle of the SW pond.

The bird was relocated at 6pm on July 19th in the SW pond and flew to the West Field at 7:30pm.

On July 20th at 9:10am the bird was seen in flight over the ponds.

On July 21st at 8:05 am the bird was seen feeding beneath the blue tower and at 8:10am it flew and began feeding in the middle of the West Field.

On July 22 at 9:00am the Ibis was relocated at Brunswick Point  just past the big bend in Ladner.

**This bird's pattern is that it comes into the Sanctuary during High Tide to feed. If you want to be successful in seeing this bird it is best to visit as close to High Tide as possible.**

On July 31st at 3:30pm, the bird was relocated by Ilya Povalyaev just past the big bend at Brunswick Point in Ladner. At 3:55pm the bird flew North and could not be relocated.

**On August 1st at 5pm, the bird was observed by multiple observers as it flew West past the big bend at Brunswick Point in Ladner.**

Reifel Bird Sanctuary is open every day from 9am until 4pm and admission is 5$ per adult. It is located at 5191 Robertson Rd in Delta.

The bird has not been seen since August 1st.

Photo: Sharon Toochin

Photo: Ilya Povalyaev

RBA: LAUGHING GULL in Sidney - July 7th-15th

At 12:30pm on July 7th - 2016, Kerry Finley found a second cycle Laughing Gull on the outer mudflats at Roberts Bay at The Shoal Harbour Migratory Bird Sanctuary in Sidney. The bird was actively feeding in a large flock of Glaucous-winged Gulls and a few Mew Gulls and the flock was frequently being flushed by a Bald Eagle. 

At 3pm, Kerry had the bird with some Glaucous-winged Gulls in the SW area of Roberts Bay near the Mermaid Creek Delta off the end of Fifth Street in Sidney.

At 6:20pm, the bird was relocated by Ann Nightingale on the beach at the end of Amherst Ave. Just after 7pm it was seen by multiple observers flying towards Sidney Island but is most likely still in the area.

On July 8th at 12:15pm the bird was relocated by Kerry Finley and observed by multiple observers sitting on the mudflats at the base of 5th Street in Sidney. At 1:15pm the bird was seen flying towards Amherst Ave in Sidney and has not been seen since.

The bird was not seen on July 9th.

On July 10th at 12:30pm, the bird was relocated by David Allison in flight as it flew towards Sidney Island from Roberts Point.

On July 10th at 3:05pm, the bird was last seen by David Fraser in a large feeding frenzy offshore with other gulls and it was visible from Amherst Ave.

On July 11th at 4:30pm, the bird was seen from Amherst Avenue by Geoffrey and David Newell as it flew SE towards Sidney Island. It landed briefly offshore in a gull feeding frenzy.

The bird was not see on July 12th, 13th or 14th.

On July 15th at 7:30pm Daniele Mitchell had the bird in flight as it flew SE past the light beacon at the tip of the Beaufort Street Peninsula, in a flock of California Gulla as he stood on the beach North of the Goddard Rd access in Sidney.

The bird was not seen on July 16th.

This is the first photo documented record for the province of British Columbia! 

Photo: Keith Taylor

Photo: Kerry Finley

XANTUS'S HUMMINGBIRD record from Gibsons now accepted in BC!

Usually the main page is not used for discussing The BC Birds Record Committee decisions, as we have a separate link for that but this 19 year old sighting has been a very controversial and intriguing topic for many. Birders have been awaiting a ruling one way or the other on the Xantus's Hummingbird that showed up in Gibsons On Nov 16, 1997 and now many can be happy that the bird has been ruled on and ACCEPTED to the Provincial List.


For more info and a full account of the original sighting please see HERE