RBA: PAINTED BUNTING!

[Photo: Paul Kusmin]

NOV 17-23

---This bird showed up on the 17th, then was seen by about 15 birders on the 18th before it hit a window. Fortunately, the bird recovered and was able to fly away after some quiet time in a shoebox. This was around 2pm.

Ann will be keeping tabs on the bird so if it sticks around then it may be possible for more visitors to have a go of it. To arrange for a visit, call Ann @ 604-925-1690

I believe this is only the second record of PAINTED BUNTING in Vancouver, and *5th all-time for BC.

Nov 24 UPDATE: The bird was not seen between 730am-11am this morning (usually the best time). The poor weather might have been a factor. Stay tuned for more updates...

Nov 8--BLACK PHOEBE at Island 22, Chilliwack

Gord Gadsden found a Black Phoebe today around noon, at Island 22, Chilliwack. Apparently it was quite vocal, and was hanging out "south of the water jump."

More details and photos HERE

Nov 1--ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER in Revelstoke

Photographed today (NOV 1) by Don Manson at Machete Island, Revelstoke. A great find for the area!

LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL in Penticton (Oct 22-23...)

[Photo: Laure Neish]
For nearly a decade, a single adult Lesser Black-backed Gull has called Kelowna and Vernon its winter home. This bird (assuming it's the same one each year) typically shows up in the first week of November and stays until late March before departing to an unknown breeding area. In addition to this bird, there have been at least 4 other individuals (if not a few more) that have shown up in the valley. The easiest way to know there are more than one individual is when birds of different ages pop up. In this case, Laure Neish found an adult-type on Oct 22 along the Okanagan Lakeshore in Penticton-- it's still a little early for the usual Kelowna bird but who knows?

It was seen again today by Laure so maybe it'll stick around a bit longer in case anyone wants to have a look at this sharp-lookin' creature.

Click HERE to see more of Laure's photos of the bird.

RBA: LARK BUNTING (Jordan River, Vancouver Island)

OCTOBER 16th/17th--

From Louis Havelind (Oct 16)--"It was about 50 m to the West of the main beach pull off area with the noticeboard, in the small pull off area at the start of the trial that leads through the forest toward the river. It stayed in the bushes around the concrete blocks that stop vehicles from going down the trail. This is not the beach side of the road and if you get to the camping area you have gone too far.

OCT 17--seen and photographed again along the beach and in the parking lot above the beach,
associating with Savannah Sparrows.

PROTHONOTARY WARBLER in Vernon, BC!

Oct 10---Chris Siddle really has something to be thankful for this evening! While casually checking out a chickadee in his backyard (on Silver Star Road), a PROTHONOTARY WARBLER glanced off his window and perched briefly in plain sight. Unfortunately it did not stick around, and has not been seen since.

Will post updates if subsequent sightings occur.

LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL AND ANCIENT MURRELET IN KELOWNA AND PENTICTON

Oct 3--ANCIENT MURRELET delights locals in Penticton (while Russell is away of course).
[Photo below by Laure Neish]

First located by Laure Neish near the Penticton Yacht Club, it was last seeing flying toward Redwing Estates near the SW end of Okanagan Lake.

Same day: LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL at the Mouth of Mission Creek (Kelowna)
[Photo: Michael Force]

[2nd-cycle bird found by Chris Charlesworth and Michael Force]

Manx Shearwater off Vancouver Island

On Sep 18, Mike and Sharon Toochin observed a single MANX SHEARWATER 35 nautical miles west of Quatsino Sound (West cost of Vancouver Island)--this was from a cruise ship.

RBA: BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER (Okanagan)

10:15am--Chris Siddle and Michael Force just found a male BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER at Winfield Creek Preserve in Lake Country. Will post more details soon. I believe the park is located just south of Wood Lake---along the Bottom Wood Lake Road.

UPDATE (From Chris Charlesworth): "Chris Siddle first spotted the bird around 10:10 AM beside a small pond in the preserve. Chris & Mike then had it again about 10 minutes later in generally the same spot, near the little wooden viewing deck. I arrived just after they had seen it the second time. We waited around until just after 11:15 AM, joined by several other local birders and the bird reappeared! It was foraging mid-height in the trees." It showed briefly and then was not seen again (as of dusk).

----NOT SEEN Sep 26th

RBA: CHIMNEY SWIFTS near Tumbler Ridge!!!

Report from Guy Monty and Mike Toochin:

"Today, (9 September) while doing raptor migration monitoring, Mike Toochin and I had great looks at three CHIMNEY SWIFTS from a hill top app. 10 kms northeast of Tumbler Ridge. The birds were visible for app. 5 minutes, and then moved off to the southwest. Absolutely no doubts as to the identification. We also had 11 Broad-winged Hawks and two adult Parasitic Jaegers."

According to e-Fauna BC's "Rare Birds of British Columbia 2008" (Compiled by Jamie Fenneman and Rick Toochin), this is the third report of CHIMNEY SWIFTS in the province. Since there hasn't been a rare birds committee in BC for over a decade, none of these reports have been ruled on. Hopefully that situation will be remedied soon-- the "official" BC list needs an update!