CRESTED AUKLET IN VICTORIA

On Sept 8, Mike Sheehan photographed a CRESTED AUKLET 100m south of Discovery Island in Victoria.

Photo by Mike Sheehan

Sep 11--*3* Laysan Albatross seen off Tofino

Artie Ahier captured this image of a LAYSAN ALBATROSS approximately 25
miles off Tofino while fishing for tuna. There were apparently 3 in the area.
Hopefully this bodes well for the big WildResearch Pelagic happening Sunday!

Great Shearwater(s), Crested Auklet, and more cool birds in BC waters

This GREAT SHEARWATER was photographed by Jared Towers on Sep 5 in the Hecate Strait. Jared says he saw *2 more Great Shearwaters* the following day but was unable to attain photos. He also mentioned that a colleague of his doing cetacean surveys, has recorded no less than 4 in BC waters since June!

Jared also captured this COOL BIRD! A leucistic Rhinoceros Auklet

 

Sep 4--BROWN BOOBY near Nootka Island

Near the end of the day (~7:30pm) Mike & Sharon Toochin and Meg Brown observed this apparent adult female fishing alongside their cruise ship. This was approximately 20 nautical miles west of the southern tip of Nootka Island. It was present for around 30 minutes and Sharon managed a few great shots including this one.

The other highlight of the trip was a pair of FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATERS near the mouth of the Juan de Fuca Strait on September 5th.

Aug 23-24: BROWN BOOBY in Hecate Strait

This Brown Booby rested on a commercial fishing vessel in the Hecate Strait (NW BC coast) from Aug 23 to 24 and was photographed by Steve Fitzpatrick. Thanks Steven Roais for passing along the sighting!

Aug 23--PRAIRIE WARBLER in Revelstoke!

After a rainy southerly front pushed through the Columbia Valley in Revelstoke, this PRAIRIE WARBLER was found in a mixed flock of warblers by Devon Anderson on Aug 23. Four other people were able to see it on the same day including James Bradley who took this photograph. This was near the Revelstoke Airport; the bird has not been seen since. At this stage, age/sex is unconfirmed (adult female or hatch-year male seem most likely). Please leave a comment if you have any opinions on the age/sex of this bird.

Aug 18--REEVE near Quesnel

Pantage Lake is at it again!!! After last year's flocks of Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, not to mention the plethora of other highlights from this hidden gem in recent years, Rod Sargent and Adrian Leather scored again--this time with a REEVE! To make matters even more interesting, they believe there were two reeves present, as 2 identical-looking shorebirds flew in with some Baird's Sandpipers but only one stay long enough for distant record-shots.

A "Reeve" is the female version of "Ruff." Typically we see juvenile birds in BC (if at all) but this bird appears much duller overall with black mottling on the flanks (which points to adult female). Summer/fall males (Ruffs) typically show much whiter chests, throats, and lores.

Pantage Lake is located up the Nazko Hwy, NW of Quesnel, and unfortunately is only accessible via private land and canoes/kayaks are required. Still---we can all marvel at the great birds these guys have turned up in only 3 fall seasons! Both golden plovers, White-rumped Sandpiper, 20+ Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Red Phalarope, Arctic Tern....and so on!

Aug 11--Ferruginous Hawk near Golden

On Aug 11, Carleen Irmen photographed this FERRUGINOUS HAWK along Hwy 95 "about 10 or 15 minutes south of Golden." Will try and get more info and post here. 

August 6--Indigo Bunting (W of Kamloops)

On the morning of August 6, Ryan Cathers observed a male INDIGO BUNTING at the following site:

"When you arrive in Tunkwa Provincial Park head down to Leighton Lake Campground (not Leighton north). When you enter the campground follow the road until it forks left and right. On the right side of the fork is that wetland space. The bird was in there and followed back a bit onto some fences that are between Leighton and Leighton North campground."

*There was also a female bunting present but whether it was a Lazuli or Indigo was not confirmed.

GREAT SHEARWATER and SCRIPPS'S MURRELET in BC

Yet again, Paul Lehman and Co. have observed some great birds off BC by taking advantage of some California--Alaska cruises.

On July 31, they observed a "Scipps's-type" Murrelet (i.e. Xantus's complex) approximately 120 miles SW of Vancouver Island--apparently still in Canadian waters.

On the way back south, they ran into some large concentrations of seabirds near Triangle Island, including a mass of FORK-TAILED STORM-PETRELS numbering close to 10,000 individuals. The species highlight in that area however was a GREAT SHEARWATER that was photographed 111km NNW of Triangle Island on August 5th. This is the second photographed record for BC, and probably the 3rd record all-time (first being one with good supporting fieldnotes).

Great Shearwater (Owen Schmidt)