Patagonia Picnic Table In Effect: DICKCISSEL in Port McNeill - Decc 28- Feb 5th

On December 28, Alex Grey made a trip up to see the Hooded Oriole in Port McNeill.  While enjoying views of the oriole (yes, it's still around), he noticed a Dickcissel among the House Sparrows.

Dickcissel seen in the same yard as the Hooded Oriole in Port McNeill on December 28 - amazing example of the Patagonia Picnic Table Effect! (Photo: Alex Gray)

The Dickcissel can be tacked on to increasing list of interesting birds seen in this neighborhood since the Hooded Oriole was reported in early December.  Last week, Christopher Stephens made the journey up for the oriole and had a Harris' Sparrow as a bonus.  What will be the next rarity to show up in the same area?  How long would it take a Painted Bunting to take the scenic route from Bowser to Port McNeill?

*Last seen on Feb 23rd, 2014.*

This is the 23rd record for BC.

Late Report: PAINTED BUNTING in Bowser

This female Painted Bunting was present at a feeder in Bowser, BC (Vancouver Island) from November 25th to December 3rd. Apparently it disappeared when the cold snap hit. Penny Marshall, who took this photo, says this is actually the second time a female Painted Bunting has visited her feeder in late fall--the last one occurring about 6 years ago. That bird was photographed as well so apparently lightning can strike twice!

Black Phoebe Chilliwack Dec 14-15

Dave Beeke and his CBC team spotted a Black Phoebe in Chilliwack. It was seen on Kitchen Road. For more details and updates click Here

RBA: HOODED ORIOLE in Port McNeill!

UPDATE: The Hooded Oriole has been putting in frequent appearances and was reported most recently February 18th.  Feeders have been set up and seem to be visited often.  If you are keen to brave the roads, please refer to the B.C. Highway Cams website and check the conditions between Campbell River and Port McNeill to ensure you have a safe journey.  The bird can be searched for along Broughton Blvd. in the section between Cedar St. and McNeill Rd.  The bird seems to have a circuit more on the south/west side of the road, so efforts can be focused there.  There is a fair chance this bird will stick around, so keep an eye out for periodic updates here.

A report was received of a Hooded Oriole from today (December 5th) at a private residence in Port McNeill.  The observer of this rare oriole from the south will keep an eye out for it tomorrow and more details might become available for those hoping to make the trip up/over to see this bird.  For now, enjoy the absolutely stunning shot of this vagrant!

The Hooded Oriole, as the caption states, is thought to be an adult male, but further thoughts on the age and sex of rare birds are always appreciated!

YELLOW-GREEN VIREO!

Word has now spilled across the internet that a very intriguing-looking vireo was sighted in Vancouver on the 18th of September, 2013. Well here's what I have collected so far. Please check out the photos and comment if you have any strong feelings to suggest that this is not a YG Vireo.

If accepted, this would be a first record for British Columbia and  the second record for Canada (the first being a specimen collected in Quebec back in 1899!). While at face-value this might seem like an outlandish vagrant, the species is close to annual in September in California now a days and this year saw 12 confirmed sightings including a couple in the San Francisco area. 

• Thank you to Andy Birch for helping to get the word out on this!

This from the photographer:

"There aren't really too much in the way of field observations. All i can say is, i saw the bird moving around in a tree, not sure if you can ID the tree from the photos? The bird seemed to stay in under the foliage, not coming out to the front of the tree at all. Which was why the photos are not my best! It stayed in the same tree for maybe 10 minutes, before disappearing into some thick bushes. I spent half of that time photographing the bird, the other half trying to get the attention of my birder friend. Sadly, he believed it to be a Red-eyed Vireo, as you can imagine, as Yellow-green has not been found this far North before. So, we didn't pursue it too much, bad move as it turns out, but sure you understand why?"

----Gary Thoburn (All photos are his).

*Remember that you can enlarge the photos by clicking on them*

Nov 12/13--One more BROWN BOOBY for BC

Robbie Heggelund, a commercial fisherman, snapped this photo of an adult BROWN BOOBY that landed on his boat yesterday (Nov 12) off the coast of BC near Ucluelet. Likely disoriented and starving. The bird was quite tame and readily ate sardines out of the crews hands. The bird flew before the vessel returned to port in Sooke. Keep an eye-out in the Juan de Fuca and beyond.                                                  The booby invasion ain't over yet!

Nov 1-2--Ash-throated Flycatcher in Prince George!

Well it's been a good week for Myiarchus flycatchers! On Nov 2, Nancy Krueger found this Ash-throated Flycatcher along the Nechako River Trail near Brinks Forest Products in Prince George. Today (Nov 3), it was relocated by several birders closer to Cottonwood Island Park (but still along the Nechako River Trail). *This, I believe is the 2nd most northerly record in BC, the other was caught at the banding station in Mackenzie a few years back.

In comparison to the Great Crested Flycatcher below, note the pale-grayish wash to the breast (weak lemony colour to belly as opposed to rich yellow), and the dark tip to the orangy tail-feathers. The bill is also smaller and lacks the obvious pale base to the lower mandible. (Photo: Nancy Krueger)

*Great Crested Flycatcher October 29

Gord Gadsden found this Great Crested Flycatcher at Island 22 regional park in Chilliwack in the late afternoon. This is potentially the 3rd record for BC. The bird was last seen on Nov 1st. Gord Gadsden first misidentified this bird as an Ash-throated Flycatcher and the correct ID was made by Russ Cannings.

Great Crested Flycatcher in Chilliwack - Photo: Gord Gadsden/Macaulay Library 

Oct 26--LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL in Penticton

For the last decade or so this has become an annual visitor to the Okanagan. Multiple individuals have been involved but it's still unclear just how many actually occur. In some cases, individuals have been suspected of commuting from Penticton to Vernon in the same day, then Kelowna the next!

Regardless, it's still a great bird for BC and one that many have yet to see. Dick Cannings found this adult bird (Oct 26)on the walking pier in front of the Penticton Lakeside Resort (Okanagan Lake).

As usual, local nature photographer Laure Neish was able to get a great shot!

*Oct 27 UPDATE: Reported from SW corner of Okanagan Lake near the S.S. Sicamous where the lake flows into the Okanagan River in NW Penticton--corner of Riverside Drive & Lakeshore Drive (Darcie Arcand)

Oct 24/25--CHESNUT-COLLARED LONGSPUR

Aziza Cooper found and photographed this Chestnut-collared Longspur at Cattle Point, Victoria.

Primary projection and call support ID. More photos HERE. Please leave a comment if you have any input on ID/age/sex of bird. 

*Not seen on Oct 26