Sep 13-Oct 26: Ash-throated Flycatcher in Delta

There was an Ash-throated Flycatcher at Boundary Bay today (Sept 13). Nick Balachanoff found this bird today "in the trees between the parking lot and the dike at the Heritage Airport off 104th Street Delta, BC."

Oct 26--Continuing to be seen by birders in the same area (200m W of 104th along the dyke). It is spending a lot of time in the crab-apple trees along the dyke beside the buildings. 

Darner vs Ash-throated Flycatcher (Photo: John Gordon)

Late Report: Loggerhead Shrike in East Kootenays

Carlene Irmen photographed this Loggerhead Shrike in Wycliffe, BC (near Cranbrook) on August 23rd. Sometimes summer shrikes are identified as Northerns based on an assumption that Loggerhead is rare and Northern is regular. While it is true that only 1-3 Loggerheads are detected in BC each year and Northerns are common in the winter months, it should be noted that Loggerhead is much more likely to occur in Southern BC from May through September when Northerns are in the Yukon and other reaches of the far north. Loggerheads regularly breed within 200km of the Canada-US border so it's not surprising that a few show up each year. And even though Northerns are often present throughout BC from fall until early spring, it is still worth it to keep an eye out for Loggerheads as they can occur at that time as well!

MEXICAN VIOLETEAR IN PORT ALBERNI - Sept 4th

Martin Dollenkamp photographed this Mexican Violetear on September 4th at a private residence in Port Alberni, BC (Vancouver Island). Mexican Violetears have been known to wander throughout eastern North America and there is a record from Alberta and Ontario. A similar species from South America--Sparkling Violetear--(which is non-migratory) is presumed to be regularly kept in captivity and would likely be an escapee. To see comments and links in the comments section below for a few reasons by experts as to why this is  Mexican Violetear.

This is the first record for BC.

FULL PHOTO SET OF ALBERNI VIOLETEAR

No sightings to report for Sep 5+6. If there are any updates to this story I will post them here. 

Sep 3-9 -- LITTLE STINT in Sidney

From 8.30 - 9.15am on the 3rd Sept, James Bradley had good views (with photographs) of a fairly fresh juvenile Little Stint at Tseum Harbour in Sidney, seen from Resthaven Park. The photos show all the key features including rich (though fading) rufous edges to coverts and tertials, strong white back braces, a split supercilium and strong contrast overall between clean white underside and warm coloured upperside. In structure, smaller and more delicate than Westerns with short and squat body, concave rear-dorsal profile, and small head. Bill fine, straight and medium length. In total, approximately 60 small peeps, nearly all Western Sandpiper, were present in the flock.

UPDATE - last confirmed at 8.30am on Sept 9th

**best to time your visit for a tide height of less than 2.4m if you can (see tide charts here) although the shorebird flock may use a dock floating in the bay as a high tide roost. Otherwise, they usually forage at the south end of the bay by the wharf on the lowest tides (~ 0.6m), close to the bank on the west flats on a rising tide (~1.4m), and on the north flats opposite the wall after that until the tide is too high (~2.4m+). Updates are appreciated.

Aug 30--Lark Bunting at Port Hardy Airport

On a rainy afternoon at the Port Hardy (North end of Vancouver Island), Russell Cannings found a female Lark Bunting foraging with White-crowned and Savannah Sparrows just NW of the Port Hardy Airport terminal. Unfortunately a photograph was not obtained. There is a large area of thimbleberry and other scrub criss-crossed with quad tracks and this is where the bird was. It flushed several times, flying over 100m away so predicting exactly where it will pop up again may be tricky. At any rate it looks like a very good spot for wayward migrants in general so any birder in the area might want to drop by for a look.

Aug 28-Sep 2--REEVE at Reifel Refuge (Ladner, BC)

Around 1030am this morning (Thurs, Aug 28), Liron Gertsman, Josh Brown, Logan Lalonde, Tak Shibata, and Tom (Plath?--Need to confirm) observed a juvenile REEVE (female Ruff--based on size) in the "West Field" (the flooded area in front of the tall blue viewing tower) at Reifel Refuge near Ladner (SW of Vancouver). It was foraging with Stilt Sandpipers but then flew out of sight. Unfortunately it has not been relocated yet.

Aug 29 (Friday) UPDATE: Present again from 9am to just after 11am (I. Povalyaev). It appears this bird is only present during high tide then heads to the foreshore. Best to time your visits accordingly.

Sept 2 UPDATE: Still present in the afternoon

Photo: Lion Gertsman

Aug 14--WHITE-WINGED DOVE near Tofino

This White-winged Dove was photographed on August 14th by Tom Johnson at the Kwisitis Visitor's Centre (also known as Wickaninnish Info Centre) in Pacific Rim National Park. This is near the south end of Long Beach in between Tofino and Ucluelet on the west coast of Vancouver Island.
Watch here for updates. Thank you to Dave Ingram for passing this along.

Aug 14--YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO near Oliver

Mel Thorn just called to report a Yellow-billed Cuckoo at Hack's Pond NW of Oliver. This is the wetland along Horsetail Rd which is a gravel track connecting the north end of River Road with Secret Road. Apparently it was first seen in the cottonwood riparian area then flew up the bank and went out of sight.

Check back here for updates and more details.

Blackburnian Warbler in Chilliwack

Gord Gadsden saw a Blackburnian Warbler at Island 22 (Chilliwack) yesterday. You can read more on the sighting Here. So far it hasn't been relocated today but stay tuned for more updates.

Hawaiian Petrel off BC

On 8 July, Paul Lehman and group were aboard another Princess cruise-ship "pelagic" from San Francisco to se. Alaska and had a HAWAIIAN PETREL in BC waters far southwest of Vancouver Island, at 47.105, 129.147, which is about 320 km SW of Estevan Point, or 340 km SW of Tofino, but actually due west of Washington state (but no closer there than 350 km's....). Otherwise this pass through these deep, far offshore waters was fairly slow, with mostly just about 300 Leach's Storm-Petrels, a few Fork-taileds and several Black-footed Albatrosses and Sooty Shearwaters to look at.

--Paul Lehman (San Diego)
Posted by Barbara Carlson