RBA: MURPHY'S PETREL off Vancouver Island - May 13th

On May 13th - 2016, Paul Lehman had a Murphy's Petrel 215 km SW of the Brooks Peninsula. The bird was viewed from the Grand Princess Cruise ship and all field marks were clearly seen. This is Paul's 4th Murphy's Petrel in BC waters and he has extensive experience with the species.

WHITE-FACED IBIS in Victoria - May 20th

At 9am on May 20th - 2016, Geoffrey Newell saw a flock of 7 White-faced Ibis fly SouthWest over Lohbrunner Rd and Lochside Trail in Blenkinsop Valley in Victoria.

The birds have not been relocated since the initial sighting.

TUFTED DUCK in Richmond - May 19th

At 9am on May 19th - 2016, Keith Taylor found a male Tufted Duck in the NW inner pond at Iona Regional Park. To gain access to the inner ponds a gate code is needed. Please contact Jude Grass at judegrass@shaw.ca to obtain the code. The park is located at 945 Ferguson Rd in Richmond and is open from 7am until 9pm.

The bird was last seen at 5pm on May 20th.

Male Tufted Duck - Photo: Keith Taylor

RBA: White-faced Ibis in Cranbrook, May 14th

On May 14th 2016 at 10:30am Dean Nicholson et al. found 2 White-faced Ibis at Reade Lake which is near Cranbrook. The two ibis were seen by two different groups during the local Naturalist Club’s Little Big Day.  Dean's team had 3 people, the second team had 4.
The second group saw the birds later that afternoon. In both cases the birds were across the lake, too far for photos. As the second group watched the birds they took off and flew away from the lake.  The UTM coordinates for Reade Lake and the spot the birds were seen is 583142.39 E  5497184.26 N.

Directions to the lake:

Go up Hwy 95A from Cranbrook to Kimberley, turning right onto Pighin Road.  Go another 3km and then take a right on the Lone Pine Ranch Road.  Go slowly along the road for 1 km and park. The lake is on the right. The ranch is private property and viewing is only from the road. 

These birds have not been relocated since the initial sighting..

RBA: Lesser Goldfinch in Surrey - May 5th

At 5pm on May 5th, 2016 Andrew Foxall found a Male Lesser Goldfinch at his home in Bell Park Estates in South Surrey.

The bird was present at the feeder for 30 mins and has not returned since.

Photo: Andrew Foxall

RBA: LUCY'S WARBLER in Castlegar - May 5th

On May 5th at 9:30am Craig Sandvig found and photographed a Lucy's Warbler in Castlegar. The bird was in the orchard at Selkirk College, just off Welsh Rd. The bird was 100m from the trailhead moving between the apple trees and hawthorns. The bird spent most of its time in the trees in the open area of the orchard but it also ventured into the thicker part on the south side. The bird was singing the whole time he was there and was present until 10:45am when he left.  

The bird has not been relocated since after several and thorough searches by multiple birders.  

This is the first record for the province of British Columbia.

Craig filmed the bird and his video can be seen Here

Directions to the bird:

When you get to the airport turn off on Hwy 3A, turn left onto Frank Beinder Way then turn right onto Rosedale Rd, then left on Campus Rd, then right onto Welsh Rd. Park at the end of Welsh Road.

Map Here

The trail starts at the end of Welsh Rd, heading west. The old orchard is on the south side of the trail adjacent to Welsh Rd. *The bird was 100 m from the trailhead as per above*

Photos: Craig Sandvig

RBA: RED-THROATED PIPIT in Victoria - May 4th-8th

On May 4th, 2016 at 4:30pm Geoffrey and David Newell found a Red-throated Pipit at Panama Flats in Victoria. The bird was first seen in the Northeast quadrant of the flats with 40 American Pipits. As it flew to the NW Quadrant birders got to listen to its high "psssss" call.  

The bird was last seen on the East side of Panama Flats just south of the building covered in graffiti at 9:30am on May 8th and has not been relocated since.

Panama Flats is located between Roy Rd and Carey Rd.  The best access to view the bird is off Carey Rd and to walk down the middle dyke looking at both the NE and NW Quadrants.

Photo: Courtney Cameron

Photo: Geoffrey Newell

RBA: White-cheeked Starling in Tofino - April 27-29th

On the morning of April 27th, 2016  at 7:30am Adrian Dorst found and photographed a White-cheeked Starling in Tofino as it fed on the second fairway at the Long Beach Golf Course. This bird could be ship assisted or an escapee. This would be the first ABA record if accepted. There is one other record from 1998 in Homer, Alaska but it was rejected due to provenance. The bird was seen by multiple observers on April 28th and 29th in the same location.

There are specific rules in place to view this bird. Birders are welcome early in the morning before the golfers arrive but must be out by 8:30am. When parking at the Golf Course please do not block any gates. Please stay off the green entirely when looking for or viewing this bird. Patience is key with this bird and it is best for one to stay in one place and wait until the bird appears. Please be respectful of these rules as the Golf Course management is generously opening it up to birders.

Evenings may be a possibility but only with a guide  and Wednesday and Thursday evenings are exempt.

The location for the Long Beach Golf Course is 1850 Pacific Rim Hwy, Tofino.

There has been no sightings of the bird on April 30th or May 1st.

Photo: Adrian Dorst

RBA: LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE in Creston - April 5th

On the morning of April 5th - 2016, Marc-Andre Beaucher found an adult Loggerhead Shrike as it perched on a Hawthorn bush along the South West Dyke at Duck Lake in Creston. The bird was relocated by Craig Sandvig around 6:30pm on the same day. The bird was last seen in the hawthorns south of the campsite. The campsite is located at the West end of the Duck Lake dyke.

The bird was not relocated on April 6th.

Loggerhead Shrike perched to the left of Northern Shrike below. Photo: Marc-Andre Beaucher

RBA: MCKAY'S BUNTING in Richmond - Feb 23rd (late report)

At 10 am on Feb 23-2016 John Reynolds photographed a female McKay's Bunting on the south jetty at Iona Beach Regional Park in Richmond, BC.

Map to location HERE

The bird was photographed and confirmed by Jack Withrow (University of Alaska Museum, Collections Manager, Birds), who noted the mantle streaks were nice and lance shaped and that there was no obvious signs of hybridsm with a Snow Bunting. 

This is the 3rd record for BC.

Female McKay's Bunting in Richmond - Photo: John Reynolds