RBA: SCRIPPS'S MURRELETS off the West Coast of Vancouver Island - Sept 7th

On the afternoon of Sept 7th-2016, while doing an offshore NOAA survey, Ryan Merrill et al. found and photographed 4 Scripps's Murrelets along the North edge of Nitinat Canyon.

UTM coordinates for both pairs of birds are as follows:
48.26371, -125.8172 and 48.24874, -125.7996

2 out of 4 Scripps's Murrelets seen at Nitinat Canyon - Photo: Ryan Merrill

RBA: Chestnut-sided Warbler near Golden - Sept -3rd

At 6pm on Sept 2nd-2016, Doug Leighton found an immature male Chestnut-sided Warbler in an apple tree in the front yard of his house in the Blaeberry. Shortly after he relocated it in a red osier dogwood bush, where he was able to obtain a record photo of the bird.

The bird was present once again in his yard on Sept 3rd but was not seen since.

 This is the 63rd record for the province of BC. 

Photo: Doug Leighton

RBA: FERRUGINOUS HAWK in Jaffray - Aug 27th

At 10am on August 27th - 2016, Jessy Loranger et al. found and photographed a Juvenile Ferruginous Hawk. The bird was perched on a telephone pole on the I.D.E.A.L. Ranch, which is private property near the intersection of Jaffray Baynes Lake Rd and Damstrom Rd. The bird was perched for 15min before it took flight. It flew over the ranch several times for at least 5min. He lost sight of it and has not seen it since.

Juvenile Ferruginous Hawk - Photo: Jessy Loranger

RBA: BLACK-HEADED GULL near Sayward - Aug 20th-21st

On August 20th-2016, Andy and Nancy Bock found a Black-headed Gull in Sidney Bay near Sayward while they were out boating. The gull was seen with Mew Gulls and Bonaparte's Gulls on a log boom. They photographed the gulls on August 20th and 21st and 10 days later looked at the shots and discovered that they had captured a provincial rarity! This is the 2nd sighting of a Black-headed Gull in the province this year.

The gps coordinates are 50.516156, -125.601396 and it is only accessible by boat. Estimated travel time to the area by boat from Kelsey Bay near Sayward is 2 hrs.

This is the 25th record for the province of BC.

Photo: Nancy Bock

RBA: Ash-throated Flycatcher near Sechelt - Aug 28th

At 9am on August 28th-2016, Arnold Skei found an Ash-throated Flycatcher at the Wilson Creek Estuary near Sechelt. The bird was seen low in small trees near the concrete culvert sitting on the ground close to the second lookout over the inside section of the mudflats. There is a large sand pile that one can stand on and the bird was seen from there in the row of trees along the water's edge. Arnold returned later that afternoon but could not relocate the bird.

Arnold was able to get some digiscoped photos below:

Photo: Arnold Skei

SHORT-TAILED ALBATROSSES near Cape Scott - August 7th

At 11 am on August 7th-2016, Albert Michaud found and photographed two immature Short-tailed Albatrosses. He was conducting a whale survey at the time for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans near Cape Scott Provincial Park which is off the northwestern tip of Vancouver Island. The UTM coordinates of where he spotted them in flight were 50°27'01.9"N 128°32'57.1"W.

This is the second sighting this year of a Short-tailed Albatross in BC waters. The last one was a sight record on June 12th-2016 by Joseph Morlan. Joseph reported seeing an adult Short-tailed Albatross at UTM 50.582614, -128.858638. That location was near to this sighting about 15 miles SSW of Beresford Island, and slightly further SSE of Sartine Island. That bird was viewed from the Grand Princess Cruise Ship. He was unable to get photos during his brief view and there were no other observers. However, he is experienced with this species and his field notes were extensive.

Immature Short-tailed Albatross near Cape Scott Provincial Park - Photos: Albert Michaud

RBA: BLACK-THROATED SPARROW near Sechelt - August 7-9th

On the morning of August 7th-2016, Cathy McLellan found and photographed an adult Black-throated Sparrow feeding with some Dark-eyed Juncos on the driveway of her private home in Sandy Hook.

The bird was relocated on August 8th at 1:30pm by John Hodges in the same area. The bird was in a bush at the corner of Skookumchuk Rd and Deerhorn Drive.

At 6:15 am on August 9th, Daniele Mitchell relocated the tame bird feeding in the exact same location that John Hodges had it the day before. The bird was by the stop sign at the corner of Skookumchuk Rd and Deerhorn Drive. Please see map below for exact location.

At 12pm on August 9th, the bird was relocated by multiple observers in the same location as it sat in a cedar tree across from the stop sign at the above intersection.

Map to location HERE

The homeowner's property is NOT open to the public. When viewing this bird from the public street please be respectful of private property.

The bird was not seen on August 10th.

Photos: Daniele Mitchell

RBA: Lesser Goldfinch near Okanagan Falls - July 31st

At 6:30am on July 31st-2016, Doug Brown found a male Lesser Goldfinch as he was setting up the mist nets at the Vaseux Lake Bird Observatory's banding station which is situated North of Vaseux Lake. The bird was singing along the net lanes and Doug got a visual of the bird as well.

This area is open to the public.

The bird was not seen on August 1st.

RBA: RED-NECKED STINT in Delta - July 22-26th

Kevin Louth found an adult Red-necked Stint in breeding plumage at 11:46 am on July 22nd-2016. The bird was on the mudflats with some Western Sandpipers off the end of the 96th Street Boundary Bay Dyke in Delta. The bird is still present as of 12:54pm.

At 1:10pm Kevin Louth lost sight of the bird as it flew and the flock split up.

At 7:55am on July 23rd the bird was relocated by Daniele Mitchell and viewed by multiple observers on the mudflats at Boundary Bay at the foot of 88th St. The bird was in a large flock of 600+ Western Sandpipers, Sanderlings and some Black-bellied Plovers.

The bird was relocated at 9:25am by Ilya Povalyaev at the mudflats near the 80th St Pumphouse and is still present as of 9:57am and viewed by multiple observers.

The bird was last seen feeding off the mudflats off 72nd St at Boundary Bay at 10:10am.

At 8pm the bird was relocated on the mudflats off 96th St at the Mansion by Brian Self et al. The bird showed two times very briefly between 8-8:10pm.

On July 24th, the bird was relocated on the mudflats off 96th St at 8:40am and viewed by multiple observers. The bird was last seen at 9:00am.

The RNST was not relocated on the evening of July 24th nor the 25th.

At 11:30am on July 26th, the bird was relocated by Roger Foxall on the mudflats off 104th St in a flock of Peeps and Black-bellied Plovers.

The bird was not seen on July 27th.

The bird was photographed by several observers. A scope is required to view this bird.

 

Photos: Ilya Povalyaev

RBA: CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER in Victoria - July 21-Aug 10th

At 7am on the morning of July 21st-2016, Avery Bartels found an adult Female Chestnut-sided Warbler near the banding nets at Rocky Point Bird Observatory in Victoria. The bird was foraging along shrubs in the area. This location is not open to the public.

On July 25th, the bird was caught in the banding nets at RPBO and Serena Johnston banded the bird.

On August 2nd, David Allison saw the bird in the net lanes. The bird appeared to be in heavy moult and had no tail.

On August 4th, Avery Bartels had the continuing bird which has now been identified as a Second Year Female, after being aged in the hand.

On August 10th, David Allison saw the continuing bird again in the area near to the banding nets at RPBO but it has not been seen since.
 
This is the 62nd record for the province of BC.

Photo credit: Rocky Point Bird Observatory