RBA: MURPHY'S PETRELS off the north end of Vancouver Island - May 10th

On May 10-2017, while aboard the "Grand Princess" cruise ship, Paul Lehman and Bruce Rideout found 4 Murphy's Petrels in BC waters near the Brooks Peninsula. One of the birds was photographed by Bruce Rideout and this bird was the furthest north that Paul had ever seen the species in BC.

The locations for the four birds were:

48.009, 129.720  (ca. 280 km SSW of Brooks Peninsula, V. I.)

48.435, 129.993  (ca. 248 km SW of Brooks Peninsula)

49.106, 130.428  (ca. 216 km SW of Brooks Peninsula)

50.517, 131.361  (ca. 209 km W of north end Vancouver Island; photographed)

Murphy's Petrel, 209 km W of the N end of Vancouver Island. - Photos: Bruce Rideout

RBA: LESSER NIGHTHAWK in Victoria - May 7th

At 10 am on May 7-2017, James Paterson photographed and reported a bird identified as a Common Nighthawk to eBird. Upon review of photos this morning, it was discovered that the bird is actually a Lesser Nighthawk. The white wing bar that appears in line with the end of the tertials, the blunt wing tips, the pale buff spotting on the wing coverts and the fact that there is no dark tones in the mantle or scapular that Common Nighthawks typically have, along with the early arrival date, all helped to confirm the bird as a Lesser Nighthawk.

The bird was found perched in a tree near 3491 Camcrest Place at Mount Tolmie Park.

Map to exact location HERE

Multiple observers have been looking for the bird on May 8th but as of yet, it has not been relocated.

This is the third record of Lesser Nighthawk for Vancouver Island and 4th for BC.

Lesser Nighthawk in Victoria - Photos: James Paterson

RBA: MANX SHEARWATER off Ucluelet - May 7th

At 1:15pm on May 7-2017, while aboard the MV Frances Barkley, young birder Liam Singh (13 yrs of age) spotted a Manx Shearwater during the WildResearch Pelagic and BCFO Young Birder Field Trip. The bird was located 6 Km SW off of Amphitrite Point. It was viewed by multiple observers and photographed.

GPS coordinates were N 48.89931° W 125.62473° 

This is the 57th record for the province of BC.

Manx Shearwater off Ucluelet (note the white undertail coverts) - Photos: Liam Singh

RBA: BLACK-TAILED GULL in Gingolx - May 4th

At 7 am on May 4th-2017,  Jeremy Gatten was working along the Gingolx (Kincolith) waterfront in the Nisga'a Nation, when he found an adult Black-tailed Gull. He was scanning through hundreds of Mew Gulls just south of the Kincolith River off the north end of Waterfront St, when he spotted a dark gray-backed gull. The yellow bill with black subterminal band and red tip was immediately noticeable to him and he was able to see the bird in flight. Seeing the tail with white base and thick black band surrounded by a thin margin of white, allowed him to confirm that it was in fact an adult Black-tailed Gull. He was able to photograph the bird as well. The Eulachon run ended last month and the decaying fish has brought in thousands of gulls to the Nass River Valley.  He will be in the area for another 4 days and will be monitoring the gull's presence.

Map to location HERE

This has been an incredible year for provincial rarities for Jeremy. In addition to the Black-tailed Gull, he has found a Purple Sandpiper, Redwing and a Black Phoebe.

The Black-tailed Gull has not been seen since May 4th but very well could still be in the area.

This is the 2nd photo-documented record of Black-tailed Gull in the province of BC.

Adult Black-tailed Gull in the Nass River Valley - Photo: Jeremy Gatten

RBA: DICKCISSEL in Revelstoke - May 3-7th

At 7:30am on May 3rd-2017, Darlene Cancelliere found and photographed a female Dickcissel in her front yard. The bird was feeding on the ground under her feeders, alongside Red-winged Blackbirds and White-crowned Sparrows. It also perched in her tree for several minutes.

Darlene has been fortunate enough to have many rare birds in her yard in the past, including a Brambling, Black-throated Blue Warbler and Hooded Warbler.

The home is open to the public at 407 Edward St. Please view the bird from the front yard only and do not enter the backyard. Please be respectful of all residences in the area.

The bird was last seen on May 7th.

This is the 26th record for the province of BC.

Female Dickcissel in Revelstoke - Photo: Darlene Cancelliere

RBA: LESSER GOLDFINCH in Princeton - May 3-5th

At 6 pm on May 2nd - 2017,  Edward Lahaie found a male Lesser Goldfinch at a nyjer feeder at his home in Princeton. This is the third year, that he has had a Lesser Goldfinch in his yard.

The home is open to the public and the address is 460 Auburn Crescent, Princeton. Please knock on the front door before proceeding to the backyard. Please be respectful of the homeowner's property and residences in the area and do not block driveways.

The bird continues as of May 5th.

Male Lesser Goldfinch in Princeton - Photo: Sue Elwell

RBA: LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE near Hope - April 25th

At 10:15 am on April 25th-2017, Guy Monty and Pablo Jost found a Loggerhead Shrike at Hope Slide Rest Area, which is located off Hwy 3 near Hope. The bird was in a cottonwood tree downhill from the restrooms. They photographed the bird and watched it for 10 mins. It was still present when they left.

Map to location HERE

The bird has not been relocated since the initial sighting.

Loggerhead Shrike at Hope Slide - Photo: Guy Monty

PURPLE SANDPIPER Still off Victoria - April 17th-25th

On April 17th, Daniel Donnecke kayaked out to the Trial Islands off Victoria and found the Purple Sandpiper mixed among Black Turnstones.  This sighting comes exactly two months after the last report of the bird viewed on Little Trial Island by scoping from the Victoria shoreline.  Daniel's eBird checklist, including six photos of the Purple Sandpiper, can be viewed here.

It was hoped that a sighting this late in the spring would allow us to see some alternate feathers filling in, but instead the plumage is still drab and further worn.  Hopefully this bird will continue to be sighted and the birding community can document feathers molting in.

The bird continues in basic plumage on Kitty Islat as of April 25th and was last seen by Paul Lehman et al.

Please see previous post HERE on this bird for maps and location information.

RBA: WHITE-TAILED KITE in Metchosin - April 11th

At just after 9:30 am on the morning of April 11th, a White-tailed Kite was observed by David Allinson flying over the Sea Bluff Trail in Metchosin on southern Vancouver Island.  The Sea Bluff Trail is located just south of Witty's Lagoon and can be accessed at the north end off Wootton Rd or the south end off Parry Cross Rd.  The bird was flying over the treetops, so nearby open areas should be checked.  There are many agricultural fields in the area, but good candidate locations include: Swanwick Rd, Taylor Rd, the corner of Happy Valley and Rocky Point Rds, Pears Rd, Witty's Lagoon, Lindholm Rd (just west of Happy Valley Rd) and various fields along Metchosin Rd.  Additionally, scanning from Weir's Beach south towards William Head might be a worthwhile endeavour.

Immaculate record shots are not always an option, but this still works (Photo: David Allinson)

As of April 17, there have been no further reports of this bird, despite some effort to relocate it.

RBA: TUFTED DUCK in Richmond - April 9-14th

At 7:50am on April 9th, 2017, an adult male Tufted Duck, first reported by Jim Palmer, was found in the SE inner pond at Iona Island Regional Park. Multiple observers saw the bird into the afternoon. To gain access to the inner ponds, please contact Jude Grass at judegrass@shaw.ca for the code needed to unlock the gates. The park is located at 945 Ferguson Road in Richmond, and it is open from 7am until 8pm. 

The bird was still present in the SE inner pond on April 10th, 11th, and 14th. The bird appears to move between the ocean and the inner ponds, and on April 13th it was with a scaup flock on the ocean south of the South Jetty.

Photo: Mike Fung