RBA: PROTHONOTORY WARBLER in Princeton - May 19th

At 11:30am on May 19-2018, Edward Lahaie found a male Prothonotary Warbler at his home at 460 Auburn Crescent in Princeton. The bird was foraging in the Hawthorne bushes in his yard but was not relocated after looking for it all day and a photo could not be taken. 

He gave a detailed description of the bird as he viewed it from 12 feet away: "Deep yellow coloured, gray blue wings, white under tail with larger dark bill."

The home is open to the public and the address is 460 Auburn Crescent, Princeton. Please do not 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.

This is the 9th record for the province of BC.

The bird was not relocated on May 20th.

RBA: RED-THROATED PIPIT in Victoria - May 19-21st

At 3:30 pm on May 19th-2018, Geoffrey Newell found and photographed a Red-throated Pipit on the central dyke at Panama Flats. This is the second Red-throated Pipit he has found at this location. The previous being in May 2016.

Panama Flats is located between Roy Rd and Carey Rd. The best access to view the bird is off Carey Rd and Baker St and to walk down the middle (central) dyke looking at both the NE and NW quadrants.

Map to Location HERE

As of 6:30pm the bird is being viewed by multiple observers at the north end of Panama Flats.

This is the 54th record for the province of BC.

The bird was not seen on May 20th.

The bird was relocated at the N end of Panama Flats at 2pm and continued until dark on Monday May 21st.

Red-throated Pipit in Victoria - Photos: Geoffrey Newell

RBA: LESSER GOLDFINCH in Princeton - May 12th

At 1:50pm on May 12-2018, Edward Lahaie found a male Lesser Goldfinch at the nyjer feeder at his home at 460 Auburn Crescent in Princeton. The bird stayed at the nyjer for ten mins but has not been relocated. This is the 4th time his family has had this species at his home.

The bird has not returned but if it does the home will be open to the public with pre-approved appointments. Please contact the RBA if you plan on visiting.

This is the 23rd record for the province of BC.

Male Lesser Goldfinch in Princeton - Photo: Edward Lahaie

RBA: GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE in Williams Lake - May 5th

At 8:30 am on May 5-2018, Lubna Khan and Sean and Betty Donahue found a singing male Great-tailed Grackle on a cottonwood tree on the Scout Island Causeway (Scout Island Rd) on Scout Island in Williams Lake. Lubna Khan was able to get some great shots of the bird. The bird was subsequently viewed by multiple observers until 8:15pm.

There is a second female Great-tailed Grackle currently in the province in Vancouver. You can read about that bird HERE.

This is the 6th record for the province of BC.

Map to location HERE

The bird was not relocated on May 6th, despite multiple observers looking.

Male Great-tailed Grackle in Williams Lake - Photos: Lubna Khan

RBA: WHITE-FACED IBIS in Kelowna and Cranbrook - May 5th

At 7:15am on May 5th-2018, Bobby Dailey found and photographed 7 White-faced Ibis at Elizabeth Lake in Cranbrook. The birds were from the shore trail as they foraged in the reeds in the lake.

The best spot to view them from is HERE

Park at Innes Ave S. and 11 St S.

The birds were still present an hour late when he left but were not relocated on May 6th despite multiple observers looking.

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At 9am on May 5th-2018, Rhonda Schurian found a single White-faced Ibis on the sandbar at the mouth of Mission Creek in Kelowna. Young birder Kalin Ocana paddled up to it in a canoe at 11:30am for excellent photos, sadly it was flushed by kayakers at 6pm and others could not relocate it.

The bird allowed for up close photos and was viewed by several observers that day but was not relocated on May 6th.

This is the 43rd and 44th record of this species in the province of BC.

A stunning portrait of a White-faced Ibis in Kelowna - Photo: Kalin Ocana

3 of 7 White-faced Ibis at Elizabeth Lake in Cranbrook - Photo: Bobby Dailey

RBA: INDIGO BUNTING in Prince George - May 2-3rd

On May 2nd-2018, Anne Hogan spotted an adult male Indigo Bunting feeding on millet at her home on Hoferkamp Rd. On May 3rd, the bird continued and Bob Steventon was able to photograph it at their feeder.

The home is not open to the public. 

The bird was not seen on May 4th.

Male Indigo Bunting in Prince George - Photos: Bob Steventon

RBA: Probable REDWING in Vancouver - April 29th

At 8:35am on April 28, 2018 Bridget Spencer found a probable Redwing. The bird was sitting in a white blossom cherry tree in Musqueam Golf Course along the Fraser River. It was singing for 30 mins and she made a recording and took record photos as it flew east towards Point Grey Golf course. The bird was relocated at Point Grey Golf Course at 9:05 am but was only heard and then not seen again when the birder had to leave. It has not been relocated since despite multiple observers looking.

Experienced European birders believe it to be a Redwing. You can listen to it HERE

Bridget made a comparison recording between her bird (Starts at 0:00 and ends at 0:04) and a confirmed Redwing by Michael Bome (starts at 0:05 and ends at 0:15) on Xeno-Cantho. You can listen to it HERE

Map to exact location bird was first seen HERE

Probable Redwing carrying Cherry Blossom in beak - Photo: Bridget Spencer

RBA: LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE in Cawston - April 26th

At 4:15pm on April 26th 2018, Mark McAnally found a Loggerhead Shrike on Nighthawk Rd in Cawston.

The exact location is 250m before the descent to the border customs stop. The bird was in view for over 10 minutes as it flew back and forth across the road, landing in the open.

A map to the exact location is HERE.

Nighthawk Rd is west of Osoyoos and accessed off of Highway 3.

Loggerhead Shrike in Osoyoos - Photo: Mark McAnally

Loggerhead Shrike in Osoyoos - Photo: Mark McAnally

RBA: BLACK PHOEBE in Coquitlam - April 20th-21st

At 11:30am on April 20th-2018, John Reynolds found a Black Phoebe at Colony farm in a Coquitlam.

Directions to bird: The bird is in the pond in front of the service yard. Coming from Hwy 7, park at the community garden. Walk back and turn left on a newly gravelled road. Just before you reach the fenced-in work area go to the right of the fence and make your way along the fence towards the pond.

The bird was photographed and last seen by multiple observers at 7:30am on April 21st. There were no subsequent sightings later in the day despite multiple observers looking.

Map to location of bird HERE

This is the 23rd record for the province of BC.

Black Phoebe in Coquitlam - Photo: John Reynolds

Black Phoebe in Coquitlam - Photo: Melissa Hafting

RBA: GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE in Vancouver, Richmond and Point Roberts - May 11-Sept 1st

On March 11th-2018, Shelley Ide found a bird she did not recognize on the sidewalk of W. 4th Ave in Vancouver. At the time she had identified the bird as a female Boat-tailed Grackle. On the afternoon of April 17th-2018, Aaron Zacharias found the same bird in a vacant lot on W. 4th Ave between Alma St. and Highbury St. Aaron identified it as well as a female Boat-tailed Grackle. After Robert Lee relocated it this evening and provided a photo. I was able to help identify it to species and the bird is actually a female Great-tailed Grackle, which is a great bird nonetheless. Congrats to the finders. The bird has a limp but is doing ok it is eating and flying ok.

Map to exact location HERE. The bird has also been seen on a balcony next to the parking lot off Point Grey Rd for Jericho Park.

This is the 5th record for the province of BC and 1st record for Metro Vancouver.

A news article of the bird can be found HERE

The bird continues in the same vacant lot as of May 7th.

On May 8th and 12th, the Grackle was relocated at Cecil Green Park near UBC.

On July 14th, the bird was seen at the Iona inner ponds before flying towards the Fraser River.

On Aug 3rd-11th, the bird continues near the boardwalk of the outer pond by the parking lot at Iona.

On Sept 1st - Ken Klimo relocated the bird HERE on the rocks at Point Roberts, WA near the marina. The bird sadly now has a broken foot.

Female Great-tailed Grackle in Vancouver - Photos: Melissa Hafting

Female Great-tailed Grackle in Vancouver - Photo: Janice White