RBA: SNOWY PLOVER in Delta - May 21st

At 9:45am on May 21st-2018, Cole Gaerber found an adult male Snowy Plover, 200m west of the mansion at 96th St at Boundary Bay. It was loosely associating with 5 Western Sandpipers.

Map to location HERE

The bird was flushed by Bald Eagles at 10:25am and has not been relocated as of 7pm.

This is the 21st record for the province of BC.

Adult male Snowy Plover in Delta - Photos: Cole Gaerber

RBA: LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE in Delta - May 20th

At 10:45am on May 20th-2018, Rob Lyske found a Loggerhead Shrike sitting on a telephone poll wire on 34th St near the intersection of 34th St and 33A Ave in Delta.

Map to location HERE

The bird is being viewed by multiple observers as of 11am.

At 11:45am the bird disappeared and has not been relocated. It was last seen along the cottonwoods perpendicular to the road. 

The bird was not relocated on May 21st. 

This is the 91st record for the province of BC.

Loggerhead Shrike in Delta - Photo: Rob Lyske

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