RBA: 15 LESSER GOLDFINCHES in Osoyoos - July 15/18-Sept 24/19

At 10:37 am on July 15-2018, a male Lesser Goldfinch was found by David M. Bell on Kruger Mtn Road. The bird was loosely associating with a flock of Pine Siskins near 19610 Kruger Mtn Road.

Map to location of first bird HERE

At 12:30pm he found 2 males and 1 female and was was able to photograph the birds. The 2 males were flying around the female. The female was frequenting a rosebush across from 19610 Kruger Mtn Rd.

A 4th bird was found and photographed by Daniel Bastaja and it was juvenile male. This does not prove local breeding as they are molt migrants. Both age groups leave breeding territories shortly after the young fledge and can travel thousands of kilometres.

Map to location of the four birds HERE

Directions: At the end of the pavement there's a turnaround where it turns to gravel. Park there and the birds are 20m back down the road. They are moving around the yards and roadside there.

On Dec 12-2018, Chris Charlesworth found 15 Lesser Goldfinches in the same area. There is a high probability as first suspected that these birds bred in BC which would be the first record of breeding in BC. Unfortunately this was never confirmed.

15 birds continue at the corner of Alkali Rd and Old Richter Pass Rd as of January 14th, 2019.

On Feb 6th-2019, 10 birds were seen at 15523 Old Richter Pass Rd in Osoyoos.

***On July 5th-2019 David Bell photographed an adult female feeding a barely fledged bird that cannot fly. This finally confirms breeding at this site and the first breeding record for the province.***

Lesser Goldfinch fledgling with adult in Osoyoos - Photos: David Bell

***The birds continue along Kruger Mtn Rd as of Sept 24th.***

This is the 24th record for the province of BC.

Male Lesser Goldfinch in Osoyoos - Photo: David M. Bell

Adult Female Lesser Goldfinch in Osoyoos - Photo: David M. Bell

Juvenile Male Lesser Goldfinch in Osoyoos - Photo: Daniel Bastaja

RBA: MANX SHEARWATER off Nigei Island - July 10th

At 2:38 pm on July 10-2018, Jared Towers found and photographed a Manx Shearwater while conducting a whale survey for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans in Gordon Channel off Nigei Island. The bird was viewed from the research vessel  "Merlin." The bird was present until 2:42 pm and was also observed by Mark Malleson. Jared was able to get photos of the bird in flight.

Map to exact location of bird HERE

This is the 58th record for the province of BC.

Manx Shearwater in Gordon Channel - Photos: Jared Towers

RBA: CURVE-BILLED THRASHER in Canal Flats - July 5th

At 3pm on July 5-2018, Gord Littlejohns found and photographed a Curve-billed Thrasher in a dead tree along the shoreline near the boat launch at the south west end of Columbia Lake. He watched the bird for 1 minute before it disappeared into the bushes. The bird never sang or called and he could not relocate it after looking for 30 minutes.

Gord returned to the site on July 6 and 7th but couldn't relocate the bird.

Directions to bird: Heading south on Highway 95 on the way to Canal Flats just as you come to the bottom of the hill there is a small gravel pull off and a gravel road to the left that runs along the west shoreline of the lake. The gravel road ends at a small boat launch approximately 250 yards from the turn off. The Thrasher was in a dead tree on the shoreline about 25 yards south of the boat launch. 

Map to location of bird HERE

This is the 2nd record for the province of BC.

Curve-billed Thrasher in Canal Flats - Photos: Gord Littlejohns

RBA: GUADALUPE MURRELET off the West Coast of Vancouver Island - July 9th

At 6:15 pm on July 9-2018, while on board the NOAA vessel "Reuben Lasker," Michael Force, Christopher Hoefer and Juan Carlos Salinas found a single Guadalupe Murrelet. The bird was photographed.

The exact location of the bird is HERE, which is 122 nautical miles SSW of Estevan Point.

This is the second record for BC; the first being a sight record from Michael Force on Aug 2, 1994 off Haida Gwaii. This is the first photographed record for the province of BC.

Guadalupe Murrelet off the west coast of Vancouver Island - Photo: Christopher Hoefer 

RBA: MOTTLED PETREL off the West Coast of Vancouver Island - July 2nd

At 12:42pm on July 2-2018, while on board the NOAA vessel "Reuben Lasker"; Christopher Hoefer found a Mottled Petrel about 28.5 nautical miles South of Clerke Point, Brooks Peninsula. No photos were obtained. Other birds seen so far on this research expedition have been a Horned Puffin, 7 Murphy's Petrel and a Laysan Albatross.

Map to location of bird HERE

RBA: INDIGO BUNTING in Golden - July 2-July 19th

At 8:30 am on July 2-2018, Glenn Harasym found a singing male Indigo Bunting at a residential property on Lapp Rd in Golden. He was able to get a digiscoped record shot. The bird is viewable from the public street. When viewing please be respectful of the owner's property and other residences in the area.

Map to exact location of bird HERE

The bird continues in the same location on July 19th.

Male Indigo Bunting in Golden - Photo: Jeremy Gatten

Male Indigo Bunting in Golden - Photo: Chris Charlesworth

RBA: CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER in North Vancouver - June 30-July 6th

At 11:45am on June 30-2018, Quentin Brown found a male Chestnut-sided Warbler at the base of the powerline trail on Grouse Mountain.

Map to exact location HERE

This is the 70th record for the province of BC.

The bird was last seen in the same location on July 6th. The bird was not seen on July 7th.

Male Chestnut-sided Warbler in North Vancouver - Photo: Zach Westfall

Male Chestnut-sided Warbler in North Vancouver - Photo: Rob Lyske

RBA: 7 MURPHY'S PETRELS off the West Coast of Vancouver Island - June 30th

At 6:53 am on June 30-2018, while on board the NOAA vessel "Reuben Lasker"; Michael Force et al. found a Murphy's Petrel, 125 nautical miles SW of Estevan Point Lighthouse. The bird was present for 30 seconds before departing. The second bird was seen at 10:52 am, 97 nautical miles SW off of Estevan Point at a distance of less than a 100 metres.

Map to exact location of first bird HERE

Map to exact location of second bird HERE

5 other birds were seen by them 90-125 nautical miles SW of Estevan Point during the day for a total of 7 birds. They were also able to photograph one of the birds.

1 of 7 Murphy's Petrels seen off Estevan Point - Photos: Christopher Hoefer

RBA: GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER in Quesnel - June 24th

At 730am on June 24-2018, Dwaine Laxdal found a male Golden-winged Warbler at his parents house. The bird was on the fence of their garden. It was present for a couple minutes but has not returned since.

He was able to capture video and a few photos.

The home is open to the public but please view the bird from the fence at the driveway entrance and do not come into the property.

The address is 807 Norn Rd. Please be respectful of private property, their dogs and other residences in the area.

This is the first confirmed record for the province of BC.

The bird has not been relocated since the original sighting.

Male Golden-winged Warbler in Quesnel - Photo: Dwaine Laxdal

RBA: CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER in Vancouver - June 22nd

At 10am on June 22-2018, Cole Gaerber found an adult male Chestnut-sided Warbler at Jericho Park in Vancouver. The  bird was foraging and moving along the tall trees south of the tennis courts.

This is the third Chestnut-sided Warbler currently in the province the others being in Malcolm Island and Powell River.

This is the 69th record for the province of BC.

The bird was relocated at 12:30pm singing in willows between the duck pond and the south end of the rugby field and is still being viewed by multiple observers as of 4:45pm.

Map to exact location of where bird was last seen HERE

The bird was not seen from 5-9:30pm, despite multiple observers looking. It was also not relocated on June 23rd.

Adult male Chestnut-sided Warbler in Vancouver - Photo: Cole Gaerber

Adult male Chestnut-sided Warbler in Vancouver - Photo: Peter Candido