RBA: SNOWY PLOVER in Delta - Sept 1st

At 12:30 pm on Sept 1-2018 Randy Dzenkiw spotted an adult Snowy Plover (that was not associating with any flock of birds) on the mudflats off 96th St at Boundary Bay. Photos were obtained and good looks were had by all present. A scope is required.

Map to location HERE

The bird flew off after 3 minutes and has not been relocated as of posting.

This is the 23rd record for the province of BC and the second Snowy Plover currently in the province right now. You can read about the other bird HERE. 

Please park in legal parking spaces only as not to disturb residents. The most accessible parking is at the foot of 104th St at the Delta Air Park at Boundary Bay.

Snowy Plover in Delta - Photo: Sharon Toochin

RBA: LITTLE STINT in Delta - Aug 31-Sept 3rd

At 1 pm on August 31-2018, Kevin Louth found 1 juvenile Little Stint with Western Sandpipers between the mansion and 96th St at Boundary Bay. Earlier in the day he found 13 Buff-breasted Sandpipers in the dirt field west of 88th St.

Map to initial location HERE

At 11:40 am on Sept 1-2018, Kevin Louth, Mike and Sharon Toochin and Melissa Hafting relocated the Little Stint between the pilings and 104th St at Boundary Bay.

The bird continues on the mudflats off 104th St on Sept 3-2018 and photos were obtained on Sept 2nd and 3rd.

Map to last location of Little Stint HERE

The bird was not seen on Sept 4th, despite multiple observers looking.

Please park in legal parking spaces only as not to disturb residents. The most accessible parking is at the foot of 104th St at the Delta Air Park at Boundary Bay.

This is the 12th record for the province of BC.

Juvenile Little Stint in Delta - Photos: Dave Beeke

Little Stint on left beside Western Sandpiper - Photo: Dave Beeke

RBA: SNOWY PLOVER in Revelstoke - Aug 23-Sept 4th

At 10:00 am on August 23-2018, Don Manson found a moulting adult Snowy Plover foraging along the shore of Upper Arrow Lake at the end of "Nine Mile Point" which is accessed off Airport Way. He was able to get many good photographs.

The bird was discovered to be injured on August 25th. It is still able to fly and eat but is limping, it was seen falling over once.

The map to the location of the bird is HERE

This is the 22nd record for the province of BC and the 3rd Snowy Plover in this province this year.

The bird has not been seen since Sept 4th.

Injured Snowy Plover in Revelstoke - Photo: Chris Charlesworth

Snowy Plover in Revelstoke - Photos: Don Manson

RBA: BROWN BOOBY near Malcolm Island - August 22nd

At 2pm on August 22, 2018 - Gord Curry and Ted Down found an adult Brown Booby sitting on a log in Queen Charlotte Strait, NW of Pultney Point Lighthouse on Malcolm Island, while they were fishing. This made it easy for them to get beautiful pictures of the bird. The bird was viewed for 16 minutes before it was seen flying away in a northerly direction.

The map to the exact location is HERE

This is the 16th record for the province of BC.

Adult Brown Booby in Queen Charlotte Strait - Photos: Gord Curry

RBA: BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER in Victoria - July 24th

At 10 am on July 24-2018, Ann Nightingale found a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher at Rocky Point Bird Observatory in Victoria. The bird was not banded but was viewed foraging near the shoreline and vocalizing for 5 mins before it flew off.

This location is not open to the public.

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

Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher in Victoria - Photo: Ann Nightingale

RBA: MANX SHEARWATER in Tofino - July 23rd

At 8:20am on July 23-2018, Arthur Ahier found a Manx Shearwater. He viewed the bird at the SE corner of Cleland Island off Tofino from a boston whaler from The Whale Centre. He was not able to get photos but noted the white undertail coverts to differentiate it from a Black-vented. He has experience with this species on the East Coast. Multiple observers saw the bird.

This is the 59th record for the province of BC.

RBA: NORTHERN PARULA in Victoria - July 22-Aug 22nd

At 5:45 am on July 22-2018, an adult female Northern Parula was banded by Siobhan Darlington at Rocky Point Bird Observatory.

The bird was captured and banded on Aug 6th and again seen on Aug 22nd.

This location is not open to the public.

Female Northern Parula in Victoria - Photo: Donna Talluto

This is the 20th record for the province of BC.

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