RBA: 2 LESSER GOLDFINCHES in Princeton - May 1-7th

Edward Lahaie found a Lesser Goldfinch at a nyjer feeder at his home at 460 Auburn Crescent in Princeton. This is the 5th year, that he has had a Lesser Goldfinch in his yard.

This is the 25th record for the province of BC. 

Lesser Goldfinches are most likely breeding now in the province in the city of Osoyoos with up to 15 birds still present. However, no nests have been found yet to confirm this.

On May 7th a second bird (a male with a darker cap) turned up at the property that looked very different than the original bird.

The public is more than welcome to come view these birds but please knock on the front door first before going in to view the bird. Please be respectful of private property and other residences in the area.

The birds continue in the same location as of May 7th.

Male Lesser Goldfinch in Princeton on May 3rd - Photo: Edward Lahaie

Second Male Lesser Goldfinch with darker cap in Princeton - Photo: Edward Lahaie 

RBA: 3 MOTTLED AND 4 MURPHY'S PETRELS off Vancouver Island - April 30th

At 7 am on April 30-2019, Paul Lehman spotted 3 Mottled Petrels and 4 Murphy's Petrels off the northbound "Star Princess" cruise ship that was SSW of the Brooks Peninsula on Vancouver Island. All in his tour group were able to see the bird. The Mottled Petrels were the first Paul had ever seen in BC waters.

Photos of one of the Mottled Petrels at (48.954000, -128.746000) was obtained by Bruce Rideout.

The Murphy's Petrels were located: 2 birds were 172 km SW of Estevan Point HERE and 1 HERE and 1 HERE

The Motted Petrels were located: 1 bird 160 km SSW of the Brooks Peninsula HERE and 1 HERE and 1 HERE

Mottled Petrel in BC - Photos: Bruce Rideout

RBA: TUFTED DUCK in Point Roberts - April 24 - May 11th

At 12pm on April 24-2019, Damion Ruthven found and photographed a male Tufted Duck on Edwards Drive pond HERE in Point Roberts, WA. The bird is sticking close to a female Greater Scaup.

Point Roberts is 5 mins from Tsawwassen, BC and accessed through Canada. It is birded primarily by British Columbians, hence why I am posting about it here.

The bird was last seen in the same location on May 11th but has not been seen since.

Male Tufted Duck in Point Roberts, WA - Photo: Eric Ellingson 

RBA: SNOWY PLOVERS near Tofino - April 23rd and May 23rd

At 3:25pm on April 23-2019, Sarah Tyne found a Snowy Plover in Pacific Rim National Park near Tofino. The bird is on Wickaninnish Beach about 800m NW of the parking lot "E" access.

The bird was last present as of 4pm and was not associating with any other shorebirds. The bird was viewed by multiple observers.

On May 23rd-2019 Lorraine Hall found a different Snowy Plover (that was banded in OR) on the same beach. A photo of that bird can be found HERE.

This is the 24th and 25th record for the province of BC.

Snowy Plover on Wickaninnish Beach - Photo: Toby Theriault

Snowy Plover in Pacific Rim National Park - Photo: Ian Cruickshank

RBA (Late Report): RUSTIC BUNTING in Bull River - Dec 16/18 to Mar 12/19

A Rustic Bunting was coming to Glen Todd’s feeder in Bull River (located in the Kootenays) from December 16/18 to March 12/19. It was initially identified by the observer as a Lapland Longspur and reported to Bird Studies Canada’s Project FeederWatch  on April 14th, 2019. Thanks to those at Bird Studies Canada (Ron Ridout and Kerrie Wilcox) the bird was identified to its correct species and reported to the BC RBA. When the bird was present it was with a large flock of Dark-eyed Juncos.

It has not returned since March 12, 2019.

This is the 6th confirmed photographed record of Rustic Bunting in BC and there are 10 reports.

Rustic Bunting at a private home in Bull River, BC - Photos: Glen Todd

RBA: TUFTED DUCK near Kamloops - April 7-9th

At 7am on April 7-2019, a male Tufted Duck was found and photographed by Tom Beeke at Separation Lake in Knutsford (near Kamloops).

The bird was last present as of 5pm and has been viewed by multiple observers. It is in a large flock of a hundred Lesser Scaup. Best views are had by scope

The bird was last seen in the same location as of April 9th. It was not relocated on April 11-13th.

Map to location HERE

Tufted Duck near Kamloops - Photos: Tom Beeke

RBA: LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE in Vernon - March 31-April 1st

At 11 am on March 31-2019, Christopher Siddle found and photographed a Loggerhead Shrike at the Historic O’Keefe Ranch. He viewed the bird for 12 mins as it hunted bugs on the ground from a series of posts between the bridge and the corn maze.  He then saw it fly towards the corn maze where he left it. He returned to the site and relocated the bird at 4:40pm in the same general location. It is extremely active and quickly changing perches every few mins as it hunts from the fence line that crosses the creek to St. Anne Rd.

Directions to location: Park at the O’Keefe Ranch parking lot near the sign that says “RV Parking” then cross the small bridge over Deep Creek. Look for a standing dead corn maze just to the NW. Scan the fence line north of the corn maze. This fence line runs from St. Anne’s Rd to the creek.The  shrike was hunting bugs on the ground from a series of posts between the bridge and the corn maze.

Map to ranch parking lot HERE

The bird was last seen in the same general location in a Hawthorne bush HERE on April 1st.

The bird was not relocated on April 2nd.

This is the 92nd record for the province of BC.

Loggerhead Shrike in Vernon - Photo: Michael Force

Loggerhead Shrike in Vernon - Photos: Christopher Siddle

RBA: 7 PARAKEET AUKLETS off Tofino - March 24th

On March 24-2019 during a pelagic out of Tofino on the "Miss B Haven" with Ocean Outfitters; Joachim Bertrands photographed some distant alcids that he and one other briefly observed but didn't id at the time. After the pelagic, during photo review, Joachim saw that he had indeed photographed 7 Parakeet Auklets.

 This is the 44th record for the province of BC.

RBA: SHORT-TAILED ALBATROSS off Tofino - March 17th

At 11 am on March 17-2019, Douglas Martin spotted an immature Short-tailed Albatross during a pelagic with Ocean Outfitters on the “Miss B. Haven”, out of Tofino. All 12 on board were able to see and photograph the bird well, before it flew off after 15 minutes. The bird was banded on its right leg. 15 Laysan Albatrosses were also seen during this pelagic. This is the second year in a row that a Short-tailed Albatross was seen off a pelagic in BC; as 3 were seen on a similar trip on March 24th-2018.

Map to exact location bird was seen HERE.

Immature Short-tailed Albatross off Tofino - Photo: Ilya Povalyaev

Short-tailed Albatross off Tofino - Photo: Cathy Reader

RBA: FERRUGINOUS HAWK in Kelowna - March 8 (Late Report)

At 2pm on March 8-2019, Ryan Tomlinson saw an adult light morph Ferruginous Hawk flying over Maquinna Rd near Hall Rd in Kelowna. Ryan does not own a camera but has seen many Ferruginous Hawks and described a hawk that was larger than a Red-tailed Hawk with a distinctive hefty build and long tapered wings that were held in a slight dihedral. He said the under-wings were very pale with no patagial bar.  He noted the wing linings mottled with dark and rufous and dark 'commas' on each wing out towards the base of the primaries. He said the flight feathers were white with tiny dark tips to the primaries. He noted that the body was very white except for the presence of dark leggings. Below the tail was pale and from above he noticed a golden hue. He also said the bird had a pale head with a dark line extending back from behind the eye. He watched the bird for 4 mins before it flew off to the NW.

Map to where he saw the bird HERE