RBA: GUADALUPE MURRELET off Tofino - August 17th

At 12:15pm on August 17-2019, Mike Toochin, Melissa Hafting and Ilya Povalyaev spotted a Guadalupe Murrelet 51 km  SW of Cox Point between Clayoquot Canyon and Loudoun Canyon. The birds were viewed from the "Miss B Haven" on a pelagic with Ocean Outfitters out of Tofino. The Guadalupe Murrelet was less than 10 feet from the boat. Multiple passengers on board were able to view and photograph the bird. At the same time a second Xantus’s Murrelet flew off the water before a clear view of its face could be had.

Exact location of bird was HERE

Guadalupe Murrelet off Tofino - Photo: Liron Gertsman

Guadalupe Murrelet off Tofino - Photo: Ilya Povalyaev

This is the 3rd record for the province of BC.

RBA: 4 SCRIPPS'S MURRELETS off Tofino - August 17th

At 3pm on August 17-2019, Mike Toochin, Melissa Hafting and Mark Wynja spotted 2 Scripps's Murrelets 38.3 km SW of Cox Point off Tofino. The birds were viewed from the "Miss B Haven" on a pelagic with Ocean Outfitters.  The birds sat on the water allowing for great views and never flew during the whole time present.

At 3:30pm on August 17-2019, Liron Gertsman spotted 2 more Scripps's Murrelets in a different location - 29.4 km SW of Cox Point. The birds sat on the water allowing for great views and never flew during the whole time present.

All 12 passengers on board were able to see and photograph all 4 Scripps's Murrelets well.

Exact location of the first pair HERE.

Exact location of the second pair HERE.

First pair of Scripps's Murrelets seen off Tofino - Photos: Melissa Hafting

2nd pair of Scripps's Murrelets seen off Tofino - Photos: Liron Gerstman

This is the 33 record for the province of BC.

RBA: MANX SHEARWATER off Tofino - August 17th

At 9am on August 17-2019, Thomas Plath spotted a Manx Shearwater in a bait ball flock off the SE tip of Cleland Island while on a pelagic trip on the Miss B Haven with Ocean Outfitters. 12 other passengers on board were able to see the bird.

This bird appears to be different than the bird first found in the same area by Artie Ahier on August 13th and 15th. The bird on August 17th has more worn primaries unlike Artie's cleaner bird. There was also a Slaty-backed Gull in the flock.

Exact location of bird HERE

This is the 62nd record for the province of BC.

Manx Shearwater off Tofino - Photos: Liron Getstman

Manx Shearwater off Tofino - Photos: Melissa Hafting

RBA: MANX SHEARWATER off Vargas Island (near Tofino) - Aug 15th

Artie Ahier has photographed another or the same Manx Shearwater within 2 days of each other. The bird he found today (August 15, 2019) was photographed at 8:50 am off the NW corner of Vargas Island near Tree Island. This is only about 7 km from the first sighting on August 13th that you can read about HERE.

Manx Shearwater off Vargas Island - Photos: Artie Ahier

This is the 61st record for the province of BC.

RBA: MANX SHEARWATER off Tofino - Aug 13th

At 1:35pm on August 13-2019, Artie Ahier found a Manx Shearwater 4 miles south of Cleland Island off Tofino. He was operating a boston whaler during a trip from the Whale Centre.

He was able to photograph the bird as well.

This is the 60th record for the province of BC.

Manx Shearwater off Tofino - Photo: Artie Ahier

RBA: BLACK PHOEBE in Ladner - Aug 7/2019-Jan 11/2020

At 3:45pm on August 7-2019, Ken Wright found a juvenile Black Phoebe at Fuller's Slough at Reifel Bird Sanctuary in Ladner.

The bird was flycatching over the water at Fuller's Slough. The bird was still present when he left at 4:15pm and multiple observers had seen the bird.

Map to exact location of bird HERE

**The bird was first photographed by a traveling birder named Tristan Jobin HERE on August 5-2019. He only reviewed his camera after reading the report on the bird alert on August 7th. **

At 4:30pm on August 8-2019 the Black Phoebe was once again seen HERE along the East Dyke.

On Nov 8th the Black Phoebe was seen at the SW pond HERE.

On Nov 10th the Black Phoebe was seen at the end of the East Dyke HERE

On Dec 15th the Black Phoebe was seen by the grey tower and along the south dyke.

***On Dec 22/19-Jan 11/20 the Black Phoebe was seen HERE by the SW pond***

Black Phoebe in Ladner - Photo: Ilya Povalyaev

This is the 27th record for the province of BC.

RBA: LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE in Osoyoos - July 19th

At 7:40am on July 19-2019, Gavin and Don McKinnon found a Loggerhead Shrike perched on a telephone wire HERE along Hwy 3 in Osoyoos.

They unfortunately were unable to photograph it despite trying to relocate it for half an hour after it flew off.

This is the 94th record for the province of BC.

RBA: COMMON RINGED PLOVER in Tsawwassen - July 14-16th

At 7:30pm on July 14-2019, Ilya Povalyaev, Melissa Hafting, Mike Toochin, Sharon Toochin and Richard Swanston found a SY male Common Ringed Plover in breeding plumage at Beach Grove lagoon at Boundary Bay Regional Park.

The bird flew in on the mudflats at high tide and joined a small flock of Western Sandpipers. The bird was present for 30 minutes at a distance of 20m. The bird was photographed and then flew off and was not relocated before dark.

Multiple observers saw and photographed the bird on July 15th.

Map to exact location of bird HERE

Map to parking lot HERE

This is the second record for the province of BC.

***The bird was last seen in the same location on July 16th at 10:15 am. It was not seen on the evening of the 16th despite multiple observers looking.***

The bird was reported seen by a single observer with no photo on the morning of July 17th but not seen by others that day despite multiple observers looking.

*At 10:30am on July 20th there was a probable sighting of the bird off 96th St at Boundary Bay in Delta HERE (not confirmed) *

Common Ringed Plover in Delta - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Common Ringed Plover in Delta  - Photo: Peter Candido

Diagnostic lack of webbing between toes unlike in SEPL - Photo: Melissa Hafting

RBA: INDIGO BUNTING near Jesmond - July 13th

On July 13, 2019 - Conor McCune found a male Indigo Bunting HERE on Big Bar Ferry Rd in Big Bar Creek near Jesmond.

He was able to photograph the bird.

RBA: BLACK PHOEBE in Coquitlam - July 9-10th

At 11:40am on July 9-2019, Hank Tseng found and photographed an immature Black Phoebe at Colony Farm. The bird was west of the duck pond by the intersection of the Wilson Farm Dyke Trail and Pumphouse trail.

Map to location HERE

This is the 26th record for the province of BC.

The bird was last seen in the same location on July 10th and was viewed by multiple observers.

The bird was not relocated on July 11th, despite multiple observers looking.

Black Phoebe in Coquitlam - Photos: Hank Tseng