RBA: YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER in Victoria - Oct 18-24th

At 12pm on Oct 18-2019, a bird was found that was thought to be a Tennessee Warbler. At 4:15 pm Geoffrey Newell and Jeff Gaskin joined up to twitch the bird. Newell immediately realized the bird was actually an old world warbler. The bird turned out to be a Yellow-browed Warbler (ABA Code 4).

The bird was along the SE dyke at Panama Flats, south of the metal building off Carey Rd.

Map to location of bird HERE

*Parking is on Baker Street off Carey Rd. Please do not block driveways. Police have been ticketing offenders who do so and park too close to street corners.

The entrance is on Carey Rd near Baker Rd - walk around the gray metal gates with the No Parking signs to access Panama Flats and the trail to the bird.*

This is the first record for Canada and the 1st for BC.

The bird was last seen in the same location on Oct 24th and has been viewed by multiple observers. 

***The bird was not relocated on Oct 25th.***

You can watch a video of the news story about this bird HERE

Yellow-browed Warbler in Victoria - Photo: Meghin Spencer

Yellow-browed Warbler in Victoria - Photo: John Gordon

Yellow-browed Warbler in Victoria - Photo: Geoffrey Newell

RBA: RED-THROATED PIPIT in Nanaimo - Oct 10th

At 12:10 pm on October 10-2019, Blair Dudeck found and photographed a Red-throated Pipit at Nanaimo River Estuary.

As of 3 pm the bird was still present and has been viewed by multiple observers.

Directions to bird: Drive down to the end of Raines Rd. Park in the lot at the very end of the road (map HERE) and walk down the trail that starts at the yellow gate. Go past the big oak tree and keep walking straight. You will come to a wooden fence. The bird was seen near the NE corner of this fence and sat on this fence, which is close to the newly built viewing mound of dirt. It was also seen in the grasses on the other side of the pond.

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

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

RBA: RED-SHOULDERED HAWK in Metchosin - Oct 6th

At 12:45pm on Oct 6-2019, David Bell found an immature Red-shouldered Hawk in a kettle of Turkey Vultures and Red-tailed Hawks over Rocky Point Bird Observatory.  Unfortunately he was unable to photograph the bird adequately due to distance.

There are no confirmed photographed records of Red-shouldered Hawks to date in BC but one was observed by other experienced observers in Metchosin and Sooke in 2009.

*There is no public access at this location*

RBA: COMMON CRANE in Peace River - Oct 3-7th

At 11 am on October 3-2019, Jeannie Smith reported a bird to Mark Phinney as a possible Whooping Crane.

At 11:30 am on October 4-2019, Mark Phinney went to look for the bird and when he got to the location he actually found the bird to be a Common Crane (ABA Code 4) instead. The bird was located just north of Doe River and was in a mixed flock of 1400 Sandhill Cranes.

The bird seems to go back and forth across the road where it has been feeding and roosting just west of Hartnell Wetlands.

The flock has been feeding in a harvested wheat field and the best spot to watch it seems to be from HERE (an access road to a new well site on the west side of the Rolla highway, with 3 big black tanks). Please do not go all the way into the pad as it is an active site and there could be safety hazards.

Mark was able to photograph the bird by digiscoping the flock.

The bird was last seen on October 7-2019 and has been viewed by multiple observers.

*There has been no further sightings since Oct 7th. Snow has fallen and the cranes have departed the area*

Map to location of bird HERE

This is the 2nd record for BC.

Common Crane in Peace River - Photo: Christopher Coxson

Common Crane in Peace River - Photo: Jeff Dyck

RBA: GREEN-TAILED TOWHEE in Lumby - Oct 4-5th

At 9:30am on October 4-2019, Scott Thomson found a Green-tailed Towhee in Lumby. The bird was in the weeds by the side of the road and on the fence line near the corn fields on Horner Rd near the intersection of Whitevale Rd. Scott was able to photograph the bird.

Map to location HERE

The bird was last seen in the same location on Oct 5 and has been viewed by multiple observers. 
*It was not seen on October 6th.*

This is the 12th record for BC

Green-tailed Towhee in Lumby - Photos: Scott Thomson

RBA: BROWN SHRIKE in Metchosin - Oct 1-3rd

At 7:45am on Oct 1-2019, a hatch year Brown Shrike (ABA Code 4) was banded by David Bell at Rocky Point Bird Observatory.

The bird was last seen in the same location on October 3rd.

There is no public access at this site.

***The Rocky Point site is located in a secure area on Department of National Defence Lands. Only registered volunteers who have been cleared by the Department of Defense are permitted to access the site. ***

This is the 1st record for BC and 2nd for Canada.

Brown Shrike in Metchosin - Photos: David BellP

The Brown Shrike has been hanging around since its release - Photo: Joachim Bertrands 

RBA: BROWN BOOBY in Richmond - Sept 21-Oct 5th

At 8:30 am on Sept 29-2019 an adult female Brown Booby was photographed by Rick Zapf off the tip of the south jetty at Iona in Richmond.

The bird was first reported by Dan Pontalti and Grant Edwards on Sept 21-2019 but was never photographed. This is most likely the same bird.

Map to location HERE

This is the 18th record for the province of BC.

***The bird was last seen off the tip of the south jetty on Oct 5th. ***

*A scope or boat is required for this location. The best time to look for this bird is before 11am*

Brown Booby in Richmond (Oct 1, 2019) - Photos: Melissa Hafting

Brown Booby in Richmond (Oct 2, 2019)  - Photo: Kathryn Taylor

RBA: CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER in Metchosin - Sept 27th

At 9am on Sept 27-2019, a hatch year Chestnut-sided Warbler was banded at Rocky Point Bird Observatory in Metchosin.

Chestnut-sided Warbler in Metchosin - Photo: David Bell

This location is not open to the public.

This is the 76th record for BC.

RBA: 2 ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHERS in Tofino - Sept 26th

At 1:30pm on Sept 26th-2019, Ian Maton and his wife found 2 Ash-throated Flycatchers between access points 2 and 4 on Long Beach. At least one bird was photographed.

Map to location HERE

1 of 2 Ash-throated Flycatchers in Tofino - Photos: Ian Maton

RBA: SUMMER TANAGER in Fraser Lake - Sept 25-Oct 1st

At 10 am on Sept 25-2019, Tom Davies found a male Summer Tanager eating berries in his yard.

The home is open to the public and the address is 2835 Francois Lake Rd, Fraser Lake

*Please be respectful of private property and other residences in the area.*

The bird continued in the same location as of Oct 1-2019 and has been viewed by multiple observers.

***The bird was not seen on October 2nd.***

This is the 7th record for the province of BC.

Male Summer Tanager in Fraser Lake - Photos: Ray Ostrander

Summer Tanager in Fraser Lake - Photo: Nancy Krueger