RBA: BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER in Kelowna - Nov 4-22nd

At 9 am on Nov 4-2021, Huw Williams found a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher in a Black-capped Chickadee flock at Munson Pond. The bird was seen off the viewing platform near the parking area.

Map to first location HERE

The bird was still present in the SE corner of Munson Pond HERE and was viewed by multiple observers.

The bird continues HERE behind the nearby school on Nov 22nd and has been viewed by multiple observers.

This is the 24th record for BC.

 *As per current Public Health directives due to COVID-19 - Please remain 2 meters apart when viewing any birds on this list during this time. Please follow all public health directives during this pandemic (including not birding in groups, please wear a mask if you are unable to social distance). The BC Public Health directives can be found HERE*

**eBird's statement on how to bird mindfully during the pandemic can be viewed HERE.**

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher in Kelowna - Photo: Chris Charlesworth

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher in Kelowna - Photo: Ian Walker

RBA: WHITE WAGTAIL in Haida Gwaii - Oct 18-29th

At 10:35 am on Oct 18-2021, Paul Levesque and Christine Rock found a White Wagtail in Queen Charlotte City. The bird was flycatching from the roof of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans building at 137 Bay St. It was also seen foraging along the beach near the same building. The bird has an injury to its right foot but doesn’t seem too affected by it.

The bird was last seen by them at 11:35am in the same area that day.

The bird was not relocated on Oct 19th.

At 3pm on Oct 22nd Paul Levesque relocated the bird at the same location. The bird was foraging for insects on the roof of the DFO building and on the ground at the adjacent baseball diamond.

Map to location HERE

The bird was last seen in the same location on Oct 29th and was viewed by multiple observers.

The bird was not relocated on Oct 30th or 31st.

This is the 17th record for BC.

 *As per current Public Health directives due to COVID-19 - Please remain 2 meters apart when viewing any birds on this list during this time. Please follow all public health directives during this pandemic (including not birding in groups, please wear a mask if you are unable to social distance). The BC Public Health directives can be found HERE*

**eBird's statement on how to bird mindfully during the pandemic can be viewed HERE.**

White Wagtail in Haida Gwaii - Photo: Carey Bergman

White Wagtail in Haida Gwaii - Photo: Paul Levesque 

RBA: SLATY-BACKED GULL in Campbell River - Sept 28-30th

At 10 am on Sept 28-2021, Keith Matthieu found and photographed an adult Slaty-backed Gull as it sat on the beach near the Ken Forde Boat Launch at Willow Point Estuary.

The bird was present in the area as of 12:56pm and was viewed by multiple observers before it flew south. 

Map to location HERE

On Sept 30-2021, the bird was relocated by Jack Bindernagel at Oyster Bay and was viewed by multiple observers. It has not been relocated since.

Map to location HERE

This is the 85th record for BC.

 *As per current Public Health directives due to COVID-19 - Please remain 2 meters apart when viewing any birds on this list during this time. Please follow all public health directives during this pandemic (including not birding in groups, please wear a mask if you are unable to social distance). The BC Public Health directives can be found HERE*

**eBird's statement on how to bird mindfully during the pandemic can be viewed HERE.**

Slaty-backed Gull in Campbell River - Photos: Keith Matthieu

RBA: ORCHARD ORIOLE in Metchosin - Sept 28th

At 7:35am on Sept 28-2021, David Bell banded a female Orchard Oriole at Rocky Point Bird Observatory in Metchosin. The bird was still present near the banding station as of 12:15pm before flying east.

This location is not open to the public.

This is the 10th record for BC.

Female Orchard Oriole in Metchosin - Photo: David Bell

RBA: SNOWY PLOVER in Tofino - Sept 27th

At 1pm on Sept 27-2021, Ian Cruickshank found a Snowy Plover on the upper part of Comber's Beach. The bird was located 300m SE of the Sandhill Creek Mouth in Pacific Rim National Park near Tofino.

**Note it is impossible and dangerous to wade across this creek at high tide. At high tide it is best to access this location from the Wick Beach parking lot rather than the Comber's Beach parking lot.**

Map to location HERE

This is the 34th record for BC.

 *As per current Public Health directives due to COVID-19 - Please remain 2 meters apart when viewing any birds on this list during this time. Please follow all public health directives during this pandemic (including not birding in groups, please wear a mask if you are unable to social distance). The BC Public Health directives can be found HERE*

**eBird's statement on how to bird mindfully during the pandemic can be viewed HERE.**

Snowy Plover in Tofino - Photos: Ian Cruickshank

RBA: MANX SHEARWATER near Port McNeill - Sept 24th

At 6:30pm on Sept 24-2021, Jared Towers found a Manx Shearwater at Bold Head in Blackfish Sound near Swanson Island.

Map to location HERE.

This is the 68th record for BC.

Manx Shearwater near Port McNeill - Photos: Jared Towers

RBA: BLACK PHOEBE in Abbotsford - Sept 10-24th

At 9:45am on Sept 10-2021, Susan Fennellow found a Black Phoebe at McDonald Park in Abbotsford. 

Map to location HERE

The bird was last seen in the same location on Sept 24th and was viewed by multiple observers. It was not seen on Sept 25th. 

This is the 34th record for BC.

**As per current Public Health directives due to COVID-19 - Please remain 2 meters apart when viewing any birds on this list during this time. Please follow all public health directives during this pandemic (including not birding in groups, please wear a mask if you are unable to social distance). The BC Public Health directives can be found HERE*

**eBird's statement on how to bird mindfully during the pandemic can be viewed HERE.**

Black Phoebe in Abbotsford - Photo: Neal Doan

Black Phoebe in Abbotsford - Photo: Mark McAnally

RBA: FERRUGINOUS HAWK in Edgewood - Aug 30th

At 7:30am on Aug 30-2021, Gary Davidson and Cat McLean found an immature Ferruginous Hawk in Edgewood. The bird was sitting on a irrigation pipe in a hay field in the NW corner of the Ferret Rd Loop.

Map to location HERE

The bird has not been relocated since.

**As per current Public Health directives due to COVID-19 - Please remain 2 meters apart when viewing any birds on this list during this time. Please follow all public health directives during this pandemic (including not birding in groups, please wear a mask if you are unable to social distance). The BC Public Health directives can be found HERE*

**eBird's statement on how to bird mindfully during the pandemic can be viewed HERE.**

Ferruginous Hawk in Edgewood - Photo: Gary Davidson

RBA: SHORT-TAILED ALBATROSS off Tofino - Aug 29th

At 10:45 am on Aug 29- 2021 during a pelagic with Ocean Outfitters, Mike Toochin spotted an immature Short-tailed Albatross at Clayoquot Canyon off the “Miss B Haven” boat. The bird was banded and all observers got on the bird. The band info from Japan follows:

The researcher Mr. Fumio Sato said the bird was banded on 7th March 2021 at Hatsunezaki colony of Torishima, Japan.  When this bird was banded, it was a chick in the nest.

Colour ring No. X10, and the small ring of the Ministry of the Environment No. 13E9019. Sex was unknown.

Map to location of bird HERE

Banded Short-tailed Albatross off Tofino - Photos: Melissa Hafting

4 MANX SHEARWATERS near Port McNeill - Aug 17-Sept 2nd

On August 17-2021, John Cooper et al. found a single Manx Shearwater in Cormorant Channel HERE. On August 18-2021, Jared Towers found 3 Manx Shearwaters and photographed 2 at Bold Head in Blackfish Sound. At 2:40pm on August 20-2021, Gord Curry refound 2 Manx Shearwaters at Bold Head in Blackfish Sound and at 3:45pm Susan Knoerr had 3 Manx Shearwaters in the same area in nearby Cormorant Channel (5km to the SW).  On Aug 21st Jared Towers saw 2 birds in the same area at Bold Head near Swanson Island. These are likely the same birds first found by Jared Towers at Bold Head on August 18th.

Gord Curry was able to photograph one of the birds. They were travelling in a flock of approximately 2000 Short-tailed Shearwaters an unheard of number on our BC coast in August.

Map to location of Gord Curry’s August 20th sighting HERE

At 1pm on August 23-2021, Gord Curry found 4 Manx Shearwaters in Blackfish Sound NW of Bold Head HERE

On Aug 26-2021 Jared Towers saw 1 bird also at Bold Head.

On Aug 28-2021, Gord Curry relocated one bird in the same area.

All of these sightings will be treated as 1 record as they are most certainly the same birds hanging around the area.

On Sept 2-2021, Guy Monty et al. saw 2 Manx Shearwaters HERE near Nigei Island.

This the 66th and 67th record for BC.

Manx Shearwaters near Alert Bay - Photos: Jared Towers