RBA: LARK BUNTING in Vancouver - Oct 13-19th

At 5:40pm on Oct 13-2023, Nick Park found and photographed a Lark Bunting on a fence of a private residence on Discovery St across from Jericho Park.

Map to first location HERE

Please be respectful of private residences and do not point bins or cameras at homes, when searching in the residential neighbourhood.

At 6:20pm he relocated the bird across the street at Jericho Park.

Map to last seen location HERE

On Oct 14th, the bird continues as of 1 pm at the last seen location as stated above and has been viewed by multiple observers.

On Oct 15th, the bird was relocated on a lane near West 3rd Ave (please be respectful of private residences in the area)

Map to location HERE

At 12 pm on Oct 15th, the bird was relocated on West 2nd Ave and continued at that spot until dark and was viewed by multiple observers.

Please be respectful of private residences when searching for and viewing the bird.

Map to location HERE

On Oct 16-19th, the bird continues in the same location HERE near 4378 West 2nd Ave. Please do not trespass and view from the public road and please be respectful of private residences in the area.

The bird was not relocated on Oct 20th, despite multiple observers looking.

This is the 41st record for BC.

Lark Bunting in Vancouver - Photos: Nick Park

RBA: BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER in Victoria - Oct 9-Dec 6th

At 4:50pm on Oct 9-2023, Geoffrey Newell found a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher at Uplands Park in Victoria.The bird was travelling in a small flock of Ruby-crowned Kinglets and was in the meadow next to Dorset Rd.

Map to location HERE

This is the 28th record for BC.

The bird continued HERE on Oct 10th.

On Nov 5th, the bird continued near Dorset Rd and Lincoln Rd HERE and was viewed by multiple observers.

On Nov 12-Dec 6th, the bird continued at the Midland Rd park entrance just off Landsdowne Rd.

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher in Victoria - Photos: Geoffrey Newell

RBA: PALLAS'S BUNTING in Victoria - Oct 4th

At 8:35am on Oct 4-2023, a Pallas's Bunting was photographed by Les Peterson at Clover Point in Victoria. The bird was seen with Savannah Sparrows in the fenced off area near the main parking lot. He last viewed the bird flying off to the west of the point at 8:45 am. A blurry shot of the spread wing seems to appear to show the lesser coverts being sandy brown and not chestnut, as it would be in a Reed Bunting. Also, it has a pale lower mandible.

Map to location where it was first HERE

Map to location of where it was last seen HERE

The bird was observed in the same area as it was originally spotted at 3 pm on Oct 4th by Val George.

This could be the bird that was seen in Squamish on Sept 23, 2023. Since this can't be proven, it will be treated as a different record.

This is a 1st record for BC and Canada.

**Multiple observers are searching for the bird on Oct 5th but so far it has not been relocated.**

Pallas's Bunting in Victoria - Photos: Les Peterson

RBA: RED-THROATED PIPIT in Tofino - Oct 3rd

At 11:40 am on Oct 3-2023, Kaiden Bosch found a Red-throated Pipit with 5 American Pipits on Comber's Beach directly south of the Sandhill Creek Mouth as they foraged within the driftwood. The birds flew off  to the north 10 mins after he saw them.

Map to location HERE

This is the 62nd record for BC.

Red-throated Pipit in Tofino - Photos: Kaiden Bosch

RBA: RED-THROATED PIPIT in Victoria - Oct 1st

At 6:45pm on Oct 1-2023, Steven Roias found and photographed a Red-throated Pipit on the south perimeter dyke at Panama Flats.

Map to location HERE

This is the 61st record for BC.

Red-throated Pipit in Victoria - Photo: Amelie Rousseau

RBA: NORTHERN PARULA in Jordan River - Oct 1st

At 8:44 am on Oct 1-2023, David Bell, James Kennerley and Mara Hanneson found a hatch-year female Northern Parula in a mixed chickadee/warbler flock in alders near the roadside.

Map to location HERE

This is the 26th record for BC.

The bird was not relocated after 9 am, despite multiple observers looking.

Northern Parula in Jordan River - Photo: David Bell

RBA: BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER in Metchosin - Sept 29th

At 10:26 am on Sept 29-2023, David Bell found a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher at Rocky Point Bird Observatory in Metchosin.

This location is restricted access and is not open to the public.

This is the 27th record for BC.

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher in Metchosin - Photos: David Bell

RBA: ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER in Terrace - Sept 26-Oct 11th

At 2pm on Sept 26-2023, Jennifer Smith and Benn Whitwell found an Ash-throated Flycatcher in the pine trees in front of the Terrace Sportsplex on Park Ave in Terrace.

Map to location HERE

The bird continued in the same location on Oct 11th and has been viewed by multiple observers.

Ash-throated Flycatcher in Terrace - Photos: Eileen LeFrancois

RBA: BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER in Jordan River - Sept 24th

At 8:30am on Sept 29-2023, David Bell and James Kennerley found a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher in Jordan River. The bird was in a large mixed flock made up of warblers, kinglets and chickadees in roadside alders, 200m west of the main parking area.

Map to location HERE

This is the 26th record for BC.

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher in Jordan River - Photo: David Bell

RBA: REED/PALLAS’S BUNTING in Squamish - Sept 23rd

At 10:35 am on Sept 23-2023, Paul Jacques found a Reed/Pallas’s Bunting in Squamish near the Coho Park Trail. The bird was perched on a tree near a marshy area and was not associating with any other birds.

Unfortunately, the photos obtained do not show the diagnostic lesser coverts to differentiate a Reed Bunting which has rufous lesser coverts from a Pallas’s Bunting, which has grey ones.

The bird has not been relocated thus far on Sept 24th, despite multiple observers looking.

Map to last known location HERE

Either species would be a first record for BC and Canada.

Note the area has lots of black bears and birders should be bear aware. 

Reed/Pallas’s Bunting in Squamish - Photos: Paul Jacques