RBA: ORIENTAL TURTLE-DOVE in Surrey - April 17-24th

At 4:36pm on April 17-2024, Cos van Wermeskerken found an Oriental Turtle-Dove sitting on the grass at the edge of the slough near Dunsmuir St at Blackie Spit.

He watched the bird for a few mins before it flew west and high over the intersection of Dunsmuir St.and Gilley St. He was unable to relocate the bird.

Map to location of where he saw the bird is HERE

This is the 4th record for BC and is listed as ABA Code 4.

At 6:55pm on April 18th, Ilya Povalyaev and Melissa Hafting relocated the dove at a feeder at a private home at the corner of Agar St and McBride Ave. 

Map to location HERE

Please be respectful of private property and do not block driveways or point cameras at windows of private homes.

The bird was briefly there before flying south and high at 7:05pm over Sullivan Street.

On April 24th, the bird continued at the same feeder and has been viewed by multiple observers.

The bird was not relocated on April 25 or 26, despite multiple observers looking.

**Please do not spread seed down in the neighborhood at the request of homeowners, as it can attract rats**

Oriental Turtle-Dove in Surrey - Photo: Eric Ellingson

Oriental Turtle-Dove in Surrey, BC - Photos: Ilya Povalyaev

Oriental Turtle-Dove in Surrey - Photo: Cos van Wermeskerken 

RBA: KING EIDER in Ucluelet - April 10-11th

At 10:30 am on April 10-2024, Chris Coxson found a female King Eider in a large mixed Scoter flock of over 900 birds off of Little Beach in Ucluelet.

Map to location of bird HERE

Best spot for birders to stand and view the bird is HERE on Little Beach

This is the 41st record for BC.

The bird continued in the same on April 11th and was viewed by multiple observers. It has not been relocated since.

King Eider in Ucluelet - Photos: Chris Coxson

RBA: BLACK PHOEBE in Langley - April 3-5th

At 9 am on April 3-2024, Cos van Wermeskerken found an adult Black Phoebe calling at the NW corner of Brydon Lagoon.

Map to location HERE

This is the 46th record for BC.

On April 5th, the Black Phoebe continued in the same spot and had been viewed by multiple observers.

On April 6th, the bird was not relocated, despite multiple observers looking.

Black Phoebe in Langley - Photos: Cos van Wermeskerken

RBA: HOODED ORIOLE in Port Alberni - March 11-16

On March 11-2024, a male Hooded Oriole was photographed on private property in Port Alberni, and reported to Jeremy Kimm. The observer wishes to remain anonymous.  

The home is not open to the public.

This is the 28th record for BC.

The bird continued as of March 16th at the same location. 

Hooded Oriole in Port Alberni - Photo: via Jeremy Kimm

RBA: REDWING in Vancouver - March 14

At 3:40pm on March 14-2024, Mark Swanson found a Redwing at Fraser River Park in Vancouver. The bird was seen associating with American Robins on the grass in the southeast corner of the park.

Map to location HERE. 

This is the 5th record for BC.

The bird was not relocated on March 15th despite multiple observers looking. 

Redwing in Vancouver - Photo: Mark Swanson

RBA: HOODED ORIOLE in Cobble Hill - Jan 12-Feb 27th

At 11am on Jan 12-2024, a male Hooded Oriole was photographed at a hummingbird feeder at a private backyard of a home, on Pineridge Dr (near Pineridge Pl), in the gated community of Arbutus Ridge in Cobble Hill. The sighting was posted on inaturalist by the observer’s son Mr. William Innes but the original observer prefers to keep their first name anonymous.

The home is not open to the public. The community is gated and currently there is no public access except for residents.

This is the 27th record for BC.

The bird was seen again by resident of the community on February 27th.

Hooded Oriole in Cobble Hill - Photo: Jeremy Gatten

RBA: PINYON JAY in West Vancouver - Oct 27/23-Jan 29/24

At 2:30pm on Dec 16-2023, Michelle Baudais, Sigal Blay and Masahito Yamada found a Pinyon Jay on Sinclair St in West Vancouver during the Vancouver Christmas Bird Count. The bird also has been sighted on a feeder at the corner of Inglewood Ave and 20th St, and west towards 21st St.

Map to locations it has been seen at HERE, HERE and HERE

On Dec 17/23-Jan 29/24, the bird continued and was viewed by several observers at the same spots loosely in the company of Steller’s Jays.

**A homeowner Gillian Shipman has photographed the bird at her feeder on Sinclair St since Oct 27th.**

**Please be respectful of private residences in the area and do not illegally park or block driveways.**

The bird has not been relocated since Jan 29-2024, despite multiple observers looking.

This is the second record for BC.

Pinyon Jay in West Vancouver - Photos: Danielle Cooper

RBA: BRAMBLING in Kitimat - Dec 10/23- Feb 25/24

At 10:30am on Dec 10-2023, April MacLeod found a Brambling at her home in Kitimat. 

The home is open to the public and is located at 72 Skeena Street. 

Map to location HERE

On Dec 11th, the bird continued at the same location at dawn and was also seen HERE by multiple observers at 11:15 am behind Skeena Street in a tall Cottonwood tree along the Creek with some Red-winged Blackbirds and American Robins.

On Feb 25th, the bird continued at April’s home.

Please be respectful of private residences in the area and do not block driveways.

Brambling in Kitimat - Photos: April MacLeod

RBA: GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL in Penticton, Vernon, and Kelowna - Dec 6/23-April 15/24

At 11:40 am on Dec 6- 2023, Chris Charlesworth and Ryan Tomlinson found a first year Great Black-backed Gull on the beach of Okanagan Lake in Penticton. The bird was sitting on the beach with 1 second-year Lesser Black-backed Gull directly across from the Spanish Villa Resort.

Map to location HERE

The bird continued in Penticton on Dec 12th and has been viewed by multiple observers.

On Dec 14/23-Jan 1/24 and January 4, 7, 9-10/24 the bird continued at the mouth of Vernon Creek on Okanagan Lake HERE. On Dec 20th it was seen at MacKay Reservoir in Vernon. On January 2 & 3/24 it was seen on the dock at Maude-Roxby Bird Sanctuary in Kelowna, and on January 6 it was seen at Bredin Pond at the Kelowna Landfill.

On January 18-24, the bird was seen on the dock at Maude-Roxby Bird Sanctuary in Kelowna.

On Jan 25-April 15th, the bird was seen back at the mouth of Vernon Creek and Kin Beach in Vernon on Okanagan Lake in Vernon.

This is the 4th confirmed photographed record for BC.

Great Black-backed Gull in Penticton - Photos: Chris Charlesworth

RBA: COOK'S PETREL in Port Coquitlam - Dec 28/2022 (LATE REPORT)

On Dec 28, 2022 a female Cook's Petrel was found alive (but grounded) at 2110 Rowland Street, Port Coquitlam. The bird was discovered by a member of the public and taken to the Wildlife Rescue Association of BC. Upon receipt of the bird, they immediately observed that it was severely emaciated. Despite their best efforts, the bird's condition failed to improve and the bird was humanely euthanized on Dec 31st.

After the bird was euthanized, it was transported to the Canadian Wildlife Service office in Delta. At a later point, it was necropsied by a Veterinarian from the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food, Animal Health Centre at the Beatty Museum. The necropsy determined the sex (female) and that there was no evidence of trauma. It is believed that the bird's grounding was due to its extreme emaciation/weakened condition. After the Veterinarian finished the necropsy, the bird was sent to the Collections Curator, Cowan Tetrapod Collection, UBC Beaty Biodiversity Museum.

The measurements of the bird are as follows:

Weight: 120 g

Wingspan: 69.9 cm

Wing chord: 22.3 cm

Tail Length: 8.6 cm

Total body length: 30.8 cm

Tarsus length: 3.347 cm

Culmen length: 2.581 cm

The bird was sent to several seabird experts including Steve Howell and Michael Force who confirmed the ID and ruled out Pycroft's Petrel.

This is the second confirmed photographed record for BC. The other bird hit a window in Lillooet on Dec 4, 2007.

Cook’s Petrel in Burnaby - Photos: Wildlife Rescue Association of BC