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.
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| Hooded Oriole in Port Alberni - Photo: via Jeremy Kimm |
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.
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| Redwing in Vancouver - Photo: Mark Swanson |
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.
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| Hooded Oriole in Cobble Hill - Photo: Jeremy Gatten |
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.
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| Pinyon Jay in West Vancouver - Photos: Danielle Cooper |
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.
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| Brambling in Kitimat - Photos: April MacLeod |
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.
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| Great Black-backed Gull in Penticton - Photos: Chris Charlesworth |
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.
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| Cook’s Petrel in Burnaby - Photos: Wildlife Rescue Association of BC |
On Dec 1-2023, Jeremy Gatten found the returning male Tufted Duck at the Duncan Sewage Lagoons. This is likely the same bird that he first found at the site in 2020.
There is no public access inside the lagoons but birders can view the bird through the fence from the elevated trail off Wharncliffe Rd that gives a good view over most of the sewage lagoon.
Map to location HERE
The bird continues on March 19, 2024 and has been viewed by multiple observers.
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| Tufted Duck in Duncan - Photo: Heather Tocher |
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| Tufted Duck in Duncan - Photo: Jeremy Gatten |
At 3pm on Nov 28-2023, Andrew Westerhof found a probable immature male Baikal Teal at the mouth of Carnation Creek. The bird was with 7 Green-winged Teals. The bird is in eclipse plumage moulting into alternate.
Distinguishing a hybrid in this plumage would be very hard until the bird acquired its proper adult plumage. However, the general shape, face pattern including dark behind, below and in front of the eye, leg colour and apparent colouration are seemingly to be coming in correctly. The under-tail coverts look good for Baikal Teal and the white on the trailing edge of the wing is broad and conspicuous, as it should be in this species and the speculum is also consistent with Baikal Teal.
Map to location HERE
This bird is located on private gated land at a Coho Research station that is not accessible to the public. The locked gate is several kms from where the bird was seen so birders cannot even view it through the gate.
The only way to get near to the area is by boat but please note the estuary is very shallow so even a boat would likely not get close enough in order to see the bird. Note also no boat rentals are available near to the area at this time of year.
Birders may want to check Sarita Estuary HERE (about 10 kms away) in case the bird moves there but they must seek permission from the Huu-hay-aht First Nations to walk on the land.
Multiple experts in Asia have confirmed this to be a bird pure in their opinions.
If confirmed and accepted by the BRC, this would be the 3rd accepted record for BC.
The bird has was not relocated on Nov 29th or Nov 30th.
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| Probable Baikal Teal in Bamfield - Photos: Andrew Westerhof |
At 1:30pm on November 27-2023, Teresa Weismiller found a male Dickcissel in a flock of House Sparrows coming to a feeder on a lawn at 516th 5th Ave E. in Prince Rupert.
Map to location HERE
Please be respectful of private residences and view from the public road.
This is the 33rd record for BC.
The bird was last seen in the same location on April 6, 2024 and has been viewed by multiple observers.
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| Dickcissel in Prince Rupert - Photos: Teresa Weismiller |
