RUFF in Delta, Sept 25th

On Sept 25 at 3:00pm, Kevin Louth found a juvenile male Ruff at the wood pilings East of 96th St on the dyke at Boundary Bay in Delta. The bird was later relocated by multiple observers at the foot of 96th St. The bird was best viewed by a scope and came no closer than 80 metres from the dyke. The bird was in a Black-bellied Plover flock with one Marbled, Bar-tailed and Hudsonian Godwit therin.

The flock took off just before 7pm and was not relocated.

Photo credit: Peter Candido (Ruff is bird in the grass to the left)

Photo credit: Peter Candido (Ruff is unbanded and in flight)

WHITE-FACED IBIS in Revelstoke

A Plegadis ibis was found on September 24th at the airport ponds in Revelstoke by Dusty Veideman, and later seen and photographed by additional people an hour or so later. Immature/winter plumages of White-faced Ibis can be challenging to differentiate from Glossy Ibis (which has not yet been recorded in the province).

A White-faced Ibis was recorded from this same general area on May 17th, 2015 (see the May archives for details).

Photo: Dusty Veideman

FERRUGINOUS HAWK in Creston, Sep. 20

On September 20th a Ferruginous Hawk was found in Creston by Jim Lawrence. The bird was seen off of Kootenay River Road, where it was perched on a fence post in the distance. It eventually flew closer to the road, and was seen for at least 2 hours, beginning at 10:30 am.

Photo: Jim Lawrence

Chestnut-sided Warbler in Castlegar, September 17

On September 17th a Chestnut-sided Warbler was found at Twin Rivers Park in Castlegar by Craig Sandvig. It was first seen at 11 am and present at least through the early afternoon that day. There have been no reports on subsequent dates.

The bird was at the beginning of the Millennium Walkway Trail that starts at the end of 3rd St. It was in the shrubby/forested section at the start of this trail, but did not go past the bench overlooking the river.

This is the 60th record for the province of BC.

Photo: Craig Sandvig

BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER in Hope, September 7

An immature male Blackburnian Warbler was found September 7 at approximately 3 pm in Hope by Rick Toochin. The bird was found in the trees along the far north edge of the property at 62180 Delair Rd.

This property is apparently open to the public. 

Update: Two observers could not relocate the bird on September 8th, and it may have migrated out of the area. 

Brown Booby In Knight Inlet - Aug 28th

A Brown Booby was photographed by Derek Kyostia in Knight Inlet on August 28.  The bird was at 126 06.694 W, 50 39.854 N.

Photo: Derek Kyostia

BC FIRST: BLUE GROSBEAK, Metchosin - Aug. 25

A Blue Grosbeak was found the morning of August 25th at Rocky Point, Metchosin, by Ann Nightingale. The bird was seen for several minutes where it perched in the cattails at the edge of a pond after flying in from a grassy field. The bird was calling repeatedly during the several minute observation.

Important note: Rocky Point is on Department of National Defense land. There is no public visitation of this site.

This is the first confirmed photographed record for the province of British Columbia.

Words defy me. Blue Grosbeak, Metchosin. Photo: Ann Nightingale

Additional photos and an audio/visual clip can be seen at https://www.flickr.com/photos/28936564@N08/with/20859677126/