Rarity: Pinyon Jay

The Pinyon Jay ranges from central Oregon to northern Baja, California. This was the second time ever it visited British Columbia. It’s a beautiful blue bird with a long sharply pointed bill.

It was a chilly autumn day, and a small group of us brave souls were out there for the Christmas bird Count. A bird landed at the top of a five storey high conifer. It was blue. No crest! And a VERY long bill. This was not a regular sight in our region. We manage to take a poor picture, and the bird flew away. I didn’t think it will be spotted again.

The next morning some most ambitious bird watchers went on a reconnaissance trip. It was quickly spotted again! In the following month, birds from all over BC, and some from more Eastern provinces, flocked to see the bird. It was soon discovered that the Jay is a regular visitor at a bird feeder in a yard of an old couple. The couple was sympathetic with the plight and determination of the ample of watchers and photographers descending on their streets, and let people in their yard, occasionally into their living room!I am responsible for hundreds of bird watchers from all over Canada descending on a quiet neighbourhood in North Vancouver with their binoculars, cameras, and scopes.

In memory of a Red-shafted Northern Flicker

This young Flicker left the nest merely a few weeks ago. Reason of death: unknown. The feathers were scattered all over the place. From the top left: chest and ventral feathers, tail feathers, 4 underwing coverts, one black breast-band feather; left wing, uppertail coverts, right wing; primary coverts, various back feathers.

Notice the molt limit, with P4 fresh and shorter, and P5 still half encased in its sheath.
The tip of the outer-most 5 primaries is more pointed than the rest of the primaries (as in juvenal feathers).

Bullock’s Oriole nesting @ Brunswick Point

Bullock’s Oriole male at the nest

Bullock’s Oriole female at the nest

Tropical Kingbird @ Brunswick Point

Tropical Kingbird

How to see a Sora and a Virginia Rail

  1. Go to the North-West corner of Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary.
  2. Stand on the platform overlooking the pond and peer at the reeds.
  3. Wait.

I didn’t need to wait long. A couple of Soras showed up first, followed by an elegant Rail.

Sora
Sora
Virginia Rail
Virginia Rail

Franklin and Bonaparte at Locarno Beach

Franklin's Gull

First year Franklin’s Gull

Bonaparte's Gull

Bonaparte’s Gull

Ash-throated Flycatcher in Delta

Ash-throated Flycatcher

Ash-throated Flycatcher

The distribution region of the Ash-throated Flycatcher doesn’t extend this much north, but this young individual stayed in Boundary Bay for over a month, to the delight of all bird chasers.

Blackie Spit

Long-billed Curlews spend their winters in and around Mexico and along the Pacific coast. The most northern Curlew along the Pacific chose Blackie Spit as his wintering habitat. He is accompanied by one to seven Marbled Godwits, whose distribution is similar.

Long-Billed Curlew and Marbled Godwit

Long-Billed Curlew and Marbled Godwit

Caspian Tern

Caspian Term

Barred Owl at Stanley Park

Stanley Park had a breeding pair of Barred Owls this year.

Barred Owl

Barred Owl (seen near Lost Lagoon)

Merlin Chasing Sandpipers

Merlin chasing a flock of Western Sandpipers

A Merlin flushing a flock of Western Sandpipers at Iona inner pond. Yes, he did get one for lunch.

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