VAGRANT BIRDS (ready for review)

Over 450 species of birds have been reported on Vancouver Island, but only about 250 are regularly seen every year or almost every year. The remaining 200 or so are vagrants that have strayed a considerable distance from their ranges or migration routes. There are many possible reasons for vagrancy. For example, birds have wings, and they can just fly wherever they please. It's like you having unlimited airmiles. I'm sure you would end up at many locations out of the norm.  As well, instead of following their own species, a bird could join other going in a different direction. However, there are times when birds go astray due to factors out of their control. *Massive weather systems regularly blow birds from Asia and Europe across to the Aleutian Islands and Alaska. And what about hurricanes and typhoons? Are all birds able to hunker down safely or are they thrown recklessly to new locations? Another scenario is birds riding on ships or fish boats. They could have just fallen asleep while the ship was leaving or they were just resting and decided to go along for the ride. In most cases no on knows why a bird becomes vagrant, and the birds won't tell.

Regardless of the reason, vagrant birds become a source of fascination especially for birders. In the vernacular of birders, birds that are seldom seen in the country, province, or general location are called RARITIES.  A bird that has never been seen before or maybe once or twice in a 100 years is considered a MEGA RARITY.  For example, the CITRINE WAGTAIL discovered in Courtenay in 2012 was a MEGA RARITY since it was the first time ever seen in Canada, and I think only the 2nd time in North America. The sighting attracted hundreds of Canadian bird watchers and scores from all over the US. The Citrine is common in Asia and definitely not expected on Vancouver Island. The name Citrine refers to the citrus or yellow colour of the adult. The wagtail here was probably an immature bird.
A more recent mega rarity is the Taiga Flycatcher that was a Christmas present for a Vancouver birder strolling at Sunset Beach on Christmas Day 2025. It was also a first for Canada, and like the Red-flanked Bluetail in 2013, it should have been in southeast Asia.
 

Bird displacement by weather events
* Late Decenber 2005 massive storm blew Red Phalaropes onto Whiffin Spit, into Prospect Lake, and as far as Quamichan Lake in Duncan.
* Late December 2025 massive storms blew many Dovekies inland in New foundland.
* Summer of 1984 a hurricane "wreck" swept about 400 shearwaters and petrels several hundred miles inland in South Africa. Most did not survive.
  

Citrine Wagtail in Courtenay (Dec. 2012)

TWITCHING?

For the uninitiated, here's a couple birding terms. First, TWITCHING which is the pursuit of rare birds reported by others, and the failure to find the bird is DIPPING. According to the British, the term twitching refers to the shivering of the the bird monitors who who tasked with verifying bird reports. Whenever a bird report came in, off they went on their mortorcycles regardless of the weather. In many cases, it was in cold weather and the monitors would end up shivering or twitching. Such was the dedication of British birders. 

Twitching is the most common and easiest way of finding a rare bird. In the case of the Citrine Wagtail, the news travelled faster than wildfire thanks to the internet. As soon as the news was received, Island birders hopped in their cars and some were on the scene within minutes and others in an hour or so. Meanwhile, birders from afar were booking airline reservations while others were checking ferry schedules. For many it would be the chance of a lifetime to see a Citrine Wagtail. As far as I know, the Citrine was the most famous MEGA RARITY on Vancouver Island, drawing the largest crowds and most foreign visitors. However, since I haven't done much twitching in the past decade, I have no idea how many birders showed up to view some of the more *recent mega rarities.

The photo below shows a few twitchers looking at the Northern Wheatear that landed on Columbia Beach near Parksville in October, 2005. It was the second ever seen on Vancouver Island and BC, but it had been seen more than a few times below the 49th. So while it was a mega raity for us in BC, it did not warrant the international attraction and celebrity of the Citrine Wagtail. The Wheatear nests in Alaska and the high Arctic, and its normal distribution is to Asia and Europe. (photo below - Northern Wheatear twitchers)

 

Northern Wheatear at French Creek (Oct. 2005)

Being the first to find a rare bird is simply the case of being in the right place at the right time. Of course, your chances are directly proportional to the time you spend looking, and it is not surprising that most rarities are discovered by birders. Both the Citrine Wagtail and the Northern Wheatear mentioned previously were discovered by birders. As a birder I have been fortunate to register some notable "firsts" on my resume. My best two were the Lesser Nighthawk photographed offshore west of Tofino in 2006 and the female Common Pochard near Parksville in 2020. There is no special prize or recognition for being the "first," but a few birders might thank you, and you can give yourself a few brownie points.

On June 5, 2006 I just happened to be birding 25 miles offshore of Tofino on a fishing boat when a nighthawk circled the boat a few times possibly looking for a place to rest. I thought it was a Common Nighthawk, but after I returned home and posted my photos, I received several emails from birding experts in the US pointing out that my bird was actually a Lesser Nighthawk. It had never been reported in BC before and was the second sighting in Canada. Whether it was considered a rarity or a mega rarity  made no difference to me. I was just happy to have seen and photographed it.  

A male Common Pochard was discovered on November, 2020 at the Summit Resevoir in Victoria. It was the first in BC and possibly the first in Canada depending on who is keeping score.
 

I found the female Common Pochard a month later at Morningstar Pond near Parksville. One has to wonder if there was any connection between the two birds. Were they partners, and did they travel together before being separated?
 

My 3rd and 4th favorite "firsts" were the Gray-crowned Rosy Finch (photo below) in Victoria (Clover Point) and the Black Tern (photo below)  in Nanoose Bay. The Gray-crowned Rosy Finch was notable at the local level in Victoria because it nests at high elevations and is uncommon near sea level. According to unofficial sources, my discovery on October 20, 2006 at Clover Point was the first local sighting in ablout 10 years. Regardless of when it was seen in the past, it was simply a beautiful first sighting for me, and I was pleased to be able to make a contribution to the local birding community.  The Black Tern was another exciting discovery. I saw it swooping for insects over a pond while I was golfing in Nanoose Bay (Aug. 2004). I thought it was a small gull, but a quick call to a local birding expert soon verified it as a Black Tern.  The Black Tern's breeding range extends from central BC into the Northwest Territories and east across the prairie provinces. Reports on Vancouver Island are quite rare at about once or twice every 10 years. A few other possible "firsts" that may or may not warrant mentioning include a flock of 15 Stilts at Holden Creek ( Aug. 2005), a Tropical Kingbird in Nanoose Bay (Oct. 2005), a Green Heron at Courtenay Airpark (Aug. 2007), a Ruff at Columbia Beach (Aug. 2007), a  Buff-breasted Sandpiper at Holden Creek ( Aug. 2007), a Clark's Grebe at Deep Bay (Oct. 2008) and a Red Knot at Admiral's Lagoon (Sept. 2008). 
 

Gray-crowned Rosy Finch - Clover  Point (Oct. 20, 2006)

Black Tern Nanoose Bay (Aug. 2004)

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On August 20/07 I was photographing some peeps at Admiral's Lagoon when abother group of peeps flew in. Everything seemed normal except for one over-sized shorebird. Thanks to a birding friend, it was identified as a Ruff and a new bird for me.

On Oct. 1, 2005 I discovered an Eared Grebe on Rascal Pond near Parksville. I thought it was quite unique to be on a fresh water pond, but it didn't draw any interest because it was commonly seen on salt water.

The Buff-breasted Sandpiper at Chesterman Beach was socializing with a flock of Western and Least Sandpipers on Aug. 07, 2022. It was my second "first" for this shorebird after one at Holden Creek on Aug. 21. 2007.

Yellow-billed Loon at Deep Bay.

Laysan Albatross offshore of Tofino.

Green Heron at Duncan forestry pond.

Buff-breasted Sandpiper at Holden Creek.

MY FIRST TWITCH

Most of the rare birds I have seen were thanks to the birders who posted their sightings. As a new birder and photographer it didn't take long to be bitten by the twitching bug. It was Feb. 2004 when I had just purchased my first digital camera, a 6 mp Nikon D100. At the same time a male King Eider was spotted by birders at Fanny Bay. I tried several times to find the duck from shore, but obviously, it was a scope job. A 500 mm lens was hopeless. In desperation I phoned Bob F. who lived at Deep Bay and asked if he could do a charter for me. I didn't know Bob, but my wife knew his wife and from various conversations I gleaned that they had a boat. Luckily, he was interested, but was selling his boat later in the afternoon. Undeterred I asked, "Are you busy this morning?" An hour later we were cruising towards Fanny Bay which was across the way from Deep Bay. It took a half hour to finally locate the flock of scoters and the vagrant King Eider, a beautiful visitor from the Arctic. It was trial by fire for my new camera and a lesson on over-exposure, but I was excited just to see the stranger from the north, and any decent photos would be a bonus. Needless to say, I was excited and ecstatic. As a bonus the photos were decent, and I couldn't wait for my next twitch.
 

TWITCHING SUCCESS

When twitching, the best scenario is to find a group of birders at your twitching destination. In the case of the Citrine, there were about 30 birders on the scene when I arrived. It didn't take long to point my lens at the wayward bird. Of course, there were times when the birders were on the scene but the bird wasn't. That happened not once, but 4 times in pursuit of the Whooper Swan in Courtenay in 2023. Finally, on my 5th try, there were no birders around, but fortunately, the Whooper showed up where it was last reported. Apparently, that was the last time the Whooper was seen in the area, and few days later a Whooper was reported south of the border. The Whooper is common in Europe but a rare visitor to western North America. 

Dipping is is often the result of twitching. There is never any guarantee that the bird will stay or show. I dipped twice on the Brambling and have still never seen one. The first time was in Cowichan on a cold, wet, and windy day. I hung out for 3 hours before throwing in the towel. It was only cold when I dipped on a Brambling in Port Alberni on a frigid winter's day, but with snow in the forecast, I only stayed for 2 hours.

THANKS TO BIRDERS

Obviously, twitching wouldn't be possible without the kindness of other birders reporting their discoveries on various media. In the past few years the popular method of sharing reports has been the cell phone, but I haven't embraced that technology and am not part of the group. However, back to the stone ages, I benefitted from many website reports by others, and I am grateful for their sharing as it provided me with many memorable experiences and sometimes a new bird. With very limited birding and twitching in the past decade I have missed many exciting vagrant birds. By posting my past experiences and photos I hope  to provide a historical perspective of some vagrants on Vancouver Island and inspire non-birders to take an active interest in birding and twitching. The following collection of photos represent some of the birds found and reported by other birders.
 

June 2004 - On a routine check of the San Malo mudflats I was amazed to see a gorgeous all-white bird similar to a Great Blue Heron. From the pictures I had seen in Sibley's field guide, I knew it was Great Egret. It is a beautiful and graceful bird normally found in the southern US and along the west coast as far north as the middle of Oregon.
 

On Nov. 25, 2004 a late afternoon report of a Lark Sparrow at San Malo was irresitable. It was almost dark when I got there, but I immediately saw the bird foraging right at the parking area. Fortunately, my 6 mp Nikon D100 performed well in low light conditions. The Lark Sparrow's breeding range extends from the southern US into the southern ares of Canada.

After not visiting the Pacific Rim for over 10 years, I did 4 twitches there in 2004. The first was on Aug. 10 when a pair of Long-billed Curlews had been reported a few days earlier on Chesterman Beach. Fortunately, both long-legged shorebirds were still there when I arrived.
 

 
My second twitch was at the Thornton Creek hatchery near Ucluelet. It was calm and quiet when I arrived, and there were no birders around to help. I searched down and around  the creek carefully for 30 minutes and was ready to admit defeat, but when I looked up, there it was at eye level on an alder tree.

The report of a rare Painted Bunting in March 2006 Victoria was exciting news for birders. It was even better news that the bird was in a birder's yard, and everyone was invited to sit on the deck to watch for the bird. The bird was probably a female and a considerable distance from its normal range in the southern US.

My first ever visit to Whiffin Spit was on Nov. 27, 2004 to look for the elusive Grasshopper Sparrow. Thankfully, a couple of birders arrived a few minutes after me, and they were successful in finding the skulking bird. It was a greeat introduction to Whiffin Spit, and I would return many time in the future.

The Bobolink's breeding range extends from the Okanagan east to the prairie provinces. It was a treat to see one at the Saanich bulb fiels on Nov. 29, 2007. It only provided fleeting glimpses and was very difficult to photograph.

Everybody loves an easy twitch. The maleTufted Duck at King's Pond in March 2007 was present for about a week and provided excellent views for all onlookers. The duck is widespreas across northern Europe and Asia and a regular visitor to North America. 

The Black-throated Blue Warbler breeds in south eastern Canada then migrates south to the Carribean and Central America. Since weather systems generally proceed from west to east, it's appearance in Nanoose Bay  (Dec. 2007) might be a good example of a bird straying on its own volition.

Sometimes you get lucky when twitching and that was the case on Oct. 30, 2007. I had no idea where to look on Atkins Rd. so I pulled over to get my bearings. Lo and behold, the mockingbird was in a tree right beside my car. The mocking bird's breeding range extends as far north as southern Oregon, but individuals frequently stray to Vancouver Island.

The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is rarely seen west of the Rocky Mountains, but in Aug. 2008, one was photographed at Black Creek. Fortunately, the photographer welcomed visitors to his backyard, and I was delighted to get some photos.

It was a cold and rainy November 4, 2005 morning when I made my way to the Beverly Street driving range in Duncan. Luckily, the rain had kept the golfers at home, and I was given permission to photograph the wandering Cattle Egret. It breeds in south eastern US and is common in South America and Africa.

On May 25, 2008 I hiked down to Botanical Beach hoping to find the exotic Scissor-tailed Flycatcher that had recently been reported. Fortunately, the elegant vagrant from south central US was foraging for flies in the seaweed, but unfortunately, I had camera problems and had to be satisfied with a few distant record shots. (At least it wasn't a dead battery or missing memory card problem.)

Paparazzi time! The Northern Hawkowl tends to attract more than its share of photographers and that was definitely the case at Morden Road in Feb. 2009. The bird is common in northern regions of North America but strays are seen on Vancouver Island and southern BC about 2 or 3 times every 5 years. 

When it rains it pours if you can call 4 Black-necked stilts a storm on Vancouver Island in Aug. 2012. Out of nowhere 2 pairs of stilts arrived at Maber Flats, successfully raised families, and left with their fledglings. The stilts normally breed as far north as southeastern Washington.

Thanks to a friendly Port Alberni farmer on June 15, 2005 I was permitted to sit in his driveway to wait for the White-wing Dove. 2 hours seemed like eternity, but it was worth the wait as the rare visitor from southern US finally showed up for a late lunch.

I think the Black-tailed Gull at Courtenay Airpark in Nov. 2008 was the 3rd in BC but only the first properly documented by photographs. It strayed as far south as Parksville and stayed in the region for a few days which made a number of twitchers very happy. 
 

The Black-tailed is normally found on the eastern shores of Asian but a few have found their way to North America. Some are believed to have booked passage on freighters while others made their way voluntarilyacross the Aleutian Islands.

The gorgeous Bohemian Waxwing is an irruptive species that occasionally shows up on Vancouver Island. My first opportunity to see one was in Port Alberni on Christmas Day in 2008. I wasn't very popular when I abandoned my Christmas guests to do the twitch.

The Prairie Warbler is another east  coast breeder that normally migrates south to the Carribean and Central America. One showed up in Tofino in October 2009 and was spotted by a birder outside his apartment window. Fortunately, it stayed for a few days providing excellent views for those willing to make the lengthy trip across the island. 

The Bar-tailed Godwit is famous for its nonstop migratory journeys from northern Asian and Alaska to New Zealand, a flight of over 10,000 km. However, not all of them fly nonstop. A few have stopped on Vancouver Island, and I was fortunate to find the one reported in Sept. 2006 at Port Renfrew. It was enjoying the company of the larger Marbled Godwit foraging and frolicking on the expansive beach.
 

ROAD TRIP BIRDS

 I did have the opportunity to bird across the water several times for birds I had never seen. In the early winter of 2009 Northern Goshawks had been reported for a couple of weeks at Jericho Park. I procrastinated until Jan. 29 then decided to make do the twitch. When I arrived there were no hawks around so I walked out to the far end of the park. On my way back I stopped at a mostly frozen pond where a flock of ducks was foraging in the small unfrozen section. Suddenly a goshawk flew in, snatched a wigeon, and landed close to me. Oblivious of my presence it proceeded to rip pieces of flesh from the unfortunate duck. During the feast a flock of crows flew overhead and the hawk immediately tented to cover up the prey. Once the crows were out of sight the hawk resumed its meal.  

below - In January 2013 the excitement of the mega rarity Citrine Wagtail (Dec. 2012) had barely subsided when a second mega rarity arrived in BC. This time it was a petite Red-flanked Bluetail that should have been somewhere in southeast Asia.  The bird was the first in Canada, and it hung out at Queen's Park in New Westminster. Of course, it attracted numerous birders, curiosity seekers, and news media. With the concern for birders contributing more than their share of pollution, I decided not to twitch unless I had another reason to be on the lower mainland. Finally, my chance came three weeks later. By then there were no reports of the bird, but I decided to check it out anyway. When I arrived at the park there was hardly a soul in site. Undeterred I started the search and finally saw three people with cameras at the far end of the park. As I slowly approached them I caught a glimpse of the bird. The delightful bird was quite obliging and seemed unconcerned about my presence as it continued to forage below the trees. 

below - On December 4, 2004 the big news was a McKay's Bunting discovered by a birder at Iona Park by the Vancouver airport. It was the 2nd ever reported in BC. I didn't have any reason to go to Vancouver until Dec. 27, and decided to visit Iona even if the McKay's wasn't there because it was a prime birding venue. I knew I my arthritic knees couldn't handle the 4.5 km trek carrying 25 lbs of camera gear so I improvised an attachment on my bike to pull my golf cart and bag. With the camera and lens in the bag I was able to ride to the end of the jetty. I had to endure more than a few comments like, "The golf course is in the other direction," but it was all in good fun, and it was worth it. The small group of buntings were on the rocks just before the end of the jetty and the McKay's was with them. 

below - The American Bittern is a common bird at Reifel, but it is seldom seen on Vancouver Island.  On Feb, 19, 2009 I got a call from a friend who was watching a bittern catching fish from a raft of branches at Reifel. I caught the next ferry and two and a half hours later I was watching the bittern catching small fish from its raft.  It was an awesome experience to see the bittern in action. The bittern is a rare visitor to Vancouver Island and has been occasionally documented at Swan Lake and Buttertubs Marsh.

The American Bittern is a common bird ar Reifel, but it is rarely seen in action. I got my chance on Feb. 19, 2009 when a friend phoned and mentioned that the bittern was frequenting a raft of branches. I caught the next ferry and was there 3 hours later. Luckily, the bittern was still there catching small fish from the raft. The American Bittern has been seen occasionally at Buttertubs Marsh and Swan Lake on Vancouver Island.

Snowy Owl

Western Kingbird

Bullock's Oriole

Willet

HOW TO FIND RARE BIRDS

As mentioned earlier, the best way to find rare birds is to keep you eyes and ears open to reports by other birders. In recent years the smart phone has been the most popular source of information, but you have to be a member of the What's App group. For those like myself who aren't members, we are fortunate to have the BC Bird Alert (https://bcbirdalert.blogspot.com/). Rare and unusual bird sightings for the province are regularly posted, and there are also links to various regions like Vancouver Island for local rare and uncommon sightings. 

Rare birds can also be found during regular birding, but you can increase your chances by knowing when and where to look. For example, spending more time at beaches and wetlands during shorebird migration could pay off with an Eskimo Curlew or other rare bird. However, rare birds can show up at any time or any place so the moral is "Don't leave home without your camera!" Of course, your chances are always better when you don't have your camera.