Birdwatching

A pair of bald eagle parents-to-be are carefully taking care of two eggs, laid March 17 and March 20. Two other pairs in Delta and South Surrey appear to be making efforts toward breeding eggs of their own, all visible on 24/7 live camera streams on the Hancock Wildlife Foundation website. (Hancock Wildlife Foundation/Facebook)

VIDEO: This pair of B.C. bald eagles are expecting: 2 eggs seen in nest through livestream

Live cameras streaming other nests where watchers are hopeful more eggs will appear

 

Biologist and bird count data compiler Heidi van Vliet and Martin Angelstad peer through binoculars across Buttertubs Marsh during the Nanaimo Christmas Bird Count on Dec. 27 when the Millstone River topped its banks and flowed across the trail. (Photo submitted)

Nanaimo’s birds get counted over Christmas in spite of ‘fowl’ weather

Dark-eyed juncos most common, followed by seagulls and robins

 

Avid birder Andrew MacDonald scooped a photo of the puffin while changing the settings on his camera on Wednesday, January 4. (Courtesy Andrew MacDonald)

Windstorm blows oceangoing northern puffin into Victoria for a rare sighting

Birdwatchers in the area said it was likely the bird was blown into the area by recent high winds

 

A Prothonotary Warbler is shown in this handout image. A tiny warbler spotted flying in a Vancouver parking garage is not only on the wrong side of the country, its on the wrong continent for this time of year. The Wildlife Rescue Association says it captured the Prothonotary warbler without incident out of concern for its health. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Wildlife Rescue Association of BC-Melissa Hafting

B.C. rescue group captures wrong-way warbler that should be wintering far south

Endangered bird rarely in B.C. and should be in South America the Gulf of Mexico right now

A Prothonotary Warbler is shown in this handout image. A tiny warbler spotted flying in a Vancouver parking garage is not only on the wrong side of the country, its on the wrong continent for this time of year. The Wildlife Rescue Association says it captured the Prothonotary warbler without incident out of concern for its health. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Wildlife Rescue Association of BC-Melissa Hafting
A Canada goose family enjoys a Monday morning breakfast together at Oak Bay’s Kitty Islet. Bruce Harrison of Ducks Unlimited Canada said the abundance of geese in B.C. causes water contamination, algae blooms and messy sports fields. (Evert Lindquist/News Staff)

Canada goose poop problem in Greater Victoria needs new solutions, experts say

Egg sterilization only goes so far; robotic fox, feces Zamboni tried elsewhere

A Canada goose family enjoys a Monday morning breakfast together at Oak Bay’s Kitty Islet. Bruce Harrison of Ducks Unlimited Canada said the abundance of geese in B.C. causes water contamination, algae blooms and messy sports fields. (Evert Lindquist/News Staff)
A Nazca booby rests on driftwood approximately four nautical miles south from the Trial Islands Ecological Reserve on July 24. Whale watcher Tasli Shaw sighted the bird, which only breeds as far north as southern California, for the first time on record in the Victoria Harbour Migratory Bird Sanctuary the day before. (Photo by Matt Stolmeier)

Rare bird sighting off B.C. coast excites whale watchers, leaves birders jealous

Bird the first Nazca booby ever observed in Victoria area, and just the 3rd ever in B.C.

A Nazca booby rests on driftwood approximately four nautical miles south from the Trial Islands Ecological Reserve on July 24. Whale watcher Tasli Shaw sighted the bird, which only breeds as far north as southern California, for the first time on record in the Victoria Harbour Migratory Bird Sanctuary the day before. (Photo by Matt Stolmeier)
The rare white raven Blizzard has taken centre stage at the North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre. (NIWRC photo)

Rare white raven grabs the spotlight at Vancouver Island wildlife centre

Iconic bird Blizzard can now be viewed by the public and is soaking up the attention

The rare white raven Blizzard has taken centre stage at the North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre. (NIWRC photo)
A retired professor from the Comox Valley has been fighting for more access for birdwatching in the Fairy Creek area, especially when it comes to mapping threatened species. Photo supplied

Vancouver Island birder fights for more access to Fairy Creek region

Supreme Court turned down petition on grounds Royann Petrell had access, other legal option s

A retired professor from the Comox Valley has been fighting for more access for birdwatching in the Fairy Creek area, especially when it comes to mapping threatened species. Photo supplied
Great blue herons, like this one pictured off the coast of South Oak Bay between Kitty Islet and the Victoria Golf Club, are among at-risk species affected by dogs in Greater Victoria’s migratory bird sanctuaries. (Evert Lindquist/News Staff)

Federal report deems dogs the greatest risk to south Island’s migratory birds

Off-leash dogs, disturbed birds throughout Victoria Harbour Migratory Bird Sanctuary

Great blue herons, like this one pictured off the coast of South Oak Bay between Kitty Islet and the Victoria Golf Club, are among at-risk species affected by dogs in Greater Victoria’s migratory bird sanctuaries. (Evert Lindquist/News Staff)
A common pochard swims at a pond at Morningstar Golf Club in Parksville. (Mike Yip photo)

Nanoose Bay photographer’s rare find causes a stir among birdwatchers

Common pochard, which isn’t common at all, spotted at golf course pond

A common pochard swims at a pond at Morningstar Golf Club in Parksville. (Mike Yip photo)
A finch pauses on a branch while foraging for food at Buttertubs Marsh this week. (Chris Bush/News Bulletin)

A charm of finches lifts Christmas bird count numbers in Nanaimo

14,000 more birds tallied than in last year’s count

A finch pauses on a branch while foraging for food at Buttertubs Marsh this week. (Chris Bush/News Bulletin)
The yellow-rumped warbler tends to arrive on Vancouver Island in early March. (Black Press Media file)

Despite reports of decline, birds flocking to national parks in Canadian Rockies

Recent studies suggest overall bird population has slid by three billion since 1970

The yellow-rumped warbler tends to arrive on Vancouver Island in early March. (Black Press Media file)
Blair Dudeck and Heidi van Vliet joined about 100 other volunteers who participated in Nanaimo’s Christmas Bird Count on Dec. 28. The count tallied about 1,550 fewer birds compared to the 2018 count. (Kim Wetten photo)

Fewer birds tallied in Nanaimo’s recent winter count

1,550 fewer fowl counted than previous year, but there were a few unusual sightings

Blair Dudeck and Heidi van Vliet joined about 100 other volunteers who participated in Nanaimo’s Christmas Bird Count on Dec. 28. The count tallied about 1,550 fewer birds compared to the 2018 count. (Kim Wetten photo)