Note: Rare bird reports and submissions, along with documentation and with photographs where available, are circulated to all committee members for written response in advance. During the subsequent conference call, and after all written responses have been circulated, each submission is discussed in detail. Recommendations are made by consensus.

A total of 30 submissions involving 29 species were reviewed through written submissions for Rounds 15, 16, and 17.

Reflecting the evolution of rare bird reporting and the now wide-spread use of digital photography by birders, newer submissions are frequently supported by photographs. However, the committee strongly encourages observers to continue to make careful field notes to support all submissions. These field notes often prove extremely important to the committee’s decision making even when apparently “good” photographs are provided.

A full account of all the decisions made by the committee, including records not accepted, will be published in an upcoming issue of our journal British Columbia Birds.

 The following species were accepted to the Main Provincial List:

Round 15 – June 2017

Bar-tailed Godwit (24 July – 03 August 2015 – Boundary Bay)
BCBRC #2017–001 Rob Lyske

 

Black-throated Sparrow (7-9 August 2016 – Sechelt)
BCBRC #2017–002 Cathy McLellan et al.

 

Indigo Bunting (5 July 2016 – Pemberton)
BCBRC #2017–003 Seth Stere et al.

 

Laughing Gull (7-15 July 2016 – Sidney)
BCBRC #2017–004 Kerry Finley
New addition to the Main Provincial List. First BRC review.

 

Tufted Duck (11 January – 03 March 2016) Richmond
BCBRC #2017–007 Paul Clapham

 

Tufted Duck (17 February 2014 – Salt Spring Island)
BCBRC #2017–008 Ren Ferguson

 

Black-headed Gull (25-31 January 2016 – Vancouver)
BCBRC #2017–009 Edward Nygren

 

Round 16 – June 2017

Red-flanked Bluetail (22 December 2016 – 14 January 2017 – Comox) BCBRC #2017 – 012 Shane Tillapaugh

 

Field Sparrow (20-21 November 2016 – Colwood)
BCBRC#2017–014 Ellen and Andy Stepniewski

 

Brambling (2 December 2012 to 04 April 2013 – Revelstoke)
BCBRC#2017–016 Darlene Cancelliere

 

Black-throated Blue Warbler (06-13 October 2015 – Revelstoke)
BCBRC#2017–017 Darlene Cancelliere

 

Hooded Warbler (04-31 October 2015 – Revelstoke)
BCBRC#2017–018 Darlene Cancelliere

 

Red-throated Pipit (04-08 May 2016 – Panama Flats, Victoria)
BCBRC#2017–020 Geoffrey Newell

 

Round 17 – September 2017

Curve-billed Thrasher (07 July 2017 – Francois Lake)
BCBRC #2017–021 Keith Walker
Provincial first record

 

Wood Thrush (25 October to mid-November 2015 [exact date unknown] – Summerland)
BCBRC #2017–022 Tom Lowery
Provincial first record

 

Purple Sandpiper (30 December 2016 to 17 April 2017 – Victoria) BCBRC #2017–024 Jeremy Gatten
Provincial first record

 

Piping Plover (25 August 2017 – Boundary Bay)
BCBRC #2017–025 Doug Martin, Jennifer Wu
Provincial first record

 

Slaty-backed Gull (27 November – 3 December 2016 – Delta)
BCBRC #2017–027 Liron Gertsman

 

Eastern Yellow Wagtail (29 September 2014 – Charlotte City)
BCBRC #2017–028 James Bradley

 

Blackburnian Warbler (30 October to 3 November 2014 – Revelstoke)
BCBRC #2017–029 Darlene Cancelliere