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 22 submissions involving 20 species were reviewed through written submissions for Rounds 24 and 25.

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 24

Ferruginous Hawk (23 May 2018 – Penticton)
BCBRC #2018–25 Eric Newton
(Written report, no photo)

Loggerhead Shrike (20 May 2018 – Delta)
BCBRC #2018–26 Rob Lyske

Northern Parula (27 May 2018 – Summit Lake, West Kootenay)
BCBRC #2018–27 Gary Davidson

Parakeet Auklet (29 March 2018 – Clayoquot Canyon, ~30 mi west of Tofino)
BCBRC #2018–28 Joachim Bertrands

Red-throated Pipit (19 May 2018 – Saanich)
BCBRC #2018–29 Geoffrey Newell

Snowy Plover (21 May 2018 – Boundary Bay, Delta)
BCBRC #2018–30 Cole Gaerber

Short-tailed Albatross (24 March 2018 – 48°57’23.9″N 126°40’48.9″W, west of Tofino)
BCBRC #2018–31 Mike Toochin
(Report: Melissa Hafting)

Summer Tanager (09 December 2017 – 20 April 2018 – Vancouver)
BCBRC #2018–32 Wendy Kahle

Tufted Duck (02 April 2018 – Victoria)
BCBRC #2018–33 Geoffrey Newell

Note: Two additional submissions for Round 24 received expedited reviews by the Bird Records Committee in order to meet the publication deadline for the new Checklist of British Columbia Birds.

Both decisions were reported, with photographs, in August 2018:

Common Cuckoo (10-15 June 2018 –Tlell, Haida Gwaii)
BCBRC #2018–22 Michael Richardson

Golden-winged Warbler (24 June 2018 – Quesnel)
BCBRC #2018–23 Dwaine Laxdal

Round 25

Crested Caracara (31 May – 12 June 2018 – Firvale, Bella Coola area)
BCBRC #2018–34 Catherine Carter
Report: Michael Force.

Chestnut-sided Warbler (22 June 2018 – Vancouver)
BCBRC #2018–36 Cole Gaerber

Guadalupe Murrelet (9 July 2018, 132 nmi SW of Estevan Pt, 47.592° North, 128.052° West)
BCBRC #2018–37 Michael Force

Common Ringed Plover (5-6 Sept. 2018 – Oyster Bay, near Campbell River) New addition to Main Provincial List
BCBRC #2018–38 Guy Monty

Hermit Warbler (11 June to 17 July 2018 – Mt. Washington)
BCBRC #2018–39 Lori Smith

Manx Shearwater (10 July 2018 – Gordon Channel, 50˚ 55.737′ N – 127˚ 42.454 W)
BCBRC #2018–40 Jared Towers

Snowy Plover (23 August to 4 September 2018 – Revelstoke)
BCBRC #2018–41 Don Manson

Ross’s Gull (10-11 November 2007 – Vanderhoof)
BCBRC #2018–42 Jeremy Gatten
(Written reports, no photo)

Loggerhead Shrike (9 June 2016 – Richmond)
BCBRC #2017-005 Stu Mackenzie