A male Falcated Teal was still present on Tofino Inlet, west coast of
Vancouver Island, to at least 5 PM Jan. 28. No reports, positive or
negative, received to 4 PM Sunday. See my earlier postings for directions,
or call the Victoria Rare Bird Alert at (604) 592-3381.

Use a scope to search among all groups of ducks there. The teal may be near
the far shore and may take some time to find. As the tide drops, it has
been flying in closer to the foot of Sharp Road. It shows more white on the
upper back than the four Gadwalls with it, and more white than is depicted in
the NGS Field Guide; the falcate (curved) tertails flare out from the upper
flanks, producing a "heavy rump" effect; and the long feathers of the
lower hind neck stick up as the bird probes into the water.

If accepted as a wild vagrant, this would be the first of its species
confirmed for British Columbia and one of the first south of the Aleutians.
As I understand the situation, acceptance by the BC Rare Bird Records
Committee will be necessary before the bird can be counted for ABA purposes.

Therefore, Tweeters and others who get to see the bird are asked to write a
detailed account for consideration by the BC Records Committee. Include the
date, time, location, habitat, distance, optics used, description,
associating species, behaviour, references used, other similar species which
you ruled out, etc. You may wish to add any _unbiased_ observations and
comments relative to the "wildnesss" of this individual. You may use a Rare
Bird Report Form for your State or province; the BC form requests information
standard to such forms. Send the reports to me (3085 Uplands Road,
Victoria, BC, V8R 6B3 or via Tweeters) and I will see that they get to
the Committee.

It's a long drive to Tofino, particularly the section from Port Alberni to
Sharp Road and the bird...paved, but winding and narrow in places. Allow 2.5
hours from Nanaimo. Please use caution. Take rain gear. Gasoline
is available in Tofino and Ucluelet.

Watch also for one or more Eurasian Wigeons off the end of Sharp Road,
White-winged Crossbills over Sharp Road (rare on Vanc. Island) and 2
Redheads on nearby Grice Bay (also rare on the west coast of the Island). A
scope watch off the nearby ocean beaches could produce an interesting
gull, Alcid or pelagic species.

Over the years, the Tofino-Ucluelet area has attracted a number of
vagrant and interesting birds, including an Oriental Turtle Dove, Rustic
Bunting, Dusky Thrush, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Tropical Kingbird, Laysan
Albatross (photographed flying over the village), Dickcissel and a number of
other passerines not normally found on the coast. A "migrant trap"?

Please let me know what you find.


Bryan Gates, Victoria, BC
bgates at assessment.env.gov.bc.ca