Don wrote -

> For the third day in a row now, a Northern Parula has been hanging about a
> small neighbourhood in Port Alberni BC (mid Vancouver Island). It was first
> located on Nov. 9 and has been seen daily including today, Nov. 11

Cool!!

> Today I had the opportunity to see the bird, it appears to me to be a male,
> probably a young male but I am not yet certain. I had many brief looks at
> the bird as it flitted about in the silver maple and cottonwood (both still
> retaining their yellow leaves). The breast is rather bright yellow and at
> one angle did have a faint maroon streak departing from the side of the
> breast but I could not determine its extent. From this, females were
> eliminated but whether or not it is an adult or immature male is unknown. It
> was not possible to get good looks at the back or the tail. Interestingly
> enough, it was in the company of an Orange-crowned Warbler and two Townsend's
> Warblers. This small flock would move about the deciduous trees of the area
> and the flowering ivy bushes with the occasional mixture of Chickadee and RC
> Kinglets. (...and the Townsend's Warblers were not Blackburnian's). As I
> understand it, this is the first or possibly second confirmed sighting for
> the province of BC. And who says California gets all of the eastern
> warblers! (although it won't be long before it heads in that direction).

The 2nd record. I have in my hand a photo of an ad. male N. Parula taken in
Richmond, B.C. by Mike Toochin, June 24, 1994. This hasn't passed the Bird
Record Committee proceedings yet but there is no doubt about this one. An
interesting story on this sighting: Mike was at a house giving a quote for a
painting job and through an open window, he heard the bird sing from the
nearby poplars! Just goes to show that you will always find something
unusual if you keep an ear (and an eye) out.

- Jack


Jack Bowling
Prince George, BC
Canada
jcbowling at mindlink.bc.ca