Birders flock to Vancouver beach to see rare bird native to Russia

Dozens of birders descended on Vancouver’s Sunset Beach Park on Sunday to catch a rare glimpse of a bird that avian enthusiasts say has never been recorded in Canada before.

Taiga flycatchers are ordinary at first glance.

But birder Ethan Moon, who was the first to spot the small bird on Christmas Day, says they are a rare sight in Canada as they usually breed in Eastern Russia and Mongolia and are known to migrate to northeast India, Thailand and China.

Dozens of birders gathered to view the bird at Vancouver’s Sunset Beach since it was first spotted on Boxing Day. (Chris Helgren/Reuters)

Moon says it’s “a once-in-a-generation moment” to see the “little guy” after its long journey to Canada.

Moon said he stumbled upon a little brown bird flitting near the bases of some trees on Christmas Day while he was out for a walk, and he took a photograph to share it with his friends.

“And then they’re like, ‘Oh, that looks like a taiga flycatcher. That’s like the first ever in Canada.’ So, yeah, got really excited, tried to send it out to as many people as I could, and obviously the word’s got out,” said Moon, while standing next to more than 40 bird enthusiasts at the Vancouver park.

It remains a mystery how this taiga flycatcher ended up in B.C.

Moon said sometimes younger birds get confused and fly the wrong way. Other times, they get blown across the ocean or hitch a ride on a boat. 

Compared to blue jays, which are known for their sharp blue colour, taiga flycatchers are ordinary at first glance. (Chris Helgren/Reuters)

Moon said this taiga flycatcher, which is supposed to be in Asia now, is “really far from home.”

David Ricardo, a Peruvian ecologist who has lived in Canada for 15 years, was among the birders hoping to spot the bird over the weekend.

“I might never be where that bird comes from so it’s always exciting,” he said. “Even if it’s just for few seconds that’s worth it.”

The taiga flycatcher, seen in a handout photo by birder Ethan Moon. Moon says it’s ‘a once-in-a-generation moment’ to see the ‘little guy’ after its long journey to Canada. (Ethan Moon)

As for why the bird ended up in Vancouver, Ricardo says recent weather patterns or climate change may have played a role, but he isn’t certain.

Jen Moses, an amateur birder from East Vancouver, said she learned about the taiga flycatcher after receiving alerts through eBird, which notifies users of rare bird sightings.

“Bird watching gets me out,” she said. “I just love looking at birds and understanding them.”

News of the rare taiga flycatcher sighting is making its way around North America.

Some like Jennifer Standish came all the way from Seattle, Wash., laden with heavy camera gear and binoculars.

“It’s so unusual to see it here in the mainland of North America,” she said.

Another birder, Emma Sutherland, said watching the bird forage and bounce around was thrilling and memorable for her and her husband.

“I’m happy for us, but I’m sad for the bird because it’s lost its way,” she said.

Taiga flycatchers eat a variety of bugs, she said, so she’s guessing the bird has been hanging out close to the Vancouver Aquatic Centre, because the warm air coming from the centre has drawn flies to the area.

Sutherland’s husband Jim said the little bird has been quite active. 

“It’s pretty good about doing its own business and not worrying about us,” he said.