I found a Common Ringed Plover in Delta!!

Well today started off kind of slow. I wanted to go birding at Beach Grove/Boundary Bay Regional Park .I was telling Ilya all evening that I felt we could find a rarity there tonight. I don't know why I said this. I don't usually say stuff like that but hand a good feeling. Ilya felt we had better odds at Boundary Bay so we started off at 96th St and saw thousands of peeps but none would land and there were no plover flocks; so we finally decided to head over to Beach Grove.

When we got there the tide was so high but we found a decent flock of peeps at the spit and watched them at close range. We picked out some semipalmated sandpipers and just enjoyed the view. Soon Mike and Sharon Toochin joined us and then Richard Swanston. We were all just chatting and enjoying the beautiful evening when this plover flew in right in front of us. The bird was facing away from us and Sharon joked "check to see it isn't a Common Ringed Plover." The bird turned around and Ilya after uttering some expletive said “look at that thick breast band!!!.” We all thought it looked like a Common Ringed Plover.  Then other Semipalmated Plovers flew in and the contrast was striking. They looked so different!.

It was 15 m in front of us! I called my friend Kevin Louth to come down since he lives 5 mins away but by the time he got down there the bird had sadly flown off. He confirmed that the photos were good for Common Ringed Plover having lived with them and having extensive experience with this species. Ilya and I did not have our cameras with us but luckily Sharon had!. Thank goodness that we had our scopes and cell phones though!.

Ilya got some great digiscoped shots of it:

Common Ringed Plover in Delta, BC - Photos: Ilya Povalyaev

Here are some photos Sharon got:

Common Ringed Plover in Delta - Photos: Sharon Toochin

 This night was so incredibly special because it was a lifer and a self found mega. This is only the second record for the province of BC too!. It is the best bird I have ever found in my life. It is BC Bird #429 for me.

I won't soon forget this night. A great bird, great friends and a beautiful evening. You couldn't ask for more but I will.. I hope it stays for many more to see it!.

Some friends are coming up from WA and many of my local friends will be out tomorrow. I hope to refind him tomorrow BUT with my camera in hand this time!


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