DARE TO BIRD

When we first saw this bird our hearts collectively stopped! - Photo: Melissa Hafting I ran a pelagic out of Tofino with 26 people from the mainland, Vancouver Island, Quadra Island and Ontario with Ocean Outfitters on Sunday Aug 29th.  The captains were Ron  L'Amoureux  and Artie Ahier and both were excellent as usual. We had 2 different boats and everyone was double vaxxed and wore a mask for the entire ride. We left the dock at 7 am and it was extremely bumpy. In fact it was the bumpiest pelagic I've ever been on. Many of us got wet who were standing outside. When I came back to the dock I could see the sick salt stuck on my face and hair. Anyways getting back to the trip it took longer than normal to get out to Clayoquot Canyon due to the swells. It was still safe conditions but did make a couple people sea sick. This pelagic was not your typical one where you could get great photos of species. I have to laugh looking at most of my photos the bird is cut off or blurry...

I was honoured to be featured and recognized by The Narwhal for my work to make birding more inclusive for all, especially for BIPOC ( Black, Indigenous and People of Colour)  and women here in BC. You can read the article HERE . The interview and photo essay were conducted at Iona in Richmond by photojournalist Alia Youssef I was touched to be asked to take part alongside these ten inspiring BIPOC individuals, from across Canada, who are passionate about diversifying the outdoors. I also did a short interview for Best Health Magazine about the mental health benefits of birding. You can read that one HERE Melissa Hafting at Iona for The Narwhal by Alia Youssef

Yesterday, I went shorebirding at Boundary Bay, not an unusual event for me. However, tonight it seemed everyone had come out which was lovely to see. I planned to meet up with Julia and Warren Flesaker from Nakusp. We have been in touch for awhile through the RBA because they keep finding provincial rarities up there and have been chatting ever since her first Indigo Bunting find. It’s always nice to connect with more younger women birders too. Both were lovely and it was fun helping them get 3 lifers. I also planned to meet up with young birder Kalin Ocana and his girlfriend Nat. Boy they are cute (he’d hate me for saying that!). I’ve known Kalin since I first met him at the 2017 Little Gull (LIGU) twitch in Penticton. I still fondly remember him bouncing up to me at 13 eager to tell me about the LIGU and an accommodating Dipper and how he wanted to join my young birder program. I feel old haha but it was great shorebirding with them too. It was so nice they wanted to stop and bird w...

A significant breeding record has occurred in Metro Vancouver. On May 25, 2021 Danny Tyson found a single Yellow-breasted Chat. The bird stayed around for months and from time to time some people would report to me that they thought they had seen 2 adult birds at once. However no one was able to confirm this with a photo. On July 31st Mari Petznek reported she saw one adult chat. She said the adult was really moulty. I asked to see her photos because the adult shouldn’t be moulting too much at this time of year. When she sent me the photo it confirmed my suspicions that she had photographed a fledgling!. This finally confirmed that the birds successfully bred in Pitt Meadows.  The BC population of Yellow-breasted Chats are listed as endangered under the Species at Risk Act (SARA). They normally breed in the southern okanagan, so this is a very significant breeding record. They have only been reported  breeding in Metro Vancouver and Fraser Valley a small handful of times befor...

This killdeer is a bird I should never have taken for granted - Photo: Melissa Hafting I thought it was time to post some recent photos I have taken. Killdeer are often hard to ignore. You see and hear them everywhere and we (myself included) often pass them by. I took the time to really photograph one properly, to try and do this beautiful bird justice. They really are an attractive shorebird. The black-ringed chest, red eye-ring, reddish mantle and white belly... they are true stunners. When one perched on top of an elegant perch I couldn't ignore him and took several shots. Killdeer in Richmond - Photos: Melissa Hafting Also my friend Graham Sunderland found an Indigo Bunting recently at Colony Farm and I got the pleasure to photograph that beauty. Male Indigo Bunting in Coquitlam - Photos: Melissa Hafting I will end with an always attractive Yellow-headed Blackbird that posed for me this month. A male Yellow-headed Blackbird is always fun to see - Photos: Melissa Hafting