Birders from across the continent have been descending on Vancouver for the chance to see a rare visitor.
Vancouver birder Ethan Moon has the proud distinction of being the first person to document the Taiga flycatcher, a migratory bird that lives almost exclusively in Asia, in Canada.
“It’s surreal,” Moon told CityNews, describing the moment he first noticed some peculiar behaviour from the otherwise unremarkable-looking creature.
“It was this little dull bird. It’s flying near the bases of trees and lower branches, looking for bugs, and that’s unusual for local birds this time of year.”
Moon explains that the Taiga flycatcher breeds in the Boreal forests of Russia and typically only migrates south to China, Thailand, and other parts of south Asia.
“They should never be here.”
The bird was creating new migratory routes for humans too, with dozens visiting Sunset Beach Park hoping to catch a glimpse as it flitted back and forth Sunday.
“It’s pretty much Christmas morning all over again,” said birder Howard So. “You just wake up, you see the notification, and it’s just like, ‘How fast can we get there?’”
“It’s very small, ping-pong sized almost,” said Kaya Konopnicki, a naturalist from Calgary who happened to be in Vancouver for Christmas, pointing out the bird.
Thankfully, Konopnicki always packs her binoculars and telescopic photo lens just in case. She says the Taiga flycatcher is the rarest bird she’s ever seen.
“The only other birds that are just as difficult to find, you’d have to go to them, so this is a super rare opportunity,” So explained.
Moon, who lives near the park but rarely goes out of his way to look for birds in the area, says there’s a lesson to be learned in his once-in-a-lifetime discovery.
“Don’t take for granted your neighbourhood, like what could be hiding just around the corner.”
