2 rare birds soar into Vancouver Island skies
Two winged wonders are delighting bird watchers on southern Vancouver Island with first-ever sightings.
According to experts with the Rocky Point Bird Observatory, two incredibly rare species were spotted in the past 24 hours.
On Sunday evening, birders snapped photos of a great-tailed grackle at Esquimalt Lagoon.
A great-tailed grackle is shown at Esquimalt Lagoon: (Submitted)
The spindly-legged black bird normally resides in the southern United States and Mexico. This was the first time it was ever seen on Vancouver Island, according to Ann Nightingale, with the Rocky Point Bird Observatory.
"The grackle has been seen, I think the seventh time for all of British Columbia," said Nightingale.
Then, on Monday, another first-ever sighting sent shockwaves through the birdwatching community.
A wood sandpiper was spotted at the Panama Flats Park in Saanich among the marshy terrain.
A wood sandpiper is pictured in Panama Flats in Saanich: (Geoffrey Newell)
Nightingale says its sighting is the first for Vancouver Island and just the third ever for B.C.
The birding expert says it’s likely the birds got confused during migration and flew the wrong way.
Nightingale also says it’s not unheard of for a bird to accidentally stow away on a ship or plane and land on foreign shores.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING King Charles' cancer treatment progressing well, says Buckingham Palace
King Charles III’s doctors are 'sufficiently pleased' with his cancer treatment and he is expected to return to public-facing duties, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday.
Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
'Unacceptable': Trudeau reacts after AFN chief says headdress taken from plane cabin
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief said her headdress was taken from an airplane cabin this week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the incident 'unacceptable' and a 'mistake' on the part of Air Canada.
Regina police officer injured after being accidentally shot by fellow officer's gun
An investigation is underway after a Regina police officer was accidentally shot by a fellow officer’s gun during the search of a house early Friday morning.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
DEVELOPING Bird flu outbreaks: WHO weighs in on public health risk
The current overall public health risk posed by the H5N1 bird flu virus is low, the World Health Organization said on Friday, but urged countries to stay alert for cases of animal-to-human transmission.
Taylor Swift dons Montreal designer's dress in 'Fortnight' video
A pair of Montreal designers' work has now been viewed over 41 million times. Taylor Swift dons a Victorian throwback black gown in her latest music video, 'Fortnight', designed by UNTTLD due Simon Belanger and Jose Manuel Saint-Jacques.
From faulty kids' cribs to flammable kids' bathrobes, here are the recalls of the week
Health Canada issued recalls for various items this week, including kids’ bathrobes, cribs and henna cones.
Island near Mull of Kintyre for sale for US$3.1 million
An idyllic 453-acre private island is up for sale off the west coast of Scotland and it comes with sandy beaches, puffins galore, seven houses, a pub, a helipad and a flock of black-faced sheep.