Breadcrumb Trail Links
Published Apr 02, 2026 • Last updated 2 hours ago • 3 minute read
A Taiga Flycatcher photographed in Tampaton Temple Sattahip Chonburi Thailand. Pembroke resident Manson Fleguel happened to be visiting Vancouver and was among those fortunate to observe this rare Asian bird. This sighting, in late December of 2025, was the first observation of this bird in Canada and only the second sighting of it in North America. Photo by Sommai Patpan /Getty ImagesArticle content
Back on December 25, a rare Asian bird, the Taiga Flycatcher, was located at Sunset Beach in Vancouver by Ethan Pilon. Former Pembroke birder, Manson Fleguel, just happened to be visiting his family in Vancouver at that time, and was one of the lucky persons to observe this bird.
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This sighting of a Taiga Flycatcher was the first ever for Canada and only the second sighting of this bird in North America. The previous sighting was recorded in 2005.
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The Taiga Flycatcher (Ficedule albicilla) was first recorded in 1811 in Asia by Petere Simon Pallis, a Prussian zoologist, botanist and adventurer, on one of his Asian explorations.
The female Taiga Flycatcher is a small brownish bird with brown upperparts and a buffy, white chest. It has a black tail flanked by white. The Vancouver Taiga Flycatcher was a female. The male Flycatcher is similar but has ear coverts and sides that are a bluish colour. In breeding season, the male Taiga has a red breast.
In the summer, this bird resides and breeds in the Taiga Forest of Asia (Boreal Forest) from which it gets its name.
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In the winter, the Taiga Flycatcher is quite common and is located in various parts of South Asia. This includes Bangladesh, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Mongolia and China and Japan.
How did this rare Asian bird end up in Vancouver? Maybe it got caught in a migration shift with other birds, or it hitched a ride on a ship from Asia. We will never know.
Congratulations to Manson for observing this rare bird; it is a nice addition to your Life List.
PAFN Annual General Meeting upcoming
On another note, this year the Pembroke Area Field Naturalists’ Annual General Meeting will be held on April 15 at 6:30 p.m. at Algonquin College in Pembroke. This year’s guest speaker is Grant Dobson from Connaught Nursery near Micksburg. Grant’s presentation is called “Desolation to diversity: Learned lessons from restoring a land that no one wanted.” This story is an excellent example of ecological restoration of a landscape and pond. It includes the planting of native trees, shrubs and wildflowers. This is an excellent presentation and not to be missed!
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Spring bird update
Elsewhere on the local scene, winter in our area has dragged on through most of March, delaying the first wave of spring birds. We have had several reports of American Robins, Red-winged Blackbirds, Common Grackle, and an early Song Sparrow, and some reports of Canada Geese, Hooded Mergansers and Pintail Ducks. Strangely, we have had no reports of Horned Larks, which are usually the first to arrive. We should soon be seeing Turkey Vultures, American Kestrel, Brown-headed Cowbirds, Eastern Bluebirds, Ring-billed Gulls and American Woodcocks.
Local sightings
Back on March 9, Valerie Aird of Golden Lake informed me that she had a female Cardinal attacking her car mirror. This bird is attacking its own image thinking it is another Cardinal who has invaded her territory. Valerie also spotted several Trumpeter Swans on Golden Lake as well as a Bald Eagle.
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On March 11, Rhea Miller observed an American Robin in her neighbourhood, and recently, Shelly Gallagher spotted six Robins hanging out on her French Silk Lilac tree. We can anticipate many more Robins during the next few weeks.
On March 14, Don Krantz of Beachburg located a Common Redpoll among a flock of American Goldfinches at his bird feeder. Similarly, around this same period, Maggie Jones had a Common Redpoll in her yard. These birds are very scarce this year!
On March 18, Debbie Smith informed me that the Northern Mockingbird is back in her area again. The Northern Mockingbird is still quite a scarce bird for our area.
On this same date, Christian Renault heard a Great Horned Owl in his area as he was putting out his garbage one evening. Glad to hear that there are some of these Owls still around.
The next day, Robert Mayo reported the area’s first spring report of Common Grackles and Song Sparrow. There will be more arriving soon.
Finally, on March 25, Patricia Swan reported the area’s first spring Red-tailed Hawk. She also observed an American Kestrel on her travels in the county.
Please call me with your bird sightings at 613-735-4430 or email me at hooles@bell.net .For more information on upcoming nature events, just google the Pembroke Area Field Naturalists’ website or like us on Facebook.
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