Published Apr 02, 2026 \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 Last updated 2\u00a0hours ago \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 3 minute read<\/p>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/0402-pm-birdwatch-taiga-flycatcher.pm_.jpg\")
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<\/p>\n
Back on December 25, a rare Asian\u00a0bird,\u00a0the Taiga Flycatcher,\u00a0was\u00a0located\u00a0at Sunset Beach in Vancouver by Ethan\u00a0Pilon. Former Pembroke birder, Manson\u00a0Fleguel,\u00a0just happened to be visiting his family in Vancouver at that time, and was one of the lucky\u00a0persons\u00a0to\u00a0observe\u00a0this bird.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Advertisement 2<\/p>\n
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n
Article content<\/p>\n
This sighting of\u00a0a\u00a0Taiga Flycatcher was the first ever for Canada and only the second sighting of this bird in North America. The\u00a0previous\u00a0sighting was recorded in 2005.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Article content<\/p>\n
Recommended Videos<\/p>\n
Article content<\/p>\n
The Taiga Flycatcher (Ficedule\u00a0albicilla) was first recorded\u00a0in 1811\u00a0in Asia by Petere Simon Pallis, a Prussian\u00a0zoologist,\u00a0botanist\u00a0and adventurer,\u00a0on one of his Asian explorations.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The female\u00a0Taiga\u00a0Flycatcher is a small brownish bird with brown upperparts\u00a0and a buffy,\u00a0white chest. It has a black tail flanked by white. The Vancouver Taiga Flycatcher was a female.\u00a0The male\u00a0Flycatcher is similar but has ear\u00a0coverts and\u00a0sides that are a bluish\u00a0colour. In breeding season, the male Taiga has a red breast.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In the summer, this bird\u00a0resides\u00a0and breeds\u00a0in the\u00a0Taiga\u00a0Forest of Asia\u00a0(Boreal\u00a0Forest)\u00a0from\u00a0which it gets its name.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Advertisement 3<\/p>\n
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n
Article content<\/p>\n
In the winter, the Taiga Flycatcher is quite common and is located in various parts of South Asia.\u00a0This includes Bangladesh, Cambodia, Thailand,\u00a0Laos, Myanmar, Nepal,\u00a0Mongolia and China\u00a0and Japan.\u00a0<\/p>\n
How did this\u00a0rare\u00a0Asian bird end up in Vancouver?\u00a0Maybe it\u00a0got caught in a migration shift\u00a0with\u00a0other birds, or\u00a0it\u00a0hitched a ride on a ship from Asia. We will never know.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Congratulations to\u00a0Manson\u00a0for\u00a0observing\u00a0this rare bird;\u00a0it is a nice addition to your Life List.\u00a0<\/p>\n
PAFN Annual General Meeting upcoming\u00a0<\/p>\n
On another note, this year the Pembroke Area Field Naturalists\u2019\u00a0Annual General Meeting will be held on April 15 at 6:30 p.m.\u00a0at Algonquin College in Pembroke. This year\u2019s guest speaker is Grant Dobson from Connaught Nursery near\u00a0Micksburg. Grant\u2019s presentation is called \u201cDesolation to\u00a0diversity: Learned\u00a0lessons from restoring a land that no one wanted.\u201d This story is an excellent example of\u00a0ecological\u00a0restoration of a landscape and\u00a0pond.\u00a0It includes the planting of native trees,\u00a0shrubs\u00a0and wildflowers.\u00a0This is an excellent presentation\u00a0and\u00a0not to be missed!\u00a0<\/p>\n
Advertisement 4<\/p>\n
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n
Article content<\/p>\n
Spring bird update\u00a0<\/p>\n
Elsewhere on the local scene,\u00a0winter in our area\u00a0has\u00a0dragged\u00a0on\u00a0through most of March,\u00a0delaying the first wave of spring birds. We have had several reports of American Robins, Red-winged Blackbirds, Common Grackle, and an early Song Sparrow,\u00a0and some reports of Canada Geese, Hooded Mergansers and Pintail Ducks. Strangely, we have had no reports of Horned Larks,\u00a0which are usually\u00a0the\u00a0first to arrive. We\u00a0should soon be\u00a0seeing\u00a0Turkey Vultures, American\u00a0Kestrel, Brown-headed Cowbirds, Eastern Bluebirds, Ring-billed\u00a0Gulls\u00a0and American Woodcocks.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Local sightings\u00a0<\/p>\n
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\u00a0image\u00a0thinking it is another Cardinal who has invaded her territory.\u00a0Valerie also spotted several Trumpeter Swans on\u00a0Golden Lake\u00a0as well as\u00a0a Bald Eagle.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Advertisement 5<\/p>\n
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n
Article content<\/p>\n
On March 11, Rhea Miller\u00a0observed\u00a0an American Robin in her\u00a0neighbourhood,\u00a0and recently, Shelly Gallagher spotted six Robins\u00a0hanging out\u00a0on her French Silk Lilac tree. We\u00a0can\u00a0anticipate\u00a0many more Robins during the next few\u00a0weeks.\u00a0<\/p>\n
On March 14, Don\u00a0Krantz of\u00a0Beachburg\u00a0located a Common Redpoll among a flock of American Goldfinches\u00a0at his bird feeder.\u00a0Similarly, around this same period, Maggie Jones had a Common Redpoll in her yard.\u00a0These birds are very scarce this year!\u00a0<\/p>\n
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.\u00a0<\/p>\n
On this same date, Christian Renault heard a Great Horned Owl in his area as he was putting out his garbage\u00a0one evening. Glad to hear that there\u00a0are\u00a0some\u00a0of these Owls still around.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
The next day, Robert Mayo reported the area\u2019s first spring report\u00a0of\u00a0Common Grackles and Song Sparrow. There will be more arriving soon.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finally, on March 25, Patricia Swan reported the area\u2019s first spring Red-tailed Hawk. She also\u00a0observed\u00a0an American\u00a0Kestrel on her travels in the county.\u00a0<\/p>\n