Purple Martin - Richmond, BC
Iona Island is one of Vancouver's best birding spots during all four seasons. Summer is no exception with birds like the only breeding population of Yellow-headed Blackbirds and this amazing insectivore, the Purple Martin. We almost lost the Purple Martin here in British Columbia. As I hear tell there was only 10 pairs left breeding on Vancouver Island until naturalists installed nest boxes on some pilings at our other best birding spot, Reifel Bird Sanctuary. When I took this picture that day, there were no less than 40 birds in the area. and there is an estimate of 1200 breeding in British Columbia.