VANCOUVER RARE BIRD ALERT sponsored by the Vancouver Natural History
Society.

Area: VANCOUVER, BC, CANADA (abbrev-VCR)
Period: MON AUG 08, 1994 to SUN AUG 14, 1994, updated weekly
Call: 604-737-9910 (hot line updated daily, or as necessary)
To report: Same
Compiler: Michael Price
Transcriber: Same
Contact: Michael_Price at mindlink.bc.ca

Featured birds, in date order, are:

ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER
NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH
FRANKLIN'S GULL
BAR-TAILED GODWIT
WANDERING TATTLER
SOLITARY SANDPIPER
MARBLED GODWIT LONG-BILLED CURLEW
SWAINSON'S HAWK
BAIRD'S SANDPIPER

For sick or injured birds please call: WILDLIFE RESCUE 526-7275
MONIKA'S WILDLIFE SHELTER 882-0908
SPCA ANIMAL EMERGENCY 879-7343
If you have a report, be sure to leave your name and telephone
number/e-mail address, for our records.
If you're calling the hotline and you want to skip the update to leave your
message, press the *STAR* button on any touchtone telephone, otherwise
please wait for the long tone at the end of the update.


TRANSCRIPT (some editing for continuity):


SUN AUG 14
There was no report of the BAR-TAILED GODWIT last seen Friday, August 12,
on the Boundary Bay forseshore at the S. end of 104th St nor for the
ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER, seen yesterday, Saturday, August 13, at Blackie
Spit in Crescent Beach.
The NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH was again present at Jericho Pk on W 4th Ave. in
VCR. The bird was in the same location as yesterday, on the muddy edges
along the S and N shorelines of the W pond in the immediate vicinity of the
large island in the center of the pond. Also at Jericho this morning in the
small flock of shorebirds using the muddy area at the W end of the W pond
was a juvenal-plumaged SOLITARY SANDPIPER and a juvenile SORA. A general
movement of warblers and vireos at the Camosun Bog at the E end of the
University Endowment Lands between W 16th Ave. and King Edward (25th) Ave.
on Point Grey in VCR included a male NASHVILLE WARBLER, the first reported
for the southbound migration. Still at Camosun, it was a case of 'Honey, I
Shrunk The Parents' as a pair of tiny GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS had the
dubious privilege of trying to keep a young BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD well-fed.
Though there was no relocation of the BAR-TAILED GODWIT on the Boundary Bay
foreshore, a search of the foreshore at the S end of 104th St in S Delta
did turn up a MARBLED GODWIT and a WHIMBREL, as well as the first group of
southbound DUNLIN reported in the southbound migration. It's not known
whether these were additional migrants or were two-thirds of the Three
Amigos, usually at Blackie Spit across the Bay, exasperated by the rampant
athleticism of hundreds of triathletes thundering across their normal
loafing areas. What appears to be a nest containing 2 unfledged young
TURKEY VULTURES was located and photographed on a cliff on Anvil Is. in
Howe Sound; 4 other TURKEY VULTURES were in the immediate vicinity, and 2
adult and 1 juvenile TURKEY VULTURES were over Eagle Harbor in W VCR. In
Georgia Strait, an alternate-plumaged ARCTIC TERN was seen in a small flock
of alternate COMMON TERNS between the Horsehoe Bay terminal and Nanaimo.

SAT AUG 13
There was no report of the Bar-tailed Godwit for Friday, Aug 12.

There are *two RARE BIRD ALERTS* today.
*RARE BIRD ALERT1* At 10.30 AM this morning an ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER
was at Blackie Spit about halfway along the wooded trail on the S side of
Farm Slough, the tidal lagoon immediately to the W of the Burlington
Northern railway trax; the bird was located during a shorebird identifi-
-cation class conducted by the White Rock/Surrey Naturalists. At first
alongside Farm Slough, the bird moved into the area of scotch broom to the
W which local birders may remember as the site of a 52-day sojourn by an
adult ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER through the summer and into the late fall of
1991. Later in the afternoon, the bird was relocated in some scrubby
vegetation immediately adjacent to the S end of the railway trestle over
the Nickomekl R. To reach this area, park in the parking lot of the
Crescent Beach Marina, and take the trail under the trestle to the other
side. You're there. But you may not *want* to be there on Sunday, Aug. 14:
the Crescent Beach, Blackie Spit, and Crescent Park areas may be good
places to avoid unless you're keeping a "Bird Species Seen While Dodging
Hundreds of Testost- erone-maddened Triathletes" list. Yep, Sunday's a
major triathlon event at these locations from early morning to at least the
late afternoon.
Also at this location today was an OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER and an EASTERN
KINGBIRD, both probable migrants. 2 SOLITARY SANDPIPERS were at Boundary
Bay Regional Pk in Tsawwassen, and at Beach Grove, also in Tsawwassen, an
adult COOPER'S HAWK which had nested in the area, may have been regretting
it as two hungry juveniles followed it everywhere, bugging it for food.

*RARE BIRD ALERT2* A NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH was located at the W pond at
Jericho Pk on W 4th Ave in VCR this morning. A way to locate birds of this
species is to listen for its loud hard call-note. This is one of those
tail-bobbing species, acting in the fashion of a SPOTTED SANDPIPER.
Initially located in the morning, the bird was last seen in the later
afternoon on the large island in the middle of the W pond.

Also at Jericho were up to 9 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS and 1 MACGILLIVRAY'S
WARBLER, as well as a movement of assorted warblers, mostly YELLOW and
ORANGE- CROWNED WARBLERS and EMPIDONAX FLYCATCHERS, one of which was a
HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER. Two passage raptors at Jericho were a juvenile SHARP-
SHINNED HAWK and a juvenile RED-TAILED HAWK, as the southbound hawk
migration begins to get under way. On the W. promenade along the White Rock
shoreline was a juvenile FRANKLIN'S GULL, the first of the fall migration.

FRI AUG 12
There was no report tonight of the adult BAR-TAILED GODWIT which for the
last eight days has been frequenting the Boundary Bay foreshore between an
area to the E of the S end of 112th St, particularly in the areas to the E
od the grassy spit and in the vicinity of the derelict fishing boat and W
to the S end of 104th St in S Delta. Anyone searching for this bird is
advised to look in these areas on a rising tide beginning at least 3 to 4
hours before high tide, when the large flocks of BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS with
which it associates become displaced inland when the high tide covers the
foreshore. This plover flock often contains other interesting species.
Also, when parking at 112th St. please remember to park where you won't
block the farm driveways, because these are working farms and the farmers
need to get wide machinery into their fields. *don't leave anything in your
car you're not willing to lose*.

At Iona Is. Regional Pk. in NW Richmond an adult WANDERING TATTLER in
alternate plumage was seen on the rox at the far end of the Iona South
Jetty. This jetty is the best place in Vancouver to look for WANDERING
TATTLER in the Greater Vancouver Checklist Area, particularly as you
approach the far end.

In Manning Pk, to the E of the Fraser Valley, 5 juvenile-plumaged SOLITARY
SANDPIPERS were at the N end of Ross L. and a staging flock of 17 COMMON
NIGHTHAWKS were about 4 kilometers upriver from the lake. 3 morejuvenal-
plumaged SOLITARY SANDPIPERS and 4 YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS were at the
west pond at Jericho Pk. on W 4th Ave. in VCR. At Blackie Spit in Crescent
Beach, the adult MARBLED GODWIT which returned yesterday to reunite the 3
Amigos, the 2 WHIMBREL, and the adult LONG-BILLED CURLEW were joined by a
juvenile LONG-BILLED CURLEW.

THU AUG 11
In a rarity of its own, the Vancouver Rare Bird Alert offers this statement
of policy: the Alert will *no longer* provide details on the location of
any bird where access to the only viewing area or areas requires trespass
on private property. By adopting this policy, the Alert neither criticises
nor condones the decisions of individual birders who enter private property
without consent, but does encourage birders to respect private property at
all times.

The alternate-plumaged adult male BAR-TAILED GODWIT extended its stay to an
eighth consecutive day as the bird was relocated in a standing roost at
high tide.

With the adult LONG-BILLED CURLEW and at least one WHIMBREL of the 4 there
at Blackie Spit as an adult bird, all we needed was for the adult MARBLED
GODWIT to show up after a summer of fun, who knows where, to reunite the
Three Amigos (godwit, curlew, and whimbrel) for another all-winter run. As
it did, today.

At least 150 juvenile SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS were at the Iona settling
ponds and another 150 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS, all juveniles, were on the
Boundary Bay foreshore at 112th St and at Beach Grove combined. At least 75
BAIRD'S SANDPIPERS were at the Iona settling ponds, with another 125
BAIRD'S at 112th St.A juvenile male YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD was at the W
end of the W pond at Jericho Pk in VCR, and another at the N Outer Pond in
Iona Is Regional Pk just to the W of the sewage treatment plant; also here
was a juvenile AMERICAN BITTERN. 3 SOLITARY SANDPIPERS were at Iona Is. and
another SOLITARY SANDPIPER was at the Beach Grove Lagoon at the E end of
12th Ave in Tsawwassen.

In some out-of-town sightings at Riske Creek, SW of Williams Lk in the
central part of the province, there were 45 RED-NECKED PHALAROPES, 1
FRANKLIN'S GULL, and 6 STILT SANDPIPERS.
WED AUG 10
The RARE BIRD ALERT for the adult male BAR-TAILED GODWIT in alternate
plumage at Boundary Bay is extended for the seventh consecutive day. The
bird was located in a high-tide-displaced standing roost of about 600
BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER and 1 alternate-plumaged DUNLIN. A RED KNOT was on the
Boundary Bay foreshore to the E of the S end of 112th St. in S Delta.

A CHIPPING SPARROW was seen today at Everett Crowley Pk in SE VCR. The bird
was in mostly juvenile plumage but was moving into prebasic molt. A
juvenile STILT SANDPIPER was on the NW settling pond at the Iona Is. Sewage
Treatment Plant in NW Richmond.

2 juvenile SOLITARY SANDPIPERS, part of a wave of juvenile Solitaries
currently moving through the Checklist Area, were at Deer L. in Burnaby. A
migrational staging flock of up to 30 COMMON NIGHTHAWKS was over the
Horseshoe Bay exit on the Squamish Highway in W VCR and another single bird
was over Colony Farms in Port Coquitlam.

TUE AUG O9
The BAR-TAILED GODWIT was again present today in the late afternoon and
early evening on the Boundary Bay foreshore in the vicinity of the derelict
fishing boat, however the bird did not stay there, but moved westward along
the dike to the S end of 104th St. Whether the other rarities such as the
RUDDY TURNSTONES or RED KNOTS which also have been associating with the
plover flock were present tonight was not reported, but this morning at
112th St there was at least 34 BAIRD'S SANDPIPERS; this species' southbound
migration has been unusually heavy this year, with large numbers appearing
in all the usual shorebird locations. Still on Boundary Bay, 2 GREEN HERONS
were along a slough at the S end of 104th St.

There was no relocation of the juvenile-plumaged light-morph SWAINSON'S
HAWK, seen MON AUG 08 in Jericho Pk in VCR. 3 SOLITARY SANDPIPERS were on
the W side of the NW settling pond at the Iona Is. Sewage Treatment Plant
in NW Richmond; also in this pond tonight were up to 7 RED-NECKED and 3
WILSON'S PHALAROPES, all juveniles, as well as several thousand juvenile
WESTERN SANDPIPERS, close to 100 BAIRD'S SANDPIPERS, and close to 50 SEMI-
PALMATED SANDPIPERS. The adult LONG-BILLED CURLEW and 4 WHIMBREL were at
Blackie Spit in Crescent Beach and another WHIMBREL was at Iona Is.

A male COMMON NIGHTHAWK with a better sense of style than timing was
observed making territorial stoops over the Champlain Heights area of SE
VCR; normally, such behavior is characteristic of males newly arrived on
territory in June.

The annual waterbird kill from gillnetting off Point Roberts, Washington,
is off and running--already there have been drowned birds washing ashore
along the E side of Tsawwassen including 20+ COMMON MURRES, a PIGEON
GUILLEMOT, 2 RHINOCEROS AUKLETS, and a SURF SCOTER, all drowned.

On a lighter note, don't forget that the PERSEID METEOR SHOWER will be
happening over this coming FRIDAY, SATURDAY, and SUNDAY. The learned
Astronomers tell us that this year's shower may be the most spectacular
Perseid shower in years; they say that, while you'll be able to see meteors
as soon as darkness falls, the best will come after midnight, and while
you're out there in some quiet dark place don't forget to listen for the
faint flight calls of night-migrating songbirds as they fly S above you.
(Update on the shower: "...well, not quite the conflagration we'd been
banking on....") MON AUG 08
*RARE BIRD ALERT* A SWAINSON'S HAWK, a light-morph bird in juvenile
plumage was seen in Jericho Pk on W 4th Ave in VCR in mid-afternoon today.
The bird, which was initially located in flight, provided an opportunity
for close scrutiny when it perched in a large cottonwood in Jericho Pk
before circling up over Jericho and S over Point Grey. If confirmed, this
sighting will become VCR's first record of this species.

At Boundary Bay The adult male BAR-TAILED GODWIT was again in the large
flock of BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS this evening at 104th St in S Delta. Also
in the flock tonight either at 104th St or 112th St were 2 PACIFIC GOLDEN
PLOVERS, several hundred WESTERN SANDPIPERS, 2 RED KNOTS, 1 RUDDY
TURNSTONE, and an alternate-plumaged DUNLIN, the first one back in the
southbound migration. The DUNLIN was reported earlier but was inadvertently
omitted from previous updates. In a slough adjacent to the dike just E of
112th St was 1 GREEN HERON. At the W end of Boundary Bay, in the Beach
Grove Lagoon in Tsawwassen there were 2 SOLITARY SANDPIPERS and the first
STILT SANDPIPER of the southbound migration, a juvenile bird.

Just to the south, on the shoreline of Centennial Beach Pk, was an ominous
harbinger of future bird mortality as the gillnetting season gets under way
with 4 drowned COMMON MURRES and a drowned SURF SCOTER washed ashore in the
last two days.

At the Iona settling ponds tonight it was standing room only for thousands
of shorebirds. Of main interest were 7 juvenile RED-NECKED and 2 juvenile
WILSON'S PHALAROPES , 2 SOLITARY SANDPIPERS in juvenile plumage on the NW
settling pond, and distributed throughout the ponds were up to 6,000
juvenile WESTERN SANDPIPERS (worn alternate-plumaged adults are down to a
meagre 25 to 30), with at least 73 BAIRD'S SANDPIPERS as that species
approaches its migrational peak, all but one worn adult in juvenile
plumage, and at least 35 juvenile SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS. Earlier in the
day, a BANK SWALLOW was over the SE pond.

At Colony Farms in Port Coquitlam, there were 3 LAZULI BUNTINGS, an adult
male, an adult female, and what was thought to be a juvenile bird. Contrary
to last night's update, the adult male BAR-TAILED GODWIT *was* seen by many
observers on the evening high tide at Boundary Bay. The bird was initially
on the foreshore to the east of the end of 112th St. As customary, it was
associating with 1,000 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERs, and this flock included also
at least 1 RED KNOT, 1 RUDDY TURNSTONE, and 18 BAIRD'S SANDPIPER, but after
disturbance by a juvenile PEREGRINE FALCON, the flock moved westward along
the foreshore to the south end of 104th St. and then into the fields to the
N of Boundary Bay in the vicinity of 96th St.

While the Bird Alert is not an appropriate platform from which to issue
lectures, may it make the firm suggestion that, when a bird of this rarity
is present, that *somebody* report it, if nothing else, as a service to
other, perhaps out-of-town, birders who may be willing to drive a long way
to see it. Normally, most of Vancouver's regular birders are very good at
reporting and updating the Bird Alert on rarities, so when in rare
instances, our system of reporting doesn't work, the breakdown is all the
more conspicuous.

If you have a report or a query about bird identification
or Vancouver birding pls call:

Michael Price at 731-4715
Mark and Eleni Wynja at 438-6529
(Other contact names omitted on request)

Thanks for calling the Vancouver Bird Alert and Good Birding!