Hi Tweeters,

There's an adult EMPEROR GOOSE in the vicinity of Beach Grove Lagoon at the
E end of 12th Avenue in the Beach Grove area of Tsawwassen in the
municipality of S Delta. This is all about 25 km (15 mi) S of Vancouver BC.
The bird showed yesterday (Sunday) and was present again today, but had the
misfortune to fly into a wire and injure its right leg (what a welcome;
hope it's not a severe injury). It sometime associates with Canada Geese,
and occasionally has flown to the golf course nearby before returning to
the foreshore.

To reach the area, take Hwy 99 to Hwy 17, go S on 17 to 56th St, go S on
56th to 12th St, turn L onto 12th and go about 1 km until the road curves
off to the R; go straight at that point to the parking lot at the curve.
Park there (free) and go through gate; the lagoon is on your L. Continue to
the pumphouse and check the sloughs and pools in the vicinity, then check
the foreshore. With its head down, it can resemble one of the many gulls
which hang around there.

The 4 Gray-crowned Rosy Finches have been loitering for a week now on the
Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal Jetty at the end of the gravel road which runs
about half its length along its S side. These birds like to forage beneath
any cars parked at the end of this road, and will hop up into the wheel
wells and engine compartments (do they smell salt? Porcupines do this, too.
No fooling). You can access this road by turning L onto what looks like a
gravel parking lot with parked semi trailers and a couple of small
buildings at the base of the jetty. Turns out they're using the westerly
building as a roost, up under the ea ves. For bare-country birds, they sure
like to get *under* and *into* things.

To reach this area, take Highway 17 S. Period. Then turn L onto the gravel
road at the base of the jetty. Be patient: they're not conspicuous, but you
can safely assume that three or four birds fossicking about under parked
cars will be the rosy finches. Tame as heck. And just *beautiful*.

And--personal brag--a 10-year jinx life bird, the tick of which completes
for me the 'regularly-occurring species' section of the Vancouver BC
Checklist (not counting the Spotted Owl, which nests in local watersheds in
the northern part of Vancouver from which the non-logging public is banned.
I'm not making this up). Nothing but Casuals and Accidentals from now on!
Bring 'em on! More! More! I'm still not satisfied! (T. Lehrer)

Query: these birds seem to be (3 male, 1 female) of the Gray-cheeked race
'littoralis', also known as 'Hepburn's'. Do we in this part of the world
ever get any other race(s)?

Michael Price
Vancouver BC Canada
michael_price at mindlink.bc.ca