Last friday, I was scanning the skies from my balcony looking for
hawks when a male Common Grackle landed in the conifer right outside
my place. I must admit that having lived in Toronto, Ontario for many
years I could not get too excited about a grackle (they are abundant there).
I put the call out and the first arrival, Rick Toochin, was able to get
beautiful looks as I snapped photos of the bird. No one else saw the bird.

I understand that this is about the third record for the Vancouver birding
area, the last one being in 1989 at the Reifel refuge. I would be interested
to find out about any Washington records and if any vagrancy pattern is
shown by this species. Are they primarily a spring vagrant, or not? I
would appreciate any info on Washington Common Grackles.

BTW, the bird was the expected "bronzed" subspecies of the Grackle.

Al Jaramillo
jaramill at sfu.ca
Vancouver, B.C.