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

Area: VANCOUVER, BC, CANADA (abbrev-VCR)
Period: MON OCT 03 1994 to SUN OCT 09 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
(604) 731-4715 FEATURED BIRDS:

SWAMP SPARROW
SANDHILL CRANE
SHARP-TAILED SANDPIPER
BLUE JAY
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW
OLDSQUAW
PALM WARBLER
BLACKPOLL WARBLER
BOREAL OWL
NORTHERN SHRIKE
COMMON BLACK-HEADED GULL

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 OCT 09
A SWAMP SPARROW was along the NW shoreline of the E pond at Jericho Pk in
VCR; also here was a late YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD in an evening roost of
RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS.

In N Delta, a migrant flock of 28 SANDHILL CRANES were in a stubble field,
behind the Holstein farm in the 6300-block of 68th St in N Delta, a
customary staging area. Please report any neck- or leg-banded birds to the
Canadian Wildlife Service at 666-0143. Birds marked with a green neck-band
were banded in NE Siberia. When observing these birds please stay on the
roadside and do not trespass on the farm property.

SAT OCT 08
26 SANDHILL CRANES were at 68th St to the E of 60th Ave.

*4* juv. SHARP-TAILED SANDPIPERS were on the W field at the Reifel Refuge.
Please be advised that portions of this Sanctuary have been closed off due
to the danger from hunters' shot falling in from the foreshore areas to the
S and W of this 'Sanctuary'. Also here were 1 female REDHEAD, up to 300
SNOW GEESE on the foreshore area, a NORTHERN SHRIKE, and a PEREGRINE
FALCON.

A GREEN HERON was along the S side of the Boundary Bay Airport in S Delta.
2 FRANKLIN'S GULLS, 2 EARED GREBES, and a flock of 74 RED-THROATED LOONS
were off White Rock.
2 VIRGINIA RAILS were in Jericho Pk in VCR.

In Garibaldi Pk to the N of the Greater VCR Checklist Area, up to 25
BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS were seen on the Diamond Head Trail. Other sightings in
the E Fraser Valley so close to VCR so early in the fall may indicate that
this may be a good year for Bohemians in Vancouver.

FRI OCT 07
RARE BIRD ALERT: A bird believed to be a *BLUE JAY* has been frequenting
the vicinity of Gleneagles Dr. & Blinkbonnie (!) Lane in W VCR, associating
with STELLER'S JAYS. There has, so far, just been voice-only contact, so
confirmation (preferably visual) is desirable.

Also today, 2 PARASITIC JAEGERS and 1 RHINOCEROS AUKLET were seen of
Lighthouse Marine Pk in Point Roberts, Washington.

A CLIFF SWALLOW was over the Reifel Refuge in Ladner. THU OCT 06
A tan-striped morph WHITE-THROATED SPARROW was at Everett Crowley Pk in SE
VCR; also here was a late WESTERN TANAGER.
A NORTHERN SHRIKE was at the Premier St Landfill site in N VCR, along with
1 WESTERN MEADOWLARK.
The first 2 OLDSQUAWS of the winter were seen near the Grebe Islets in W
VCR.
A GREAT HORNED OWL was at Deas Is Reg'l Pk in S Delta.
At Blackie Spit in Crescent Beach, there were the LONG-BILLED CURLEW,
MARBLED GODWIT, and WHIMBREL which together comprise the group known as the
Three Amigos, and also here was 1 FRANKLIN'S GULL.
At Pt. Roberts, there was 1 RHINOCEROS AUKLET and 12 HEERMANN'S GULLS.

In W VCR there were 2 FRANKLIN'S GULLS at the 14th St fishing pier. On the
display pond at Ambleside Pk were 4 male RING-NECKED DUCKS.
In Stanley Pk, a further 6 RING-NECKED DUCKS, 4 males and 2 females or
young birds were on Lost Lagoon in a mixed-species flock which also
contained 1 male REDHEAD. The *first* few GREATER & LESSER SCAUP, and the
first BARROW'S & COMMON GOLDENEYES are just returning to Stanley Pk. At
least 7 BRANDT'S CORMORANTS were on a customary perch on the Burnaby Shoal
beacon just to the E of Hallelujah Pt in Stanley Pk, and another BRANDT'S
was seen from the SeaBus connecting downtown VCR with N VCR.
A NORTHERN SHRIKE was at Brunswick Pt in Ladner.

WED OCT 05
RARE BIRD ALERT: 2 *PALM WARBLERS* were at Maplewood Flats in N VCR. Up to
5 WESTERN MEADOWLARKS were in the saltmarsh beside the cement plant
adjacent to Maplewood.
A basic 1-plumaged FRANKLIN'S GULL was at the 14th St Pier in W VCR.
A NORTHERN PYGMY OWL was in the Eagle Ridge Bluff area in the Cypress //
Black Mt region of W VCR.
1 PEREGRINE FALCON and at least 500 SNOW GEESE were on Brunswick Pt. in
Ladner, as their numbers begin to build up.

TUE OCT 04
Despite a search of the Capilano R in W VCR today, there was no relocation
of the COMMON BLACK-HEADED GULL present yesterday at the gravel loafing
bar; however, there were *3* juv to basic 1 FRANKLIN'S GULLS at this
location, a high number for the Greater Vancouver Checklist Area.
A PILEATED WOODPECKER was at Boundary Bay Regional Park in Tsawwassen.
A noticeable influx of migrant VARIED THRUSHES have been moving into the
Vancouver area.

On Triangle Is in the Pacific Ocean off the N end of Vancouver Is, the hits
just keep on comin': the *BLACKPOLL WARBLER* netted and banded yesterday
was joined today by a *BOREAL OWL* which managed to avoid the nets. What
next?

MON OCT 03
RARE BIRD ALERT: the *COMMON BLACK-HEADED GULL*, in basic 2 plumage, was
relocated today at a gull roost in the Capilano R in W VCR along with a
basic 1 FRANKLIN'S GULL and about 250 BONAPARTE'S GULLS. Another basic 1
FRANKLIN'S GULL was to the W at the pier at the S end of 14th St. The
display ponds at Ambleside Pk are perhaps the best place to study
RING-NECKED DUCKS at close range; there were 4 males and two females there.
The *first* fall report of COMMON GOLDENEYE was of a single female at
Ambleside.
The *first* NORTHERN SHRIKE of the winter was at the Reifel Refuge.
A flock of up to 55 KILLDEER were at the Beach Grove Lagoon in Tsawwassen,
and a MERLIN was along the Boundary Bay foreshore in the vicinity of 64th
St.

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

Michael Price at (604)731-4715
Mark and Eleni Wynja at (604)438-6529
(Other contact names omitted on request)

Thanks for calling the Vancouver Bird Alert and Good Birding!