Re: *CRESTED MYNAS* IN VANCOUVER BC CANADA

For anyone planning to visit Vancouver, B.C., Canada to see CRESTED MYNA,
here's some pretty reliable locations and some ID tips.
And you may want to do it real soon, because *they're fading awful fast*
(no money and not much local interest in conservation of a mere bird).
Another decade may see them entirely extirpated from Greater Vancouver.
Anybody out there want to come to Vancouver BC and study how a more-or-less
easygoing subtropical species survives a) a cool temperate climate and b)
relentless nest site competition from dour European Starlings?

CityTips:
1) In Vancouver, the dividing line between E and W Avenue numbers is Yukon
St in E Van.
2) Street and avenue nos. in Greater Vancouver progress sequentially in
'00 blocks, i.e., the adjacent block is either 100 greater than or 100
smaller than the block you're on.
3) Anywhere in Greater Vancouver, N is always towards the mountains.
4) *Don't* leave stuff in your car; we're a big city too.

I.D. tips:
--Look for a stocky, loggerhead Starling on light standards (favorite
perch), telephone wires, scuffling around on the ground. Basal crest on
forehead imparts a squarehead look to bird.
--Flies like a jay, not a starling; white wingflashes are big and
*conspicuous*.
--Voice is often best cue for location, a deliberately-uttered, rather
throaty "cheroot, cheroot, cheroot" (the nostalgia of an ex-smoker emerges
in the strangest places).
--The white eye is centrally placed, yellow bill of adults is conspicuous.
On the ground, the deliberate strides and bouncy hops are more reminiscent
of a crow than the rather tick-tock style of a starling.
--Oh yeah, they can't or won't mimic worth beans in the urban wild.



Abbrvs:
VCR Vancouver
E VCR East Vancouver, the eastern section of VCR
N VCR North Vancouver, a municipality to the N of VCR
NW WST New Westminster, a municipality directly to the SE of VCR
RMD Richmond, a municipality directly S of VCR
BBY Burnaby, a municipality directly to the E of VCR

LOCATIONS
note--these mynas don't stray very far from nest sites, but when not
breeding they do sometimes get together in flocks up to 15 birds, combined
ads & juvs. If you see a pair, they're likely nesting somewhere fairly
close, probably within a two-block radius.

--West 41st Ave and West Boulevard in Vancouver. Most reliable place.
Nesting pair in the Bank of Montreal red-brick building on the SW corner.
They nest in the pipe above the stylised 'M' in the 'B of M' logo above the
Automatic Teller on the corner. Best viewpoint is from the NW corner. There
seems to be a favorite forage area to the SE somewhere past the London
Drugs. Otherwise watch for them fossicking about (a Brit expression for
picking over stuff and, no, it's not obscene, just old) on the ground along
the RR trax. On a miserable day, one can sit in MacD's on the corner & sit
on the side facing the trax, watching for these little guys over coffee &
Big Mac. --The Arthur Laing Bridge between Richmond on the S and Vancouver
on the N; on two ramps, both at the *North* or Vancouver end of the bridge.
One nest on the approach ramp to the bridge from S Granville St and the
other on the exit ramp onto Marine Drive East. On the right hand side of
each is a sign saying "Arthur J. Laing Bridge"; the birds nest in the
hollow pipe to which the sign is affixed ("great view but, oh my, the
traffic noise...."). The best vantage point is from the S end of Hudson or
Cartier Sts., beneath the various ramps.

--East 1st Ave and Victoria St., E VCR. Nesting in the telephone pole on
the SE corner.
--Main & E 10th, E VCR. One, possibly two, nests in building on SW(?)
corner, facing Main St

--Minoru Pk, Richmond. A major park at the intersection of Granville *Ave*
(G'ville *St.* in Vancouver) and Gilbert Rd. in the northern part of
Richmond, a municipality immediately to the S of Vancouver. Exit from the
freeway (Hwy 99) westbound onto the Westminster Highway, go to Gilbert and
turn L: the park will be on your L. The pair here are almost certainly
nesting in a tree cavity.

--Westminster Quay Public Market, 810 Quayside W, S end of 8th St., New
Westminster. New West is a municipality to the SE of Vancouver. Since I
don't drive, I'm not sure what the directions are, but if you're willing to
use public transit, call me (1-604-731-4715) and I can tell you exactly how
to get to this location.

--Steveston Highway & Railway Ave Nesting in a power pole on the SE corner.
Steveston is in the S part of Richmond

--W. Broadway & Burrard St in Vancouver. Often seen in the vicinity of the
Esso station on the NE corner, but probably nesting in a power pole in the
immediate area. VCR

--Vicinity of Kingsgate Mall, 300-bl E B'way & Kingsway, E VCR

--Richmond High School, 7171 Minoru Blvd, RMD (may be same pr. as in Minoru
Pk).

--Cambie & W. 1st Ave, VCR

--Victoria Drive & E. 1st Ave, telephone pole on SE corner, E VCR


OTHER LOCATIONS (variable reliability)

--Heather St & W. 8th Ave, VCR
--Broadway & Arbutus, VCR
--Baslam St & W 4th Ave, VCR
--1000-block Parker St., E VCR
--Waterfront Park, N VCR
--Clark Ave & Charles St., E VCR
--Prince Albert & E. Broadway, E VCR
--W. 32nd Ave & West Boulevard or Arbutus St
--Wylie St & E 1st Ave, E VCR
--Main St & Marine Drive, SE VCR
--Moffitt & Granville Rd, RMD
--Lonsdale Rd & 11th St, N VCR
--Columbia & E 8th, E VCR
--Valley Drive & Yew St, VCR


There's certainly more, but that's the major part of the inventory in the
immediate Vancouver area. Hope it helps. Good luck! Cheers
M. Price
michael_price at mindlink.bc.ca