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

Area: VANCOUVER, BC, CANADA (abbrev-VCR)
Period: MON SEP 05 1994 to SUN 11 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:

YELLOW-BILLED LOON
HUDSONIAN GODWIT
BOBOLINK
AMERICAN REDSTART
LONG-TAILED JAEGER
PARASITIC JAEGER
FRANKLIN'S GULL
AMERICAN AVOCET
ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK

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):

There was *no* relocation of the adult basic-plumaged AMERICAN AVOCET at
Beach Grove Lagoon since Thursday Sep 04.
There has been *no* relocation of the WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER at Iona Is.
since Sunday Sep 04.

SUN SEP 11
RARE BIRD ALERT 1 An adult *YELLOW-BILLED LOON* still in definitive
alternate plumage was seen today at Point Roberts, Washington to the SE of
the eastern breakwater at the entrance to the Point Roberts Marina, which
can be reached from A.P.A. Rd. Though locally considered a winter rarity,
the first ones in the sparse southbound migration usually arrive in VCR in
late September; this is an especially early arrival.

RARE BIRD ALERT 2 A *HUDSONIAN GODWIT* was seen on the Boundary Bay
foreshore during a VNHS shorebird field trip; the bird was 1.5 km (1 mi.)
to the E of the S end of 112th St in S Delta. The bird, which is either an
adult in prebasic molt or a juvenile bird, was later relocated on the
evening on the foreshore to the W of 112 St with many BLACK-BELLIED
PLOVERS. Also on the foreshore was 1 AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER and 1 PEREGRINE
FALCON at 112th St. and 1 juv PACIFIC GOLDEN PLOVER at 104th St.

The LONG-BILLED CURLEW, MARBLED GODWIT, and WHIMBREL which together
comprise the THREE AMIGOS, plus 1 RED KNOT, were at their usual residence
at the mouth of the Nickomekl R. at Blackie Spit in Crescent Beach.

The *first* report of the fall of SNOW GEESE and BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON
came as usual from the Reifel Refuge on Westham Is. in Ladner.
A large passerine movement was noted in S. Surrey; also seen was a flock of
close to 80 VAUX'S SWIFT and 1 BLACK SWIFT.
The *first* RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS of the southbound migration were noted
today from Jericho Pk in VCR and the Reifel Refuge, and large numbers of
GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS, with smaller numbers of NORTHERN FLICKERS, DOWNY,
and HAIRY WOODPECKERS are currently moving through the Greater Vancouver
Checklist Area.


SAT SEP 10
RARE BIRD ALERT A basic-plumaged *BOBOLINK* was seen at approximately
11.30 AM this morning along the Boundary Bay Dike about 200m to the W of
the S end of 112th St in S Delta but could not be relocated. 1 OSPREY and a
GREEN HERON were both in the vicinity of 112th St.

A female or juv *AMERICAN REDSTART* was at the Reifel Refuge on Westham Is.
in Ladner. Also in Ladner, a juv PEREGRINE FALCON was at Brunswick Pt.

1 SOLITARY SANDPIPER was on the SW settling pond at the Iona Is. Sewage
Treatment Plant in NW RMD.


FRI SEP 09
An adult light-morph *LONG-TAILED JAEGER* was observed in mid-Georgia
Strait from the ferry between Schwartz Bay on Vancouver Island to the
Tsawwassen ferry terminal here on the mainland. 2 PARASITIC JAEGERS were at
the E entrance to Active Pass between Mayne & Galiano Islands in the Gulf
Islands.

In Vancouver, a FRANKLIN'S GULL in pre-basic1 molt was with BONAPARTE'S
GULLS E Spanish Banks just W of Jericho Pk in VCR. Up to 5 WESTERN TANAGERS
were at the Queen Juliana Cherry Tree on the main forest trail in Jericho
in the W section of the park.

Up to 20 southbound BLACK SWIFTS were over Sea Is. in RMD
THU SEP 08
The adult *AMERICAN AVOCET* was present for a fifth day at the Beach Grove
Lagoon at the E end of 12th Ave in Tsawwassen, and the basic-plumaged
RED-NECKED PHALAROPE was there for the third day.

An early *GRAY-CROWNED ROSY FINCH* was at Cypress Provincial Pk in W VCR,
and also in W VCR a basic-plumaged *WANDERING TATTLER* was at Pt. Atkinson
in Lighthouse Pk. One NORTHERN PYGMY OWL was also in Lighthouse Pk.

Up to 10 *BANK SWALLOWS* were over the Reifel Refuge.

RED-NECKED GREBES are migrating through the Greater Vancouver Checklist
Area in large numbers; at least 200 were in the immediate vicinity of
Blackie Spit in Crescent Beach, with an influx of about 20 COMMON LOONS
also being seen.

Out-of-town, the basic1 *FORSTER'S TERN* is still frequenting the Victoria
shoreline at Clover Point. For updates on this bird, call the Victoria Rare
Bird Alert at 1-604-592-3381. WED SEP 07
The adult *AMERICAN AVOCET* was present for a fourth day at the Beach Grove
Lagoon in Tsawwassen. Also at this location for the second consecutive day
was one basic-plumaged RED-NECKED PHALAROPE.

A small flock of mixed shorebirds in Pitt Meadows near the Neaves Rd.
Bridge over the S Alouette R. didn't get much peace as they were strafed
first by a PEREGRINE FALCON and then, later, a passing MERLIN.

Sadly, a BARRED OWL obviously forgot to look both ways and ended up a
casualty on the Skytrain tracks near Metrotown Station, also in Burnaby.

In an out-of-town sighting, a *GREAT GRAY OWL* was seen beside Kane Valley
Rd 2.7 km (1.6 mi) from the point it leaves Provincial Highway 5A just N
of
Cobert L. between Merritt and Aspen Grove. And if anyone is heading down
to California in the next few days, you may be persuaded to stop in at the
Carmel R. mouth just S of Monterey where California's and N. America's
fourth *LITTLE CURLEW* from central Siberia is currently amazing birders.
TUE SEP 06
The adult *AMERICAN AVOCET* was again present at the Beach Grove Lagoon in
Tsawwassen; also here was a RED-NECKED PHALAROPE, a SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER,
and up to 10 juv PECTORAL SANDPIPERS. Speaking of the last, the first
*SHARP-TAILED SANDPIPERS* of the southbound migration are due any time.

A NASHVILLE WARBLER was found in Pitt Meadows in the vicinity of the Neaves
Rd. Bridge over the S. Alouette R. Up to 8 very tame TURKEY VULTURES were
present on and over a sandbar at the confluence of the Fraser and Harrison
Rivers in the E end of the Fraser Valley.


MON SEP 05

The *AMERICAN AVOCET*, an adult bird in definitive basic plumage was
present for the second day at the Beach Grove Lagoon.

The first ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS of the southbound migration were somewhat
*early* this year--2 birds were seen today just N of Vancouver
International Airport along Grauer Rd on Sea Is in Richmond.

At 112th St a flock of approx. BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS contained 1 juv-
plumaged RED KNOT, 1 juv RUDDY TURNSTONE, and 1 juv AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER.

On the Roberts Bank Coalport Jetty in Ladner not only are the days
dwindling down to a precious few but so are the CASPIAN TERNS, down to 65
birds from the more than 600 that were there just a few short weeks ago.
Just to the S a PEREGRINE FALCON was again at the Tsawwassen Ferry
Terminal at the far end of the Tsawwassen Jetty.

In mid-Georgia Strait west of the Tsawwassen Jetty was a flock of 8 RED-
NECKED PHALAROPES.

In an out-of-town sighting today there was a *FORSTER'S TERN* off Clover
Point in Victoria in a flock of about 100 COMMON TERNS.

In another sighting from outside the checklist area, up to *20* migrating
WESTERN TANAGERS were observed in an orchard behind the train station at
North Bend across the Fraser Canyon from Boston Bar. 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!