Subject: Vancouver BC Alert to 6.04
Date: Jun 4 23:59 PD 1995
From: Michael Price - michael_price at mindlink.bc.ca


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

Area: VANCOUVER, BC, CANADA (abbrev-VCR)
Period: FRI MAY 26 to SUN JUNE 04/95, 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

For sick or injured birds please call:
Wildlife Rescue at 526-7275
Monika's Wildlife Shelter at 882-0908
Owl Rehabilitation Center at 946-3171


SPECIES MENTIONED:

COSTA'S HUMMINGBIRD
Common Nighthawk (arr.)
Gray Catbird (arr.)
Eastern Kingbird
Western Kingbird
Lazuli Bunting
Northern Oriole
Crested Myna
Black Oystercatcher
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Turkey Vulture
Lewis' Woodpecker
Sandhill Crane
Peregrine Falcon
Vaux's Swift
Green Heron
American Bittern
Sora
Caspian Tern
Purple Martin
Parasitic Jaeger
Red-necked Grebe
Willow Flycatcher
CLAY-COLORED SPARROW


SIGHTINGS (somewhat edited)

VCR Vancouver
BBY Burnaby
RMD Richmond
SRY Surrey
COQ Coquitlam
POCO Port Coquitlam
N WST New Westminster
MPL RDG Maple Ridge
TSWN Tsawwassen
GVCA Gr. VCR Checklist Area


SUN JUN 04
The male *COSTA'S HUMMINGBIRD*, Greater VCR's *3rd*-ever, and BC's 6th
record., is again present at a feeder at 783 Dominion St. To reach this
address, take Hwy 7, the Lougheed Highway E into POCO, turn N off the
Lougheed onto Ottawa, go about 1 block, take the 1st Right onto Dominion and
go about 1 km. to 783 Dominion. If possible, park on the side of the road
but don't block traffic.

Our last two regular migrant species both showed up in the GCVA today with 1
COMMON NIGHTHAWK over W 15th Ave. & Arbutus St. in VCR, and the other, a
GRAY CATBIRD, plus a female NORTHERN ORIOLE, were at the beginning of the
Nature Dike Trail near the caretaker's trailer at Grant Narrows in Pitt
Meadows; this is the location of the boat-launch ramps on Pitt L. at the N
end of Rennie Rd. In the woodlot about 1.5 km S of the boat launch, there
was 1 EASTERN KINGBIRD.

The 2 WESTERN KINGBIRDS on the POCO side of Colony Farms are constructing a
nest on the 2nd large power pole top the W of Mary Hill Rd. at the same site
they nested last year in VCR's 1st breeding record for this species; they
had some skirmishes with a 3rd WESTERN KINGBIRD, and at least 2 male LAZULI
BUNTINGS were also in the vicinity of the power pole. A male NORTHERN ORIOLE
was also at Colony Farms.

There may be 2 nesting pairs of CRESTED MYNA at the W approach to the Arthur
Laing Bridge at the S end of Granville St. in S VCR in the vicinity of SW
Marine Dr. & Hudson St. One bird was carrying nesting material.


SAT JUN 03
The male COSTA'S HUMMINGBIRD, VCR's 3rd-ever, is again present in Pt.
Coquitlam. At Colony Farms, also in POCO, the pair of WESTERN KINGBIRDS were
in the vicinity of the 2nd large power pole to the W of Mary Hill Rd., and a
male LAZULI BUNTING was also on the pole. 2 BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS were on the
South Jetty at Iona Is. in RMD, and at least 2 male YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS
were on territory at the Outer Pond at Iona Is.


FRI JUN 02
RARE BIRD ALERT: A male *COSTA'S HUMMINGBIRD* has been frequenting a
feeder at 783 Dominion St. in POCO. The bird has apparently been there since
May 02. A possibly territorial pair of TURKEY VULTURES were over Eagle Ridge
in W VCR. Out of town on VCR IS., a LEWIS' WOODPECKER flew over the Island
Highway at Chapman in the Cobble Hill area N of Victoria, a location where
this species has appeared before.


THU JUN 01
There was no local report for Thursday June 01.


WED MAY 31
The territorial pair of WESTERN KINGBIRDS were defending the large high
tension tower on which they nested last year in Colony Farms on the POCO
side. Also at the farms was one and possibly two male LAZULI BUNTINGS, one
of them near the old bridge. Single TURKEY VULTURES were over Deas Is
Regional Pk. in S Delta, and Hwy 99 at the Westminster Highway in S RMD.

TUE MAY 30
A flock of 4 SANDHILL CRANES, unusual in early summer outside their known
breeding area of Pitt Meadows in MPL RDG and Burns Bog in N Delta, flew
over the Minoru Pk area of RMD today. A single TURKEY VULTURE was over the
Lougheed Hwy & Brunet in COQ.


MON MAY 29
At least 2 pairs of CRESTED MYNAS were at the N end of the Arthur Laing
Bridge linking S VCR and RMD in the vicinity of Hudson St. & SW Marine Dr. A
single PEREGRINE FALCON was over MacNeil Rd. in Pitt Meadows.

SUN MAY 28
At least 3 WESTERN KINGBIRDS were at Colony Farms on the POCO side,
including the pair which nested there last year on a powerpole to the W of
Mary Hill Rd.; also here was a presumably territorial male LAZULI BUNTING, a
pair of VAUX'S SWIFTS which may also be nesting in the area, a female
NORTHERN ORIOLE, and 1 GREEN HERON. Iona Is. in NW RMD was also a busy spot
at the Outer Pond with 4 male YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS in courtship display
to 2 females, a male SORA likewise, and a single calling AMERICAN BITTERN;
all these birds were very visible, unusual for the last two species. If you
go looking for them please remember this is the beginning of nesting season,
so please do not stress the birds by playing tapes to make them respond or
enter into their breeding areas in the marshes. Another SORA was at the
NW end of Centennial Beach Pk. in TSWN's Beach Grove area; a pair of TURKEY
VULTURES were over Beach Grove Pk. just to the N. A single CRESTED MYNA was
at W 1st Ave & Wylie in the eastern False Creek area of central VCR. A flock
of 12 adult CASPIAN TERNS overflew the Kitsilano area of VCR in the
3200-block area.


SAT MAY 27
There was no subsequent relocation of the CLAY-COLORED SPARROW present for
most of Friday May 26 along the E side of MacDonald Rd. 0.5 km S of the
entrance to MacDonald Beach Pk. on Sea Is. in RMD.

At least 1 PURPLE MARTIN was at the Maplewood Flats nesting site in N VCR.

Two singing male FOX SPARROWS were on territory in the vicinity of the
large radio towers along Mt. Seymour Parkway in Mt. Seymour PP. What
appeared to be a territorial pair of TURKEY VULTURES were over the main
parking lot at the top of the Mt. Seymour Parkway.

A pair of WESTERN KINGBIRDS were at Colony Farms; a singing male LAZULI
BUNTING, presumably territorial was also here. and nearby there was a late
alternate plumaged RED-NECKED GREBE at the mouth of the Coquitlam R.

Three PARASITIC JAEGERS were off the W Beach at White Rock, while an Osprey
was just to the N at Crescent Beach.

A group of 2 adult Ospreys in company with a recently fledged juvenile and 1
young bird still on the nest were all at Grant Narrows in Pitt Meadows to
the E of the boat launch area; 2 CASPIAN TERNS were also here and along the
Nature Dike Trail which begins just E of the boat launch was a single
EASTERN KINGBIRD and a female NORTHERN ORIOLE.

A single WILLOW FLYCATCHER was on territory at Inter-River Pk., formerly the
Premier St. Landfill site, in N VCR.

The pair of BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS were at their usual location on the N side
of the Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal Jetty.

Finally, CRESTED MYNAS were at the following locations: 5 birds were at W
1st Ave. & Wylie in the eastern False Creek area of central VCR, 3 at W 2nd
Ave. & Pine near the Fir St. exit at the S end of the Granville Bridge in
VCR, at least 1 bird at the traditional site of W 41st Ave. & West
Boulevard, and finally, 1 bird in the 1600-block of W 2nd.


FRI MAY 26
A singing male *CLAY-COLORED SPARROW* was present all day along the E side of
MacDonald Rd. opposite Tapp Rd. on Sea Is. in RMD; this location is 0.5 km S
of the entrance to MacDonald Beach Pk.


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!