Tweeters,

An analysis of Vancouver BC sighting records demonstrates that the American
Kestrel migration (influx of northbound birds that wintered elsewhere
arriving in or in transit through the Greater Vancouver Checklist Area, and
establishing territory in local areas where no kestrels wintered) does not
begin until late March at the earliest. A further examination shows that
their arrival is often close to coincident with that of two other
insectivorous Interior species, Mountain Bluebird and Say's Phoebe, whose
average arrival dates in the GVCA is March 31 and April 05 respectively.

In short, four American Kestrels in the GVCA at this time of year is an
appropriate wintering population if not actually less than the average one
could expect given the relative mildness of the winter; this may be due,
however, to a simple artefact of coverage.

The earliest *known* migrant arrival date in the GVCA is still that of Tree
Swallow, February 21, although there is strong evidence that some seabirds
actually migrate into the GVCA before that. The abrupt appearance in mid-
to late February of Common Loons and Horned and Red-necked Grebes in mid-
to well-advanced Alternate Molt amidst local birds in Definitive Basic that
they will retain for at least another four to six weeks before beginning
molt strongly suggests that actual northbound migration begins about Feb.
10-15.

It may begin even earlier than that in the GVCA: I've observed that
breeding pairs of Pigeon Guillemots in advanced Basic Molt disappear from
the waters around Stanley Park in November and return *in pairs* in
Definitive Alternate plumage to the very same stretch of water off Brockton
Point on the E side of the Park, where they will be fixtures (with at least
one pair nesting on the cliff at Prospect Point, in a crevice just above
eye-level from the Sea-wall, low enough to pedestrian traffic to be of no
interest to the Pelagic Cormorants which usurped the cliff from the 8-12
guillemot pairs over a decade ago) until the next November, about Feb 07.

Incidentally, though, many Pelagic Cormorants have returned to Stanley Pk.
in Definitive Alternate plumage (and you can recognise the 1st-yr. birds
with their glossy bodies and retained brown wings and no white
flank-patch), they have yet to begin claiming and defending nest-ledges on
the Prospect Pt. Cliff.

Michael Price