Hello Tweeters,

Michael Price prepared this list in answer to my query about Boundry Bay
in April. This list is so complete I had to post it for the benefit of
others. Thank Michael when you get the chance.
====================================================================

Here's a list your friend *might* see at Boundary Bay at that time of the
year. Some of the species characteristic of forest live or transit through
the mature coniferous forest at Crescent Beach at the E end of the Bay.
Caps (CENT, BLSPT, MB, etc.) refer to the likeliest area of the Bay
shoreline from which to search.


AG: agricultural lands surrounding the Bay -- this is where a lot of
shorebirds and waterfowl go at high tide, especially flooded fields along
72nd St. S of the BBay Airport. Drive the numbered streets to find the
standing roosts of tide-displaced birds. Remember that a rising tide is
best to view shorebirds, a high tide to view waterfowl, and a low tide to
get an idea of the staggering total numbers of birds that use this area.
And remeber that the Mean Low Tide line is a *helluva* way out there. Lots
of raptors and other interesting birds in the AG hedgerows, woodlots,
fields, and ditches.

CENT: central area of Bay; tidal flats, foreshore saltmarshes, big crowds
of herons, waterfowl, shorebirds, gulls.

MB: Mud Bay, at NE end of Bay, usually best for shorebirds, on the riding
tide; best seen from the 112th Street Spit, a small grassy spit about 1 km
E of the S end of 112th Street.

BSP: Blackie Spit, at E end of the Bay, good land and marine habitat mix
equals good species mix; migrant trap.

BG: Beach Grove, at W end of Bay; like BSP, a good mix of habitats, with
the old sewage lagoon really good on a rising tide. Dog City (therefore
Dogshit City); offshore, large numbers of seabirds, waterfowl.

PR: Point Roberts WA; has combined sandflat and rocky shoreline along E and
SE side of the Point. Forests (going fast!) of mixed dougfir, redcedar,
broad-leafed maple has lots of interesting species.

WR: White Rock. Has rocky foreshore and sandflat going south from Crescent
Beach through Ocean Park to vast (at low tide) WR sand beaches; White Rock
Pier and Promenade good to look for Yellow-billed Loon, Eared Grebe,
Long-tailed Duck, and alcids.

The term 'Period' refers to the dates of your friends' visit: 4/12-14.
I've added a section at the end of the species' list regarding species for
which your friends will be, on average, too early or too late.


SPECIES

Red-throated Loon: SW, CENT; look well out, should be a few in transit.

Pacific Loon: SW; a few spill around the E side of Point Roberts.

Common Loon: anywhere offshore; close in, BSP.

Yellow-billed Loon: *really* tough, but try offshore, BSP.

Pied-billed Grebe: Could be anywhere inshore, but try tidal lagoons of BSP.

Horned Grebe: anywhere offshore, but concentrates near BSP.

Red-necked Grebe: may be a few left; offshore and near BSP

Eared Grebe: rare; offshore, WR, BSP.

Western Grebe: may be a few offshore, WR.

Clark's Grebe: rare; check through WEGR flocks for CLGR or hybrids.

Double-crested Cormorant: BSP.

Pelagic Cormorant: usually a few offshore.

Great Blue Heron: resident in the area.

Green Heron: possible, particularly near the end of 112th Street.

Greater White-fronted Goose: AG; drop-in flocks possible in transit.

Snow Goose: possible in transit.

Brant: BG, W CENT.

Canada Goose: local introduced residents certainly, migrant Taverner's,
Cackling, and other forms possible in transit.

Green-winged Teal: AG, inshore; should be good numbers still present;
*definitely* look through them for Eurasian 'crecca' form and 'crecca X
carolinensis' hybrids.

Mallard: AG, inshore; should be plenty of wild Mallards still present.

Northern Pintail: AG, inshore; should still be numerous.

Blue-winged Teal: AG, look along ditches; tidal lagoons of BSP, BG; may be
some inshore; usually pal around with Cinnamon Teal.

Cinnamon Teal: AG, but look along ditches, otherwise as Blue-winged Teal.

Northern Shoveler: inshore, flooded fields, otherwise as Blue-winged Teal.

Gadwall: should be pretty ubiquitous.

American Wigeon: AG, inshore; W CENT, BG, BSP; should still be common.

Eurasian Wigeon: wherever there's AMWI; may be hybrids.

Canvasback: offshore; a chance of migrant flocks in the Bay.

Ring-necked Duck: offshore; possible in the scaup flocks.

Tufted Duck: rare; offshore; possible in the scaup flocks.

Greater Scaup: offshore.

Lesser Scaup: offshore.

Harlequin Duck: E side PR, rocky shoreline WR.

Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis): E side PR, offshore.

Black Scoter: offshore.

Surf Scoter: offshore, common.

White-winged Scoter: offshore, common.

Common Goldeneye: offshore, BSP.

Barrow's Goldeneye: E side PR, rocky shoreline WR.

Bufflehead: offshore, BSP, BG; should be some left.

Hooded Merganser: BSP, MB, AG; look in ditches & sloughs.

Common Merganser: MB, BSP.

Red-breasted Merganser: offshore.

Ruddy Duck: BSP, MB, offshore.

Turkey Vulture: possible.

Osprey: possible, particularly near BSP.

Black-shouldered Kite: very rare here, but possible in AG woodlots, fields
in early April.

Bald Eagle: several eyries in vicinity.

Northern Harrier: breeds in area.

Sharp-shinned Hawk: possible.

Cooper's Hawk: breeds in larger woodlots in area.

Red-tailed Hawk: resident and wintering birds.

Rough-legged Hawk: should be a few wintering birds left.

American Kestrel: possible.

Merlin: possible.

Peregrine Falcon: possible.

Gyrfalcon: getting late, but not impossible with good luck.

Ring-necked Pheasant: declining breeder in area.

American Coot: possible inshore, BSP, BG.

Sandhill Crane: possible with very good luck.

Black-bellied Plover: AG, in fields, often along 72nd St.; MB, BSP

American Golden Plover: AG, MB; average arrival is two weeks later; there
may be an early one or two.

Pacific Golden Plover: likewise.

Semipalmated Sandpiper: possible, if a few days early

Greater Yellowlegs: a few winter at BSP; migrants in area arrive a few days
after the target period.

Lesser Yellowlegs: possible, if migrants are a week early.

Whimbrel: one of the Three Amigos, the group of three large shorebirds
which winters at BSP, is a Whimbrel; otherwise, migrants are just coming
in.

Long-billed Curlew: one of the Three Amigos; otherwise a rare migrant which
could be present (average arr. a couple of weeks before target period).

Marbled Godwit: one of the Three Amigos; otherwise, a rare migrant usually
showing up a couple of weeks later.

Black Turnstone: rocky foreshore WR, E side PR, period very close to
average departure date.

Sanderling: BG, MB, E CENTR.

Western Sandpiper: always a few in the winter Dunlin flocks; aver. arr. in
the target period (4/14); migrants just beginning to come in.

Semipalmated Sandpiper: a couple of weeks early for their avg arrival.

Least Sandpiper: avg arrival 4/15; may be some migrants.

Rock Sandpiper: rare; rocky foreshore WR, E side PR, usually with Black
Turnstone.

Dunlin: should be common to abundant on foreshore, with Alt.-plumaged
migrants present.

Short-billed Dowitcher: BSP, MB, BG; avg arrival 4/14, 'caurinus' race.

Long-billed Dowitcher: a few winter at BSP, Alt.-plumaged migrants would be
early.

Common Snipe: AG, BG; migration underway by target period.

Mew Gull: AG, particularly during plowing, readily following tractors; some
in AG standing roosts around the Vancouver Landfill (Caution! staff at the
Landfill are quite hostile to birders: the Landfill is *definitely*
off-limits to gull-enthusiast birders); common to abundant.

Bonaparte's Gull: should be some, BSP, BG.

Ring-billed Gull: as Mew Gull.

California Gull: migrants should be fairly common in AG standing roosts.

Herring Gull: should be a few left in the AG standing roosts.

Thayer's Gull: as Herring Gull; note: faded Thayer's can strongly suggest
'Iceland' Gull (lump 'em!), so if you think you've got one, take as many
minutely-detailed notes as possible.

Slaty-backed Gull: a regular rarity in recent years that may still be in
the AG standing flocks (those Oregon birds gotta make a pit-stop when
heading back to Alaska :-).

Western Gull: a regular rarity in AG standing roosts, and there might be a
few left, but the trick is separating them from the far more common Western
X Glaucous-winged Gull hybrids.

Glaucous-winged Gull: abundant and ubiquitous.

Glaucous Gull: a regular rarity that might still be in the AG standing
roosts.

At best, it's about two weeks early for terns, on their averages. If
present at all, alcids are usually over in the SW part of the Bay by the E
side of PR; Rhinoceros Auklet, Marbled Murrelet, Pigeon Guillemot possible.

Rock Dove: AG, BSP, BG.

Band-tailed Pigeon: should be some, forests BSP, BG, PR.

Mourning Dove: uncommon, BSP, woodlots.

Barn Owl: most barns in the AG have a pair; ask first.

W. Screech Owl: in the mature forests of BSP and PR.

Great Horned Owl: as WSOW.

Snowy Owl: getting very late, but not *completely* impossible to get a late
northbound bird, try particularly the foreshore between 64th and 72nd Sts.

Barred Owl: in the forests of BSP & PR, larger AG woodlots.

Long-eared Owl: AG, but *very* secretive.

Short-eared Owl: W CENT, particularly 64th--72nd foreshore.

Rufous Hummingbird: BSP, PR forest edges, BG.

Anna's Hummingbird: BSP, rare.

Belted Kingfisher: E side PR, BSP.

Red-breasted Sapsucker: BSP, PR; in the forests.

Downy & Hairy Woodpeckers: AG woodlots, forests of BSP, PR (they'll be of
the 'grey-breasted' coastal races; the few wintering 'white-breasted' birds
will have headed back to the Interior and the North by target period).

Northern Flicker: AG woodlots, forests of BSP, PR; wintering Yellow-shafted
and hybrids will have cleared the area, returning to the Interior and
North).

Pileated Woodpecker: still a few pairs in PR forest, a pair or two in the
BSP forest.

Flycatchers come in about two weeks later; Hammond's is the likeliest to be
early.

Hammond's Flycatcher: BSP, PR forests, AG woodlots.

Say's Phoebe: rare, but possible along field edges.

Horned Lark: outside chance of a few along the tideline of BSP on the Spit
itself (get there early: any birds on the Spit are usually put up by people
letting their dogs run free).

Tree Swallow: fairly common at BG, BSP.

Violet-green Swallow: common at BG, BSP.

N. Rough-winged Swallow: should be a few, BSP, BG, E side PR.

Cliff Swallow: should be some, as NRWS.

Barn Swallow: should be some, ubiq.

Steller's Jay: forest, suburban yards, BG, PR, BSP.

Northwestern Crow: abundant and ubiquitous.

Common Raven: outside chance at BBay.

Black-capped Chickadee: AG woodlots, BG, BSP, PR suburban yards.

Chestnut-backed Chickadee: mature forest, BSP, PR

Bushtit: AG woodlots, suburban yards, BSP, BG, PR.

Red-breasted Nuthatch: mature forest, BSP, PR, BG.

Brown Creeper: as RBNU.

Bewick's Wren: AG woodlots, BSP, BG, PR.

Winter Wren: mature forests, BSP, PR, AG woodlots.

Marsh Wren: along BBay dike.

Golden-crowned Kinglet: mature forest BSP, BG, PR.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet: should be a few left, AG woodlots, BSP.

Mountain Bluebird: a *chance* in the AG fields, foreshore, BSP.

Townsend's Solitaire: a *chance* in forest, BSP, PR.

Hermit Thrush: should be some if migration's a few days early, AG woodlots,
forest BSP, BG, PR.

American Robin: migrants and residents should both be present at this time.

Varied Thrush: mature forest, BSP, PR, BG.

American Pipit: average arrival is 4/13; forshore and AG fields.

Cedar Waxwing: should be fairly common, AG woodlots, BG, BSP, Serpentine
Fen.

Northern Shrike: last one should have just gone by period; chance of late
bird; foreshore, AG fields.

European Starling: AG fields, ubiq.

Solitary Vireo: maybe an early one; average arrival is during period; AG
woodlots, forests of BSP, PR, BG. An eastener may be interested in seeing
our race of SOVI; who knows if/when it'll be split off?

Other vireos (WAVI, REVI) come in later.

Orange-crowned Warbler: should be common, AG woodlots and hedgerows,
scrubby patches along foreshore, forests BSP, BG, PR.

Yellow-rumped Warbler: should be common; habitats as OCWA.

Black-throated Gray Warbler: average arrival just before period, might be a
few around if migrational movement early; habitats as OCWA.

Townsend's Warbler: average arrival just before period; might be a few;
habitats as OCWA.

MacGillivray's Warbler: average arrival just after period; may be an early
one or two; AG woodlots, hedgerows, in understory of forest and edges.

Common Yellowthroat: should be common in appropriate habitat.

Spotted Towhee: common, AG woodlots, hedgerows.

Clay-colored Sparrow: rare; AG hedgerows, scrubby areas on foreshore, BSP,
BG.

Savannah Sparrow: numerous; AG fields, foreshore.

Fox Sparrow: should be a few in AG woodlots and tangles, singing males
conspicuous. Easterners will likely be interested in our races, which look
like they're headed for a split into two and possibly three species. There
should be individuals of the 'Sooty' Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca
fuliginosa, unalaschensis, annectens, etc.) and 'Slate-colored' Fox Sparrow
(P.i. schistacea, altigavens, olivacea).

Song Sparrow: common; AG woodlots, brambles, hedgerows.

Lincoln's Sparrow: common but unobtrusive; as SOSP.

Golden-crowned Sparrow: too early for migration, but some wintering
Basic-plumaged birds should be in the AG hedgerows & brambles.

White-crowned Sparrow: fairly common in wintering flocks in AG hedgerows,
mostly Zonotrichia leucophrys pugetensis, the resident and migrant race;
the interior migrant Z.l. gambelli (Gambel's) race migrates through after
target period.

Harris's Sparrow: a rarity here, but check out GCSP flocks; doesn't often
associate with WCSP.

Dark-eyed Junco: should be a few 'Oregon'-type still around, with maybe a
"Slate-colored' type or hybrid individual or two.

Red-winged Blackbird: common in appropriate habitat.

Yellow-headed Blackbird: possible wintering bird with other blackbirds,
otherwise just a little too early.

Brewer's Blackbird: abundant in AG fields.

Brown-headed Cowbird: should be common, with other blackbirds.

Purple Finch: seems to have become rather scarce in Vancouver BC; AG
woodlots and hedgerows, forests BSP, BG, PR.

House Finch: common, BG suburbs, AG woodlots.

Red Crossbill: whatever they're doing with species of this thing ;-) should
be a few, possibly common, in forests BSP, PR, BG.

Pine Siskin: common, AG woodlots, forests of BSP, BG, PR.

American Goldfinch: fairly common, as PISI.

Evening Grosbeak: totally unpredictable, may be some, especially near
forests of BSP, PR, BG.

House Sparrow: common in AG fields, hedgerows, feedlots.



TOO EARLY (ON AVERAGE) FOR:
(possibly early migrants in period marked with asterisk *)

Blue-winged Teal
American Golden-Plover*
Pacific Golden-Plover*
Semipalmated Plover*
Black-necked Stilt* (rare)
American Avocet* (rare)
Solitary Sandpiper
Willet (rare)
Wandering Tattler
Spotted Sandpiper
Marbled Godwit*
Ruddy Turnstone
Red Knot
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Baird's Sandpiper*
Pectoral Sandpiper*
Stilt Sandpiper
Ruff (rarer northbound than southbound)
Wilson's Phalarope
Red-necked Phalarope
Parasitic Jaeger
Pomarine Jaeger
Sabine's Gull (there may to be a migration through Georgia Strait for this
species in early to mid-May)
Caspian Tern*
Common Tern
Arctic Tern
Black Tern
Snowy Owl*
Common Nighthawk
Black Swift
Vaux's Swift*
Calliope Hummingbird
Lewis' Woodpecker (rare)
Red-naped Sapsucker* (rare)
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Western Wood-pewee
Willow Flycatcher
Hammond's Flycatcher*
Dusky Flycatcher (rare)
Pacific-slope Flycatcher*
Say's Phoebe*
Eastern Kingbird
Western Kingbird
Bank Swallow*
House Wren (rare)
Swainson's Thrush
Gray Catbird
Loggerhead Shrike (rare)
Warbling Vireo*
Red-eyed Vireo
Tennesee Warbler (rare)
Nashville Warbler
Yellow Warbler
American Redstart (rare)
Northern Waterthrush (rare)
MacGillivray's Warbler*
Wilson's Warbler*
Western Tanager
Black-headed Grosbeak
Lazuli Bunting (rare)
Chipping Sparrow (rare)
Vesper Sparrow (rare)
Golden-crowned Sparrow: migrants, not wintering birds.
Lapland Longspur*
Yellow-headed Blackbird*
Bullock's Oriole* BSP
Cassin's Finch (rare)


TOO LATE (ON AVERAGE) FOR:
(possible hanger-on for period marked with asterisk *)

Tundra Swan
Trumpeter Swan
Snow Goose*
Tufted Duck (rare)
Long-tailed Duck*
Northern Goshawk* (rare)
Gyrfalcon* (rare)
Surfbird*: rocky foreshores WR, E side PR.
American Tree Sparrow* (rare)
Swamp Sparrow* (rare)
Harris' Sparrow* (rare)
Snow Bunting
Western Meadowlark*
Common Redpoll (rare)