This is the Victoria Rare Bird Alert for Wednesday, June 03 at 9:15 p.m.

Feature Bird
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CRESTED CARACARA

**RARE BIRD ALERT - On June 3 a bird photographed and clearly identified as
a CRESTED CARACARA, a species of the extreme southern United States, Mexico
and Central America, was at a logging camp on the south central coast of
British Columbia. This bird has been in that location since approximately
May 4, almost a month now, and is feeding generally with Northwestern Crows
on scraps that are being thrown out for birds at the camp's dryland log
sort area. The bird appears to be wild, and is likely the same individual
that was identified at Neah Bay and other spots along the Juan de Fuca
shoreline of Washington State earlier this year. The bird is at the Caviar
Cove logging camp of Interfor (that's the forest company)in Drury Inlet on
the mainland east of Port Hardy. Access is extremely difficult and is
somewhat restricted by the logging camp, however, negotiations are underway
with the company and it's possible that birders may have some form of
access to see this bird, which, if accepted, will be a first record for
British Columbia. More information will be provided as it is made available
to us on this RARE BIRD ALERT.

June 3
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3 Ospreys were over Limekiln Bay in View Royal.

A Black-headed Grosbeak and Evening Grosbeaks were all in at a feeder at
Townsend Drive in the Beaver Lake area in Saanich.

June 2
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A late report was received of a male LAZULI BUNTING on the east side of Mt.
Tolmie in Saanich.

A bird thought possibly to be a SANDHILL CRANE flew over Stelly's School
towards Butterfly World in Central Saanich. Confirmation is requested.

June 1
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A male Wilson's Phalarope was again at Viaduct Flats in Central Saanich.

A NORTHERN PYGMY OWL was being harassed much of the day at 3472 Sunheights
Drive on Triangle Mountain in Colwood.

A female BULLOCK'S ORIOLE was at the Cordova Bay Golf Course in Saanich.

A Common Nighthawk was over the Shawnigan Lake Beach Estates at Shawnigan
Lake.

May 31
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There was no confirmation of a bird thought possibly to be a LEAST
FLYCATCHER seen and heard on May 31 in the forested area at Viaduct Flats
in Saanich.

A GRAY JAY was on the trail between Spectacle Lake and Oliphant Lake off
the Malahat highway.

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To report sightings of Interest, call the Victoria RBA Hotline at (250)
592-3381 and leave you NAME & TELEPHONE NUMBER plus a brief message
discribing the birds you saw. Or you may email: boom at islandnet.com and
submit your report.

To summon those who can confirm a rare species, call Brian Gates at (250)
598-7899 or the Goodwills' at (250) 382-9652.

Latest Victoria & Vancouver RBA reports are available on the web at:
Birding in British Columbia:
http://www.islandnet.com/~boom/birding/bc-home.htm

[Original Taped Message by Brian Gates. Transcribed by Virginia Jessop.]

Good Birding!