Subject: RBA: Victoria, BC - May22/98
Date: May 25 07:59:11 1998
From: Kevin Slagboom - boom at islandnet.com


This is the Victoria Rare Bird Alert for Sunday, May 24th at 9:30 p.m.

Feature Birds
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RED-NECKED PHALAROPE
BULLOCK'S ORIOLE
PACIFIC GOLDEN PLOVER
BRISTLE-THIGHED CURLEW

Sunday, May 24
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A RED-NECKED PHALAROPE in breeding plumage was on the Duncan-North Cowichan
sewage pond close to Duncan.

Also there, was a breeding-plumaged male RUDDY DUCK, complete with it's
bright blue bill.

A pair of BULLOCK'S ORIOLES was building a nest at 1346 Munro Road in North
Saanich, in the same tree in which is nesting a pair of Bald Eagles.

6 Pacific Loons in breeding plumage were off Island View Beach in Central
Saanich.

Saturday, May 23
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A GREAT HORNED OWL was near the Interurban trail at Viaduct Flats at Saanich.

The Victoria Natural History Society outing to Newton Heights in Central
Saanich produced Olive-sided Flycatcher, Western Tanager, Black-throated
Gray Warbler, Black-headed Grosbeak, Osprey in a nest and a Pileated
Woodpecker among other species.

Birders hopefully should be looking carefully at all Whimbrels or
Whimbrel-like birds that may appear along our coast. Unprecedented numbers
of a very similar species, the rare BRISTLE-THIGHED CURLEW have been
identified along the California, Oregon and Washington coasts in the past 3
weeks, with sightings at the mouth of the Columbia River on the
Oregon/Washington border to as recently as May 19. From 3 to 5 or possibly
more birds are involved, and these birds will likely continue north along
the BC coast to their Western Alaska breeding grounds. The anomalous
weather patterns of the recent El Nino event may be a factor in the unusual
shift in the northward movement of BRISTLE-THIGHED CURLEWS from their
Hawaiian and South Pacific Island wintering habitat.

Look for a Whimbrel with a very noticeably buffy or cinnamon rump and
generally more buffy tones to the body. Other features of the bird are
that the proportions are very similar to the Whimbrel. Confirming
photographs should be attempted and any sightings should be hot-lined to
this tape as soon as possible.

Also possibly affected by the same El Nino weather pattern is the northward
movement of the Pacific Golden Plover, which is also wintering in the South
Pacific Islands and Hawaii. More are being reported this Spring than in
usual years, and 2 were at Iona Island in Richmond on May 23.
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To report sightings of Interest, call (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 or Hank Vanderpol at 658-3482.

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!