Subject: RBA Vancouver, BC -- March 02/99
Date: Mar 3 08:30:47 1999
From: Libor Michalak - libor at atlas.geomatics.com


This is the Vancouver, B.C. Bird Alert for Tuesday March 2nd, 09:30 PM
update.

The featured bird for todays report is the RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD.

An important message regarding a change of venue for this months Birder's
Night will follow todays sightings

Sightings for Tuesday March 2nd;

Reports of a spring arrival RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRDS are beginning to trickle in
with two reports from south Surrey. The earliest of which was a male first
seen on February 25th at Marine Drive and 140th Street. The second male was
reported from a home at 140th Street and 70th Avenue.

An AMERICAN BITTERN was sighted in a roadside ditch at the north end of 224
th Street in Maple Ridge and three SHORT-EARED OWLS were at the foot of 22nd
Street Delta.

20 BAND-TAILED PIGEONS are regular visitors to a feeder in a small townhouse
garden in central Richmond.

Birder's Night will be held at 07:30pm on Thursday March 4th in a basement
meeting room at the York House
School located at the southwest corner of Granville Street at West King
Edward. Look for the building closest to Granville and proceed to the
entrance door which is near the center of the building's west side. This
door cannot be opened from the outside so periodic checks will be made to
admit late comers. You may park either in the lot at West 26th Avenue a
block south of west King Edward or along the street. Birders are asked to
bring their own mug and refreshments due to limited kitchen facilities. The
April meeting will be at our usual location.

Monday March 1st:

A LEAST SANDPIPER thought to be an over wintering bird was heard and seen in
a field at the foot of 34th Street Delta. Also in Delta a BARN OWL was
reported from the base of the Robert's Bank Jetty.

There were late reports of a HORNED LARK along the dyke at Beach Grove. A
NORTHERN PYGMY OWL seen after dusk in the north parking lot at Park Royal
west Vancouver, and a BARN OWL hunting at the foot of 22nd Street.

Sunday, February 28th:

The Burrard Inlet Environmental Survey located the following species:

a HORNED LARK at west Vancouver's Ambleside Park on the rock jetty west of
the Capilano
River mouth. A GOLDEN EAGLE, a PEREGRINE FALCON and a BONEPARTE'S GULL at
Indian Arm south of the Buntzen Power Generating Plant and a SPOTTED
SANDPIPER at Barnet Reen Park. In a late report also from the Burrad Survey
4 BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS, 40 BLACK TURNSTONES and a ROCK SANDPIPER were
tallied in Stanley Park between Second Beach and Fergesson's Point.

The ROSS'S GOOSE was again at Coquitlam's Como Lake Park and in Delta the
PACIFIC GOLDEN PLOVER was again located on 64th south of the RR crossing.

South Surrey's HARRIS' and AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS were seen east of 13846 -
40th Ave.
in Surrey.

Meanwhile Vancouver's overwintering HARRIS' SPARROW could still be seen at
the 2500 block of west 12th Avenue.

SHORT-EARED OWLS were observed in numerous Delta locations including two at
the at the foot of 72nd,
two along 31A, a single bird at the Boundary Bay Reg Park, another at the
foot of the Tsawwassen Jetty,
and finally one on 52nd north of Hwy 17.

A GLAUCOUS GULL was reported from the Burns Dr. area in Delta.

Ten EURASIAN WIDGEON and a EURASIAN RACE GREEN-WINGED TEAL were spotted from
the Roberts Bank Jetty.


Saturday, February 27th:

A PACIFIC-GOLDEN PLOVER was heard calling in a field at the foot of 64th
Street Delta. A HARRIS' SPARROW and an AMERICAN TREE SPARROW were seen in a
front yard at 13846 - 40th Ave. Surrey.

In a flock of 500 DUNLIN along the Iona/Sea Island causeway were 18 WESTERN
SANDPIPERS.

The WILLET was seen on the south shore at the base of the Tsawwassen Jetty.


Friday, February 26th

The PRAIRIE FALCON was reported from it's usual location at the foot of
34th in Delta.

A GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was seen grazing with Canada Geese at the
Burnaby Lake Sports Centre on Kennsington Ave. in Burnaby.

A GREEN HERON was observed near the residence of 4637 W 37th in Vancouver.

A single ROCK SANDPIPER was sighted at Stanley Park's Ferguson Point.

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