Subject: RBA Victoria, BC - Mar 09/99
Date: Mar 11 08:34:52 1999
From: Kevin Slagboom - boom at islandnet.com



Victoria Rare Bird Alert for Tuesday, March 9 at 9:45 p.m.
Compiled by Bryan Gates. Transcribed by Virginia Jessop.

Feature Bird
-------------
POSSIBLE ICELAND GULL


Tuesday, March 9
--------------------------
A bird fitting the description of a first winter ICELAND GULL of the
kumlieni sub-species was on the rocks at Clover Point in Victoria.
Photographs and confirmation of the identity of this bird would be
appreciated and will be required by the Victoria Birds Records Committee,
as this can be possibly just the second record of that sub-species of that
bird here in the Victoria area. Confusion exists with regard to ICELAND
GULLS, not only between the two sub-species, glaucoides and kumlieni, but
also between Thayer's Gulls and ICELAND GULLS. Some authorities consider
those two to be one species. The bird at Clover Point in first winter
plumage is paler than any of the Thayer's Gulls present, has a very pale
almost white primaries, soft and indistinctly banded tail, a dark tip to an
otherwise dusky-pinkish bill. It very closely resembles the first winter
ICELAND GULL pictured in Volume II of the Audobon Master Guide to Birding.
Your opinions on this bird would be appreciated.

There are no other reports on March 9, although many PACIFIC LOONS remain
in Active Pass along the B.C. Ferries route.


Monday, March 8
-------------------------
Up to 5 FORK-TAILED STORM PETRELS were off Clover Point in Victoria, fairly
well offshore in the vicinity of the gull concentrations there. These
birds appeared to move quickly out of that area and could not be relocated
later that afternoon.

Also seen off Clover Point were 2 flights of migrating BRANT, both flying
east and totaling up to 40 birds.

2 WESTERN SCREECH OWLS were calling on Millstream Lake Rd. near the
McIntyre Farm which is not far from the intersection with Munns Rd. in the
Highlands district.

A TUNDRA SWAN and a SNOW GOOSE were still on the Dinsdale Farm fields.
These are the farms that harbour the old big leaf maple trees at the head
of Cowichan Bay.

Many swallows, mostly VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS, were at Cowichan Bay and over
nearby Somenos Marsh.

VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS were also over Viaduct Flats in Saanich.

Also at Viaduct Flats was a calling GREAT HORNED OWL.


Sunday, March 7
-------------------------
A YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER was again at 6962 Doumont Rd. in the Nanaimo
area. Take the Island Highway Nanaimo By-pass Highway to Jingle Pot -
Molstar exit. Go west a short distance to Biggs Rd., turn right on Biggs
for about 3.5 km to Doumont (6962) Rd.

2 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS were again at Buttertubs Marsh near Nanaimo.

Also at Buttertubs Marsh were Cedar Waxwings.

An early TURKEY VULTURE was circling over the Cassidy Airport south of Nanaimo.

Pleasant birding!
Kevin Slagboom
Webmaster

Birding in BC
http://birding.bc.ca
Tel: (250) 658-0940