Birders,

This is a condensed transcript of the Vancouver, B.C. Rare Bird Alert
for Thursday, April 27th. This tape was prepared by John Kalman and
transcribed by Wayne Weber.

Highlights include:

COSTA'S HUMMINGBIRD
ICELAND GULL
CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD
NASHVILLE WARBLER
HARRIS' SPARROW

Other species mentioned:

Greater White-fronted Goose
Black Brant (including Gray-bellied form)
Osprey
Peregrine Falcon
Semipalmated Plover
Greater Yellowlegs
Whimbrel
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Western Sandpiper
Vaux's Swift
Hammond's Flycatcher
Pacific-Slope Flycatcher
Cassin's Vireo
Western Tanager
White-throated Sparrow
Yellow-headed Blackbird

==================

Sightings for Thursday, April 27th

A male COSTA'S HUMMINGBIRD was seen near Squamish on April 25 and 26.
It was visiting a second-floor feeder, visible from the road, at 41458
Meadow Drive, in the Eagle Run subdivision of Brackendale (just north
of Squamish.) It was visiting the feeder every 15 minutes or so.

A HARRIS' SPARROW and a YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD were present in
downtown Squamish.

A second-year ICELAND GULL was seen along the Iona Island South Jetty.

A WHITE-THROATED SPARROW, first of the spring migration, was seen on
Iona Island, near the walk-in gate to the sewage ponds. The first
SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER of the year was also seen in the ponds.

Six VAUX'S SWIFTS, first of the year, were noted at the south end of
No. 3 Road in Richmond, next to the Fraser River.

A flock of 450 to 500 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE flew in from
Boundary Bay over the intersection of Highway 1 and Highway 99 in
Delta, and landed in fields near the north end of 96th Street, just
south of Burns Bog. A large flock, possibly the same birds, were also
seen to land on the intertidal flats west of the viewing tower at the
Reifel Bird Sanctuary, Delta.

Also at Reifel were at least 100 GREATER YELLOWLEGS and 2 PEREGRINE
FALCONS. At Brunswick Point, just south of Reifel and Westham
Islands, were thousands of WESTERN SANDPIPERS.

A major fallout of warblers occurred at Queen Elizabeth Park,
Vancouver, and Campbell Valley Park, Langley. Also noted at Campbell
Valley Park were PACIFIC-SLOPE and HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHERS.

A NASHVILLE WARBLER was seen in Vancouver just southeast of the
intersection of King Edward Ave. and Arbutus Street. A WESTERN TANAGER
was observed on East 64th Street in Vancouver.


Sightings for Wednesday, April 26th

One male CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD (possibly two) was seen in cherry trees
near the main garden in Burnaby Mountain Park, Burnaby. A NASHVILLE
WARBLER (first of the year), 2 CASSIN'S VIREOS, and a HAMMOND'S
FLYCATCHERS were also seen at Burnaby Mountain Park.

Fifty WHIMBREL were present in a field at the southwest corner of 8th
Avenue and 184th Street in south Surrey.

An OSPREY was seen in Tynehead Regional Park, Surrey, near the
intersection of Highway 1 and 176th Street.


Sightings for Tuesday, April 25th

A WESTERN TANAGER, first of the year, was seen in Deer Lake Park,
Burnaby, near the Royal Oak Street entrance.

A PEREGRINE FALCON was seen at Boundary Bay Regional Park, Delta, off
the pumphouse at the foot of 12th Avenue (Beach Grove lagoon). Also
here were 800 BLACK BRANT, including at least 3 of the "GRAY-BELLIED"
form.


Sightings for Monday, April 24th

Three SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS were seen at the Beach Grove lagoon, Delta
(east foot of 12th Avenue).


Please report any errors or corrections in this information to Wayne
Weber at wayne_weber at bc.sympatico.ca .

END TRANSCRIPT

Please visit the Vancouver Natural History Society web page at
www.naturalhistory.bc.ca/VNHS/ for the locations of birding areas
mentioned here, and for Society events.