This is the Vancouver Bird Alert for Sunday, Dec. 17, 2000: Evening Update.

Species mentioned:

American Bittern [Reifel]
Green Heron [Southlands - Vancouver]
Brant [Pt. Roberts, Tsawwassen Jetty]
Cinnamon Teal [Iona]
Redhead [Iona Jetty]
Ring-necked Duck [Reifel]
Northern Goshawk [Reifel]
Gyrfalcon [Pt. Grey]
Semipalmated Plover [Robert's Bank]
Greater Yellowlegs [Iona]
Spotted Sandpiper [Reifel]
Black Turnstone [Stanley Park]
Rock Sandpiper [Iona]
Long-billed Dowitcher [Iona]
Western Gull [Pt. Roberts]
Barn Owl [Reifel]
Great Horned Owl [Reifel]
Barred Owl [Reifel]
Western Flycatcher (possible) [49th Vancouver]
Hutton's Vireo [Reifel]
Horned Lark [Iona]
House Wren (possible) [Pt. Grey]
Townsend's Solitaire [Pt. Grey]
Hermit Thrush [QE Park]
Cedar Waxwing [South Surrey]
Yellow-rumped Warbler [Vancouver, Iona]
Townsend's Warbler [Abbotsford]
MacGillivray's Warbler [Vancouver]
American Tree Sparrow [Iona]
Savannah Sparrow [Iona]
Snow Bunting [Iona Jetty, Tsawwassen Jetty]
Western Meadowlark [Iona]
Brown-headed Cowbird [Iona]

The feature birds are MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLER, GREEN HERON,
GYRFALCON, WHITE-THROATED SPARROW, HORNED LARK,
ROCK SANDPIPER, TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE, possible HOUSE WREN
and possible "WESTERN" FLYCATCHER.

Sightings for Sunday, Dec. 17:

The provisional total for the Vancouver Christmas Bird Count is a wonderful
140 species! Congratulations to everyone who participated on producing a
highly successful count!

A MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLER was discovered with a YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER
in brambles at the foot of Roger St. in Vancouver.

A GREEN HERON has been present for several days in a large ditch near the
corner of
W. 53rd and Carnarvan St. in the Southlands area of Vancouver. Nearby in
2200 block of W. 49th Ave. a bird fitting the description of a "WESTERN"
FLYCATCHER has been present with a large mixed flock of Kinglets and
Bushtits for several days. Confirmation is requested as this would be the
first winter record for Canada.

At Pt. Grey today an immature GYRFALCON was discovered. Meanwhile at Cecil
Green Park near the Anthropology Museum at UBC was a TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE.
Also reported from Pt. Grey was a bird fitting the description of a HOUSE
WREN. Confirmation is requested as there are no confirmed winter sightings
for Vancouver.

At Iona Island today a HORNED LARK was discovered along the North Arm Jetty.
On the Outer Pond the male CINNAMON TEAL was rediscovered. At Iona Bay on
the foreshore the ROCK SANDPIPER was again observed with many DUNLIN. Along
the South Jetty were 15 SNOW BUNTINGS and at the tip was a male REDHEAD.
Other birds seen in the park today include 4 YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS, 1
AMERICAN TREE SPARROW, 4 SAVANNAH SPARROWS, 1 BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD, 3
WESTERN MEADOWLARKS, 3 LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS and 4 GREATER YELLOWLEGS.

At Queen Elizabeth Park were 2 HERMIT THRUSHES.

At Point Roberts at Lighthouse Marine Park were 6 BRANT and a WESTERN GULL.

Saturday, Dec. 16:

The provisional total of the Victoria Christmas Bird Count was 127.

Highlights of the count were NORTHERN FULMAR, PALM WARBLER and
AMERICAN TREE SPARROW.

Locally at the Reifel Refuge 2 NORTHERN GOSHAWKS, 1 BARRED OWL and
1 SPOTTED SANDPIPER were all reported.

Friday, Dec. 15:

At the Reifel Refuge the following birds were reported: 1 BARN OWL, 1 BARRED
OWL 1 NORTHERN GOSHAWK, 1 AMERICAN BITTERN, and 1 HUTTON'S VIREO.
At the nearby Tsawwassen Ferry Jetty 4 SNOW BUNTINGS were seen, while at the
base of the Roberts Bank Coal Port Jetty 1 SEMIPALMATED PLOVER was seen.

In the 1500 Block of South Surrey a CEDAR WAXWING was reported.

In Abbotsford on Clayburn Rd. a TOWNSEND'S WARBLER was seen today.

Thursday, Dec 14:

At the Reifel Refuge the following birds were reported: 2 NORTHERN
GOSHAWKS - 1 adult/ 1 immature, 1 BARRED OWL, and 1 GREAT HORNED OWL. 60+
RING-NECKED DUCKS have been present on Ewen Slough. This is a very high
number for our area.

At the Tsawwassen Ferry Jetty were 4 SNOW BUNTINGS, 1 WILLET, several BRANT,
several EURASIAN WIGEON and the adult male BLACK DUCK.

Sightings for Wednesday, Dec 13:

At the Reifel Refuge the following birds were reported: 1 BARRED OWL, 1
GREAT HORNED OWL, 2 NORTHERN GOSHAWKS - 1 adult/ 1 immature, and 60+
RING-NECKED DUCKS along Ewen Slough.

END TRANSCRIPT

To report a sighting to the Bird Alert, call (604) 737-3074. Visit the
Vancouver Natural History Society's website at: www.naturalhistory.bc.ca.