This is the Vancouver Bird Alert for Friday, December 22, 2000: Evening
Update.

Species mentioned:

Eared Grebe [White Rock]
Black-crowned Night Heron [Reifel]
Brant [Beach Grove]
Greater White-fronted Goose [Langley, Iona]
Hooded Merganser [Beach Grove]
Northern Goshawk [Reifel, Whistler]
Peregrine Falcon [Beach Grove]
Sandhill Crane [Westham Isl.]
Greater Yellowlegs [Reifel, Beach Grove]
Long-billed Curlew [Blackie Spit]
Ruddy Turnstone [White Rock]
Black Turnstone [White Rock]
Sanderling [Beach Grove]
Western Gull [Whistler]
Band-tailed Pigeon [Whistler]
Great Horned Owl [Maplewood CA]
Barred Owl [Reifel]
Northern Saw-whet Owl [Reifel]
Northern Pygmy-Owl [Maplewood CA]
Northern Hawk Owl [Whistler]
Ash-throated Flycatcher [Reifel]
Yellow-rumped Warbler [Reifel]
Townsend's Warbler [Abbotsford]
Savannah Sparrow [Beach Grove, Reifel, Chilliwack]
Lincoln's Sparrow [Reifel]

The feature birds are ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER and RUDDY TURNSTONE.

Sightings for Friday, Dec. 22:
At the Reifel Refuge today the immature ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER
was rediscovered in the area behind the washrooms in the afternoon.
Also reported from the Refuge were a NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL,
BARRED OWL, 2 GREATER YELLOWLEGS and 2 BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS.

The RUDDY TURNSTONE and 5 BLACK TURNSTONES were again seen at the end
of the White Rock Pier. To the Northwest end of the Pier were 3 EARED
GREBES.

Nearby at Blackie Spit the LONG-BILLED CURLEW was again seen.

In Langley at the corner of 24th Ave. and 208th St. was a flock 131 CANADA
GEESE
of various forms and 1 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE.

Another GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was reported on the Outer Pond
at Iona Island.

At Beach Grove Lagoon the following species were reported: 1 SAVANNAH
SPARROW
30 SANDERLING, 2 PEREGRINE FALCONS, 4 HOODED MERGANSERS, 356 "BLACK"
BRANT 13 "GRAY-BELLIED BRANT" and up to 8 GREATER YELLOWLEGS.

Wednesday, Dec. 20:

At the end of the White Rock Pier a RUDDY TURNSTONE spent the entire day.

In Abbotsford a TOWNSEND'S WARBLER was found coming to a feeder.

There was no relocation of the immature ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER at the
Reifel Refuge today. However in the field behind the washrooms at the
Refuge 2 SAVANNAH SPARROWS and 1 LINCOLN'S SPARROW were located.

At Maplewood Flats in North Vancouver a GREAT HORNED OWL and a
NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL were found in the woodlot on the west side
of the Sanctuary.

Tuesday, Dec. 19:

The immature ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER was relocated in the morning and spent
most of the day in the hedgerow behind the washrooms at the Reifel Refuge.
Also seen here was an adult NORTHERN GOSHAWK and a YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER. On
Westham Island 3 SANDHILL CRANES were also reported.

At the White Rock Pier 2 EARED GREBES and 2 PIED-BILLED GREBES were
reported from the end of the walkway.

Out of town the Whistler Christmas Bird Count was held this weekend.
Highlights include: 1 NORTHERN HAWK-OWL, 1 WESTERN GULL, 1 BAND-TAILED
PIGEON and 1 NORTHERN GOSHAWK. A total of 48 species were tallied on the
count.

Monday, Dec. 18:

In Mission a RUSTY BLACKBIRD was found in a feed lot. If you wish to view
this bird please call Murr at 604 826-9522.

Nearby in Chilliwack in a large field at Banford Rd. and Prairie Central Rd.
the following species were seen: 18 LAPLAND LONGSPURS, 5 HORNED LARK, 2
AMERICAN PIPITS, 2 SHORT-EARED OWLS, 2 ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS, 40 SAVANNAH
SPARROWS and 2 WESTERN MEADOWLARKS.

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.