Subject: RBA Vancouver, BC - January 09th, 2000
Date: Jan 10 10:40:40 2000
From: Libor Michalak - pieris at sprint.ca


This is the Vancouver, BC Bird Alert for Sunday January 9th, 10:15 pm
update.

Highlights Include:

GYR FALCON
PARASITIC JEAGER (possible)

Other Species Noted:

Mew Gull
Rusty Blackbird
Brown-headed Blackbird
Hutton's Vireo
Tundra Swan
Brant
Canvasback
Ring-necked Duck
Black and White Warbler
Pied-billed Grebe
Gadwall
Hoary Redpolls (Prince George)
Blue Jay (Prince George)
Northern Mockingbird (Prince George)
Crested Mhyna
Black-throated Blue Warbler (Calgary, Alberta)
Snow Goose
Spotted Towhee
Black-crowned Night Heron
Pacific Loon
Old Squaw
Snowbunting
Willet
Redhead
Orange-crowned Warbler
Wilson's Warbler
Eared Grebe
Harris' Sparrow
Common Redpoll
Greater White-fronted Goose
American Kestrel
Virginia Rail
Common Murre
Long-billed Curlew
Bald Eagle
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Anna's Hummingbird
Peregrine Falcon
Rock Dove
Short-eared Owl
Northern Goshawk
Black Oystercatcher
Downy Woodpecker
Prairie Falcon
Great-horned Owl
Northern Saw-whet Owl
Northern Shrike
American Tree Sparrow
Blue Snow Goose
Eurasian Widgeon
Eurasian Green-winged Teal
Long-billed Curlew
========================

Sightings for Sunday January 09th

A grey phased GYR FALCON reported yesterday at a restricted area of the
airport re-appeaered breifely at Iona buzzing both the outer ponds and the
south jetty.

At first light a bird fitting the description of a PARASITIC JEAGER was
seen mobbing MEW GULLS at the base of the south jetty. Due to the out of
season nature of this sighting confirmation would be desireable. From north
Matsqui came reports of a RUSTY BLACKBIRD and 2 BROWN-HEADED COWBIRDS in a
large mixed flock of EUROPEAN STARLINGS and blackbirds Farenson and Pall
Roads (Spp?).

A HUTTON'S VIREO was sighted at Bateman Park also in North Matsqui.

A LONG-BILLED CURLEW, 8 EURASIAN WIDGEONS and 3 GREATER YELLOWLEGS were at
Blackie Spit.

Sevetny four TUNDRA SWANS were north of 40th Avenue and 164th Street in
Surrey and 15 BROWN-HEADED COWBIRDS were in a large flock of starlings and
other blackbirds along Mud Bay Road north of the Nikomekel.


Saturday January 08th

A grey phased GYR FALCON was sighted with a restricted area in the Vancouver
Airport however, it later flew over the middle arm of the Fraser towards
Wishwash Island. Birders should be extra vidulent over the next few days as
the observer felt there was a good chance the bird may re-appear in Terra
Nova, Iona or again at Sea Island. Also at the airport near the southwest
corner, a BRANT, a bird not often seen off Iona Island was observed flying
along the ditches before going out to sea.

The following birds were reported from the Port Coquitlam side of Colony
Farms: 2 GREAT-HORNED OWLS, a NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL, and a CANVASBACK. The
latter was a record for the new wetland area.

A RING-NECKED DUCK was reported from Queen Elizabeth Park and 8 EURASIAN
WIDGEONS were among the large group of ducks being harassed by a PEREGRINE
FALCON along the Boundary Bay foreshore west of the foot of 96th Street.


Friday January 07th

A PIED-BILLED GREBE and a GADWALL were reported from Queen Elizabeth Park,
birds not usually looked for at that local.

If your looking for something a little more exciting than the Vancouver
birding currently offered perhaps a trip to Prince George would fit the
bill. A returning Vancouver birder saw hundreds of COMMON REDPOLLS in the
region and found HOARY REDPOLLS over a five day period at a ratio of about 1
or 2 birds per 100 COMMON REDPOLLS. Other highlights in Prince George
included, NORTHERN HAWK OWL, BLUE JAY and NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD.

In other sightings locally, 3 CRESTED MHYNAS were located in Vancouver in
west 1st Avenue and Crows Street. This is just a block of Wylie Street,
normally the lower mainland's most reliable local for this hard to get
species.


Thursday January 06th

The BLACK AND WHITE WARBLER was found again at the picnic sight on River
Road in Richmond just west of No. 7 Rd.

Anyone planning a trip to Alberta may wish to check out the male
BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER which has visited a Calgary feeder since
November 21st. The bird favours peanut butter in its daily diet and has
survived -25?C temperatures to date. For further details please call the
Calgary Rare Bird Alert at 403-237-8821.

On the local scene again, 2 PEREGRINE FALCONS have been roosting in snags on
Upland Drive, Tsawwassen, just east of 52nd Street.

Thirteen SNOW GEESE were reported from the foot of 34th Street Delta, with
hundreds more flying south.


Wednesday January 05th

The BLACK AND WHITE WARBLER was seen at 3 pm in Richmond along River Road
opposite Savage Road about a block west of number 7 Road. As is the birds
usual habit, it was associating with a large flock of Chickadees, Kinglets
and DOWNY WOODPECKERS.

On Sea Island a BARN OWL was located at the Cora Brown Subdivision and 19
SPOTTED TOWHEES were on the beach at Iona


Tuesday January 04th

Two immature NORTHERN GOSHAWKS could still be found at the Reifel Refuge
along with an AMERICAN TREE SPARROW and 3 BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERONS. Two
hundred PACIFIC LOONS and a total of 120 OLD SQUAW were reported from Lilly
Point in Point Roberts.


Monday January 03rd

The BLACK AND WHITE WARBLER was again seen in Richmond feeding low in
blackberry thickets along River Road. The bird usually favours the picnic
area and short trail just west of number Seven Road but may be anywhere
between there and Savage Road a block to the west. Early in the morning is
the best success for this bird.

In other sightings 7 SNOW BUNTINGS were relocated on the south side of the
Tsawwassen Jetty and the WILLET remained at the jetty's base.


Sunday January 02nd

The White Rock Christmas Bird Count resulted in a provisional total of 126
species. Highlights included REDHEAD, ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, WILSON'S
WARBLER, HARRIS' SPARROW, and COMMON REDPOLL. Other species of note were
EARED GREBE, GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, AMERICAN KESTREL, VIRGINIA RAIL,
COMMON MURRE, LONG-BILLED CURLEW and 4 species of owls.

Out of town in Squamish a combined Christmas Bird Count and regular monthly
survey yielded a total of 75 species. Highlights were 2,506 BALD EAGLES, 2
COMMON REDPOLLS and a YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER.

In other sightings, an ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD has been frequenting a townhouse
complex in Vancouver's west end, an uncommon local for this species.

At Lost Lagoon (Stanley Park) onlookers were treated to an unsuccessful, yet
exciting spectacle of a PEREGRINE FALCON in hot pursuit of the local ROCK
DOVE population.

SHORT-EARED OWLS were reported from the foot of 72nd Street and a NORTHERN
GOSHAWK was seen in a tree at 2470 Westham Island Road.

Seven SNOW BUNTINGS, 2 BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS and the WILLET could be found
along the Tsawwassen Jetty.




END TRANSCRIPT

Please visit the Vancouver Natural History Society's (VNHS) Web Page at
http://www.naturalhistory.bc.ca/VNHS/ for birding area locations mentioned
and other events.