Subject: FW: RBA Vancouver, BC - Mar 14, 2000
Date: Mar 15 07:41:01 2000
From: Libor Michalak - pieris at sprint.ca


This is the Vancouver, BC Bird Alert for Tuesday March 14th, 9:30 pm
update.

Highlights Include:

GLAUCOUS GULL
RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD
PALM WARBLER

Other birds mentioned include:

Western Gull
Yellow-billed Loon
Lapland Longspur
Ross' Goose
Violet Green Swallow
American Tree Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Northern Saw-whet Owl
American Bittern
Cedar Waxwing
Common Redpoll
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Iceland Gull (Vernon)
Long-billed Curlew
Tree Swallow
Snow Goose
Black-crowned Night Heron
======================

Sightings for Tuesday, March 14th

The first RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD of spring was seen in south Surrey.

The overwintering PALM WARBLER and 2 YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS were along the
Sea Island dike near old Shannon Road.

Three GLAUCOUS GULLS were seen today, 1 adult and 1 first winter bird were
in the gull flock at River Road and 60th Avenue, Delta and another adult
GLAUCOUS GULL and a WESTERN GULL were along the Iona south jetty. Two
SNOWBUNTINGS were at the jetty tip.

There were no reports of the YELLOW-BILLED LOON found last weekend in False
Creek.


Monday, March 13th

The YELLOW-BILLED LOON, still in basic plumage was seen again for the second
day in False Creek, northwest of Granville Island this morning. A second
observer reported the bird drifting westward under the Burrard bridge.

The first winter GLAUCOUS GULL was seen for the third consecutive day in a
gull flock near River Road and 60th Avenue in Delta.

A male LAPLAND LONGSPUR in basic plumage was in Boundary Bay regional park
near the beach and 100-200m north of the parking lot.

In Boundary Bay seen from Crescent Beach, a loose flock of 19 BRANT
contained 3 of the grey-bellied race.


Sunday, March 12th

A YELLOW-BILLED LOON was seen from one of the small passenger ferries in
False Creek this afternoon between Granville Island and the Burrard Bridge.

The PALM WARBLER first reported early in the winter was relocated on Sea
Island near the intersection of the Sea Island dike and old Shannon Road
north of the airport. Nearby were 2 YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS. Also in the
area were 5 COMMON REDPOLLS.

An adult ROSS' GOOSE was with SNOW GEESE on a farm field south at the end of
River Road at Brunswick Point.

For the second consecutive day the first winter GLAUCOUS GULL was in a gull
flock near River Road and 60th Avenue in south Delta.

Small numbers of TREE SWALLOWS and VIOLET GREEN SWALLOWS are being seen.

Two AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS and 8 SAVANNAH SPARROWS were at Iona.

A NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL, 1 BLACK -CROWNED NIGHT HERON, 1 AMERICAN BITTERN
and 5 CEDAR WAXWINGS were among the species seen at Reifel Refuge.

>From Vancouver Island comes word of 100,000 gulls of various species and
about that many diving ducks in the herring spawning area in the vicinity of
Parksville to Deep Bay.


Saturday, March 11th

The first year GLAUCOUS GULL was seen again in a gull flock near River Road
and 60th Avenue in Delta.

Thirty COMMON REDPOLL were in an alder woodlot at the south end of the Sea
Iona Island causeway.


Sightings for Friday, March 10th

Fifty five COMMON REDPOLLS were at alders along the Sea Island dike near the
south end of the Sea Iona causeway. Small numbers of TREE SWALLOWS are
showing up here and there. One hundred thousand diving ducks, mostly
scoters are massing off the tip of the Iona south jetty.


Thursday, March 09th

The first VIOLET GREEN SWALLOWS of the spring season were seen at Colony
Farms. Also at Colony Farms and heard along the Coquitlam River was
possibly a very early CASSIN'S VIREO. If someone can confirm this please
let the bird alert know.

Twenty COMMON REDPOLLS were along the Sea Island dike about 700 m along the
Sea Iona causeway.

A first year GLAUCOUS GULL was in a large mixed flock of gulls near River
Road and 60th Avenue, Delta.

A YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER (Audubon's Race) was along the Iona corridor, which
is the vegetation bordering the west fence between the inner and outer
sewage ponds.

A mixed flock of sparrows there of several species seemed restless as if
anxious to start moving out.


Wednesday, March 08th

Out of town in Vernon, an adult ICELAND GULL was on Okanagan Lake at the
mouth of Vernon Creek.

Locally, the LONG-BILLED CURLEW is in the Blackie Spit area.



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.