This is the Vancouver Bird Alert for Thursday, December 20th evening
update.

The rare bird alert continues for the IVORY GULL.

Species noted:

Yellow-billed Loon [Roberts Bank]
Black-crowned Night Heron [Reifel]
Eurasian Wigeon [Roberts Bank]
Cinnamon Teal [Reifel]
Ring-necked Duck [Surrey]
Surf Scoter [West Vancouver]
American Kestrel [Delta]
Black Oystercatcher [West Vancouver, Tsawwassen Jetty]
Willet [Tsawwassen Jetty]
IVORY GULL [Robert's Bank Jetty]
Heermann's Gull [White Rock]
Barred Owl [Reifel]
Crested Myna [Wylie & 2nd Vancouver]
Snow Bunting [Tsawwassen Jetty]
Western Meadowlark [Blackie Spit]

Sightings for Thursday, December 20th

The local birding community's heart skipped a beat this morning with
the discovery of a very special gull and barge missing at Roberts
Bank. The barge the Ivory Gull had been staying on for 2 days had
been towed from its Roberts Bank location. Later in the afternoon
all the barges had been towed from the bay. Fear not the IVORY GULL
is still in the area. It was seen gorging on a recently deceased
gull on the north side of the jetty. Later around 3:30 it was seen
near where the barge had been moored but it was sitting on the dock
where tugs tie up.

The directions to find "Frosty" are still basically the same; drive
down the south side of the Roberts Bank Jetty to the far end where
the road ends in a parking lot where you can park. Look through a
large chain-link gate, that is signed 'Deltaport Ship Access Gate.
You will see a catwalk leading to a dock where tugs tie up. As of
3PM the bird was sitting on that dock. Thanks go out to Prue, our
recently retired Bird Alert operator, for following precise
directions.

Birders heading out to see the Ivory Gull should watch for the
AMERICAN KESTREL hanging out at Deltaport Way & 41B.

Two BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERONS were reported from the Reifel Refuge
and in Vancouver near Wylie & 2nd were 2 CRESTED MYNAS.

The HEERMANN'S GULL was again seen near the base of the White Rock
Pier.

Wednesday, December 19th

The IVORY GULL was reported for most of the day and into the evening
on a barge at the SW corner of the Roberts Bank Jetty.

The HEERMANN'S GULL was seen at White Rock.

On a boat survey around West Vancouver's Bird & Grebe Islets 70 BLACK
OYSTERCATCHERS and 350 SURFBIRDS were observed.

Tuesday, December 18th

The IVORY GULL was reported for most of the day at its present
location.

Also seen at this location amongst a large raft of AMERICAN WIGEON
were 41 male EURASIAN WIGEON. An AMERICAN KESTREL was sighted near
the intersection of Deltaport Way & 41B.

Sighted on a drive along the Tsawwassen Jetty were 2 SNOW BUNTINGS, 2
BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS and the WILLET.

Monday, December 17th

The IVORY GULL was not observed Monday but a possible immature YELLOW-
BILLED LOON was found near the small bay at the far SW corner of the
Roberts Bank Jetty.

Reported from the Reifel Refuge were 14 CINNAMON TEAL, 2 BLACK-
CROWNED NIGHT HERONS and a BARRED OWL.

On the monthly shoreline survey of Mud Bay the only birds of note
were 2 WESTERN MEADOWLARKS at Blackie Spit.

24 RING-NECKED DUCKS were observed on a pond found along the
Semiahmoo Trail, which is located south of 32nd & west of 148th in
south Surrey.

Two CRESTED MYNAS were seen at their now usual haunt of Wylie & 2nd
in Vancouver. Please report any sightings of CRESTED MYNAS in the
Vancouver Area.

Thank you for calling the Vancouver Bird Alert & good birding.

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Visit the Vancouver Natural History Society's website at:
www.naturalhistory.bc.ca