This is the Vancouver Bird Alert for Sunday, December 23rd evening
update.

Rare bird alert for the IVORY GULL.

Featured birds are MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD, RED KNOT and GYRFALCON.

Sightings for Sunday, December 23rd

The IVORY GULL was finally seen today at approx. 5:00 PM. Numerous
birders spent many patient hours without reward today waiting to see
this gull. The bird, which was not visible at first to the observer,
suddenly took off from the tug barge and flew out of sight into the
container port. Directions to find the bird are as follows. Drive
down the south side of the Roberts Bank Jetty to the far end where
the road ends in a parking lot where you are permitted to park. At
this point you will see a dock that is actually an old barge
connected to the shore by a catwalk. On the end of this barge is the
word "FOAM" in yellow spray paint. Birders should note that the bird
if present is often difficult to see due to its habit of roosting low
and close to objects on this dock as was apparent today.

On information from an internet source birders should be aware a
possible ARCTIC LOON may be present at or near the Ivory Gull's
location. It was reported being observed on Thursday. The alert has
had no phone confirmation of this bird.

The 2001Ladner CBC held today may have set a new Canadian record with
a provisional total of 152. A few of the highlights were a MOUNTAIN
BLUEBIRD near the marina at Point Roberts, a grey morph GYRFALCON
seen hunting along the Boundary Bay shoreline between 64th & 72nd
Streets, 4 RED KNOTS on the north side of the Roberts Bank Jetty, and
of course the IVORY GULL.

The 2 CRESTED MYNAS were reported from Wylie & 2nd in Vancouver.

Saturday, December 22

PINE GROSBEAKS were reported from 2 locations. One was seen at
Burnaby Mountain Park and another at Elgin Heritage Park in south
Surrey.

25 EURASIAN WIGEON were reported from The Roberts Bank.

The Tsawwassen Jetty to the south yielded the WILLET at the base, an
AMERICAN BLACK DUCK & 2 BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS at the compensation
lagoon and 11 BRANDT'S CORMORANTS & an EARED GREBE near the tip.

In fields near 33A Ave. & 34th St. in Delta were 4 LAPLAND LONGSPURS,
2 AMERICAN PIPITS, 4 WESTERN SANDPIPERS, 8 LEAST SANDPIPERS and a
COMMON YELLOW-THROAT. Near the intersection of River Rd. 34th St.
with a flock of BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS was a RED KNOT. At nearby
Brunswick Point was a LINCOLN'S SPARROW.

At the foot of 64th on Boundary Bay was a grey morph GRYFALCON. Also
at this location were a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, both ORANGE-CROWNED
& YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS, and a SAVANNAH SPARROW. In the old
subdivision along Churchill St. north of the Boundary Bay Airport
were 4
COMMON REDPOLLS.

The HEERMANN'S GULL was again reported near the White Rock Pier.
Also reported from this location were a WESTERN GULL, 2 EARED GREBES
and 24 COMMON REDPOLLS.

Friday, December 21st

The IVORY GULL was seen perched on the tugboat dock at Roberts Bank.

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

END TRANSCRIPT

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