This is the Vancouver Bird Alert for Sunday, February 4th - Evening Update

The Rare Bird Alert continues for the BRAMBLING and the HOODED ORIOLE. The
last report received of the Black-headed Gull was on January 28th; anyone
having a later sighting is asked to contact the Bird Alert.

The Featured Birds are: SPOTTED SANDPIPER and CEDAR WAXING

Species mentioned ( * new to update):

* Black-crowned Night Heron [Reifel]
Mute Swan [Ladner]
Brant (Grey-bellied) [Beach Grove]
Greater White-fronted Goose [Sea Island]
Ring-necked Duck [Maplewood]
Turkey Vulture [Maple Ridge]
Black Oystercatcher [Grebe Islets]
* Spotted Sandpiper [Maplewood]
Long-billed Dowitcher [Langley, Iona]
ICELAND GULL [Vernon]
Glaucous Gull [Burns Drive]
SLATY-BACKED GULL [Burns Drive]
Western Gull [Burns Drive, Iona Jetty]
Long-eared Owl [Richmond]
* Barred Owl [Reifel]
Northern Pygmy-Owl [Maplewood]
Anna's Hummingbird [West Vancouver]
Northern Shrike [Maplewood, Richmond]
Hutton's Vireo [Lighthouse Park]
Barn Swallow [Westham Island]
Townsend's Solitaire [Vancouver]
Hermit Thrush [West Vancouver]
Cedar Waxwing [Vancouver]
American Tree Sparrow [112th St.,Boundary Bay RP]
Yellow-headed Blackbird [Ladner]
GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE [Kelowna]
HOODED ORIOLE [No. 3 Rd. & Jones - Richmond]
BRAMBLING [1961 Berkley Ave, North Vancouver]
* CASSIN'S FINCH [Chilliwack]

Sightings for Sunday, February 4th

The HOODED ORIOLE continues at 7620 No. 3 Rd, Richmond and birders are
reminded to remain the sidewalk on Jones Rd when viewing the two feeders.

The BRAMBLING was again seen at 1961 Berkley Ave., North Vancouver. A gate
on the right side of the house will allow access to the backyard. The bird,
which is easily spooked, is being seen on the grass below the feeder on the
left side of the yard.

The NORTHERN PYGMY OWL was again visible on the west side of the Maplewood
Conservation Area and the SPOTTED SANDPIPER was observed in the barge
channel. Also at Maplewood were a NORTHERN SHRIKE and a RING-NECKED DUCK.

Cedar Waxwings, a scarce commodity this winter, are beginning to be reported
again with a total of 40 in the 900 block of West 58th Ave, Vancouver. A
further 4 or 5 birds were seen in a lane south of West 14th Ave, midway
between Willow and Laurel St., Vancouver. Also present there was a 70%
albino American Robin.

The AMERICAN TREE SPARROW was again seen at 5300 - 112th St, Delta.

During a field trip at Reifel, a BARN OWL was seen along the entrance road
and 2 BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERONS were at Fuller Slough. There were several
reports of the 2 BARN SWALLOWS observed at various points near the Westham
Island Bridge.

The SLATY-BACKED GULL and 3 WESTERN GULLS were in their usual roost along
Burns Drive, Delta.

Saturday, February 3rd

There was a late report of 6 CASSIN'S FINCHES, which were discovered in the
area of Ryder Lake, Chilliwack.

The HOODED ORIOLE was still present at 7620 No. 3 Rd, Richmond and the
BRAMBLING delighted many observers at 1961 Berkley Ave., North Vancouver.

Out-of-town, an ICELAND GULL has spent the past two weeks at the mouth of
Vernon Creek and the over-wintering GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE can still be found
near Cooper Rd & Hwy 97, Kelowna. For further details on both birds please
call the Okanagan RBA at (250) 491-7738.

A TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE and a CEDAR WAXWING were found at West 41st Ave and
Crown St, Vancouver.

An easily seen NORTHERN PYGMY OWL and a NORTHERN SHRIKE were reported from
the west side of Maplewood Conservation Area. Also present was a RING-NECKED
DUCK.

10 BRANT, of the grey-bellied race, were discovered at Beach Grove Lagoon,
Tsawwassen, as was a Eurasian-race GREEN-WINGED TEAL.

The 2 BARN SWALLOWS, first reported yesterday, were seen today over
Wellington Marine Park along River Rd, Ladner and a high total of 8 MUTE
SWANS were noted near the Canoe Pass Bridge.

An adult male YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD was at 57B St and 34B Ave., Ladner.

A TURKEY VULTURE was seen in overflight along the Lougheed Highway, Maple
Ridge and the SLATY-BACKED GULL and an adult GLAUCOUS GULL were reported
again from Burns Drive, Delta.

3-4 AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS were with White-Crowned Sparrows near the dyke at
the south end of Boundary Bay Regional Park.

The LONG-EARED OWL roost at Terra Nova Park, Richmond contained six birds;
an adult NORTHERN SHRIKE was also in the area.

A GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was seen from Ferguson Rd, Sea Island, NW of
the horse farm.

A singing HUTTON'S VIREO was found near the entrance to Lighthouse Park,
West Vancouver. Nearby, adjacent to 4957 Marine Drive, were 2 ANNA'S
HUMMINGBIRDS and a HERMIT THRUSH. 4 BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS were on the Grebe
Islets and a further 13 were observed at the mouth of Cypress Creek.

33 LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS were reported from the Brydon Park Nature Area on
53rd Ave, Langley.

Please remember to also report your sightings to the Vancouver Bird Alert at
(604)737-3074. Thank you and good birding!

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