This is the Vancouver Bird Alert for Friday, June 15th - Evening Update

Featured birds are: AMERICAN REDSTART, LEAST FLYCATCHER and YELLOW-BREASTED
CHAT

Out-of-town, there has been no relocation of the ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK seen
and photographed on June 12 in Victoria.

Species mentioned:

Pacific Loon [Reifel]
Mute Swan [Grant Narrows]
Trumpeter Swan [Grant Narrows]
Turkey Vulture [Burnaby]
Osprey [Grant Narrows, Surrey]
Sandhill Crane [Reifel]
Greater Yellowlegs [Reifel]
Whimbrel [Blackie Spit]
Marbled Godwit [Blackie Spit]
RED-NECKED STINT(possible) [Boundary Bay]
Long-billed Dowitcher [Reifel]
Wilson's Phalarope [Reifel]
Caspian Tern [Reifel]
Black Tern [Reifel]
Band-tailed Pigeon [Colony Farm, Grant Narrows]
Barn Owl [Colony Farm RP]
Common Nighthawk [Reifel]
Black Swift [Grant Narrows]
Red-breasted Sapsucker [Grant Narrows]
Willow Flycatcher [Colony Farm]
LEAST FLYCATCHER [Grant Narrows]
Eastern Kingbird [Grant Narrows, Iona]
Hutton's Vireo [Reifel]
Purple Martin [Blackie Spit]
Gray Catbird [Grant Narrows]
AMERICAN REDSTART [Grant Narrows]
YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT [Colony Farm RP]
Lazuli Bunting [Colony Farm RP]
Bullock's Oriole [Surrey, Blackie Spit, Grant Narrows]

Sightings for Friday, June 15

An arrival male AMERICAN REDSTART was seen and heard along the Nature Dyke
at Grant Narrows RP. Along the same trail were a singing LEAST FLYCATCHER, A
GRAY CATBIRD, 2 EASTERN KINGBIRDS and a RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER.

A YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT was again seen and heard at Colony Farms, Coquitlam.
To search for the bird follow the trail from Shaughnessy St until it divides
into two. Turn right and continue on around a sharp right-angled bend. Up to
two birds are utilizing the shrubbery on either side of the trail and may be
found anywhere between that point and the large cottonwood trees some
distance ahead.

Still at Colony Farms, a total of 5 male LAZULI BUNTINGS were tallied; 4
from the Coquitlam side and 1 on the Port Coquitlam side.

Two BULLOCK'S ORIOLES, a female and a juvenile male, were discovered in a
garden in the Fleetwood area of North Surrey.

Thursday, June 14

A bird thought to be a RED-NECKED STINT was seen during the evening at
Boundary Bay, just east of 104 St, Delta. The bird was feeding with plovers.
Birders are reminded to use caution when looking for this bird as the muddy
foreshore can be very unstable during low tide.

The LAZULI BUNTING population appears to be thriving at Colony Farms with at
least four singing males reported from various locations. A BAND-TAILED
PIGEON was also at the Farms.

Wednesday, June 13

Of interest was a report from Reifel of 2 BLACK TERNS observed in flight
over the parking lot and the year's first COMMON NIGHTHAWKS with 6 birds
seen from the tower area. Also at Reifel were a female WILSON'S PHALAROPE, 7
adult and 2 juvenile SANDHILL CRANES and 5 CASPIAN TERNS; 22 PACIFIC LOONS
were observed offshore.

Two YELLOW-BREASTED CHATS were seen and heard during mid-morning at Colony
Farms, Coquitlam. A male LAZULI BUNTING was noted in flight along the same
trail; a second male LAZULI BUNTING was observed near the Colony Farms
administration buildings. Other sightings at the Farms included 4 WILLOW
FLYCATCHERS and several juvenile BARN OWLS.

A MARBLED GODWIT and 3 WHIMBREL were at the entrance to Farm Slough at
Blackie Spit. Nearby, in the 'heard only' category, were a BULLOCK'S ORIOLE
and a PURPLE MARTIN.

The following birds were observed along the Nature Dyke at Grant Narrows RP,
Pitt Meadows: the LEAST FLYCATCHER, seen and heard, as well as 6 BULLOCK'S
ORIOLES, 20 BLACK SWIFTS, 12 BAND-TAILED PIGEONS, 4 RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKERS
and 6 EASTERN KINGBIRDS. A GRAY CATBIRD was spotted along the dyke east of
the main parking lot. Also at Grant Narrows were 7 OSPREYS, 9 MUTE SWANS,
which included 2 young, and a TRUMPETER SWAN.

An EASTERN KINGBIRD was observed along the west fence at Iona; the bird
later flew to the SW Pond.

Tuesday, June 12

A singing male LAZULI BUNTING was observed on the Port Coquitlam side of
Colony Farms, in a field just east of the pumphouse. A TURKEY VULTURE was
seen in the vicinity of Hwy 1 and Boundary Rd and an OSPREY was in the Green
Timbers area of North Surrey.

>From Reifel came reports of a HUTTON'S VIREO feeding young. Also present
were 2 LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS and 4 GREATER YELLOW-LEGS.

END TRANSCRIPT


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

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

Larry Cowan
Port Coquitlam, BC
lawrencecowan at home.com