Subject: RBA Victoria, British Columbia -- May 14, 2001
Date: May 15 19:45:59 2001
From: Kevin Slagboom - boom at islandnet.com




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Victoria Natural History Society's Rare Bird Alert for Monday, May 14,2001,
10:00 pm update. Compiled by Bryan Gates and transcribed by Michael Dyson.


Rare Bird Alert:
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WHITE FACED IBIS

On the morning of Monday, May 14th, 6 to 8 WHITE FACED IBIS were seen at
Somenos Marsh on the north side of Duncan. They were first seen from the
public Bird Blind on the Island Highway side of the marsh, but flew to the
large grass field at the back end of the golf driving range which abuts the
south end of Somenos Marsh. These birds are primarily residents of
Southwestern North America with a few frequenting the Southern Prairie
Provinces of Canada. Drive to the Golf driving range at the South end of
Somenos Marsh, take Drinkwater Road to the gate and walk north to the large
grassy field off the end of the golf driving range. The birds were loosely
among other ducks and geese feeding in the field.
This is the third confirmed record of WHITE FACED IBIS in the checklist
area, and the first record of multiple birds.UPDATES WOULD BE APPRECIATED


Feature Birds:
SOLITARY SANDPIPER
CINNAMON TEAL
PECTORAL SANDPIPER


Monday, May 14, 2001

Also seen at Somenos Marsh on the morning of May 14th were an AMERICAN
BITTERN, 2 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, and a few CINNAMON TEAL.

A SOLITARY SANDPIPER and a pair of CINNAMON TEAL were seen on Rafer's Pond
at the corner of Charlton and West Burnside Roads in Saanich.

A PECTORAL SANDPIPER, the first reported sighting for this spring was seen
at Viaduct Flats off Interurban Road at Viaduct Avenue in Saanich.

6 SANDHILL CRANES remain at Martindale Flats just north of the model
airplane field.
A pair of CINNAMON TEAL were at Quick's Bottom in Saanich.
A SWAINSON'S THRUSH was heard singing at the foot of Jennings Lane in
Elk-Beaver Lake Park in Saanich.

On Sunday, May 13th, a SWAINSON'S HAWK was seen flying with one or more RED
TAIL HAWKS over Victoria Int'l Airport in Sidney.



Sunday, May 13

2 or more CASSIN'S VIREOS were among some of the migrant songbirds seen on
Mt Tolmie in Saanich. Also reported seen were 4 or more TOWNSEND WARBLERS,
large numbers of WILSON'S WARBLERS, 2 WESTERN WOOD PEWEES, a few WESTERN
TANAGERS, 10 or more WARBLING VIREOS, and 1 or 2 PACIFIC SLOPE FLYCATCHERS.

6 to 8 WESTERN TANAGERS, a BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK, 10 CEDAR WAXWINGS, a
number of WARBLING VIREOS, WILSON'S WARBLERS, and PACIFIC SLOPE FLYCATCHERS
were feeding in the Oaks at Uplands Road and Lansdowne Road in Oak Bay.

3 pair of RED CROSSBILLS and a WESTERN TANAGER seen on Sherwood Road in the
Queenswood Area of Saanich.

13 WHIMBRELS were still on the Victoria Golf Course in Oak Bay. Up to 22
Whimbrels have been seen there this Spring.

Saturday, May 12

A good mixture of SONGBIRDS and a BARRED OWL were seen at Bedrock, the B &
B located at the end of Kerryview Road in Saanich. Also there, an
unidentified large black coloured bird said to be making a "mewing sound",
but not identified as a species.

4 SANDHILL CRANES were still seen at Martindale Flats in Saanich.

A late report from up island of a BLACK BILLED MAGPIE seen sometime last
week in Telegraph Cove south of Port McNeil on Vancouver Island. This may
be the same bird sighted on April 29th on Gabriola Island across from Nanaimo.


Friday, May 11

Migrant songbirds continue to appear on Mt. Tolmie in Saanich. Fifteen or
more WESTERN TANAGERS, YELLOW, WILSON'S, TOWNSEND'S and ORANGE-CROWNED
WARBLERS, many WARBLING VIREOS, PACIFIC SLOPE FLYCATCHER and a WESTERN
WOOD-PEEWEE were all reported.


21 WHIMBREL were on the Victoria Golf Course in Oak Bay.

Six SANDHILL CRANES were on Martindale Flats in Central Saanich. Check the
fields to the southeast of the Farmers' Market on Island View Rd at the Pat
Bay Highway.

Thursday, May 10

A TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE and a bird thought to be a DUSKY FLYCATCHER were on
Mt. Tolmie.

Two WHIMBRELS were among SANDHILL CRANES at Martindale Flats.

Eight SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS and a SPOTTED SANDPIPER were among the mixed
shorebirds at Witty's Lagoon in Metchosin.

A pair of BLUE-WINGED TEAL were at Rapers' Pond at Charlton and Burnside Rd
in Saanich.

A BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK was at Richmond and Quamichan Rds in Oak Bay.

A SOLITARY SANDPIPER and a SPOTTED SANDPIPER were on Viaduct Flats in Saanich.

A VIRGINIA RAIL was at Quick's Bottom off Markham Rd in Saanich.


Wednesday, May 9

100 or more VAUX'S SWIFTS were over the Duncan area.