This is the Vancouver Bird Alert for Friday, December 6th, morning
update, sponsored in part by the Wild Birds Unlimited stores in
Vancouver and North Vancouver.

The feature birds are: SLATY-BACKED GULL

Sightings for Thursday, December 5th

In the field along Burns Drive an adult winter plumaged
SLATY-BACKED GULL was present with a couple of thousand gulls.

At the golf course at 72nd Street an adult WESTERN GULL was present
with hundreds of RING-BILLED GULLS.

At the Mansion east of 96th Street in Boundary Bay a male Eurasian
race GREEN-WINGED TEAL was seen amongst large numbers of ducks.

Wednesday, December 4th

At Elgin Heritage Park in South Surrey 2 VIRGINIA RAILS,
1 EURASIAN race GREEN-WINGED TEAL and 30 AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES
were reported.

On Black Mountain at Cypress Bowl Provincial Park, a dark immature
NORTHERN GOSHAWK was reported.

Tuesday, December 3rd

In Pitt Meadows the following birds were reported:
At the corner of Nevees Rd and Renee Rd was a NORTHERN SHRIKE,
Near the Swan-e-Set Golf Course was an AMERICAN KESTREL,
There were 2 MUTE SWANS in Katzie Marsh and along the Grant Narrows dyke
trail was a NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL before the first Tower.

Monday, December 2nd

In a late report on the Sunshine Coast ANCIENT MURRELETS are
passing through in good numbers with close to a thousand birds
being reported off Chaster Park and Roberts Creek.

At the foot of 96th St at the Mansion was a female BLUE-WINGED TEAL.
Also here was 1 LESSER YELLOWLEGS with 3 GREATER YELLOWLEGS and
8 LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS. Amongst a large flock of RING-BILLED GULLS
was a single adult CALIFORNIA GULL.

Near the Reifel Refuge an immature NORTHERN GOSHAWK was observed.

In the Langley area an AMERICAN KESTREL was seen near the Langley By-
Pass and Glover Rd.

In West Vancouver at John Lawson Park an unusual sighting
of a small flock of TOWNSEND'S WARBLERS was reported.

Sunday, December 1st

At Ambleside Park in West Vancouver a GREEN HERON was observed
sitting in a tree with Red Berries over the small pond during the
middle of the day.

Near the bridge at the mouth of the Seymour River in North Vancouver
3-4 AMERICAN DIPPERS have been seen for several weeks.

At Terra Nova in Richmond 2 GREAT HORNED OWLS spent the day roosting
out in the open.

The following birds were observed at Beachgrove Lagoon in Tsawwassen:
970 "Black" BRANT, 8 "Gray-bellied" BRANT, 2 PEREGRINE FALCONS,
1 MERLIN, 1 YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER and 2 SHORT-EARED OWLS.

At Point Roberts Washington a PEREGRINE FALCON was reported.

Saturday, November 30

Out of town near Agassi the adult "BEWICK'S" SWAN was again
found for the third straight winter with TUNDRA SWANS at
Kilby Provincial Park. Also sen here were 14 LEAST SANDPIPERS,
18 WESTERN SANDPIPERS and 33 DUNLIN.

Seen at the Beach Grove Lagoon today were 20 GREATER YELLOWLEGS, 600+
BRANT,5 EURASIAN WIGEON and 2 LINCOLN'S SPARROWS.

Reported from the Reifel Refuge were 3 BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS, 2
CINNAMON TEAL, and a GREAT HORNED OWL.

An AMERICAN KESTREL was seen along Deltaport Way.

If you have a query about Vancouver Birds or birding, please call:
Larry at 604 942-0931 or John at 604 737-1611.

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

END TRANSCRIPT

For further information on birding in the Vancouver area log onto the
Vancouver Natural History Society's web site at www.naturalhistory.bc.ca

----- Original Message -----
From: "larusivory" <novaeseelandiae at hotmail.com>