Tweeters and Whatcom Birders,

I thought you would be interested in hearing about the PROTHONOTARY
WARBLER found yesterday at the Reifel Bird Sanctuary near Vancouver,
BC. This is only the second BC record-- the first was found dead in
Victoria last fall.

Some of you may be interested in looking for the bird today. A
reminder that Reifel is open to the public only from 9 AM to 5 PM (no
entry after 4 PM). Updates will be provided on the Vancouver Rare Bird
Alert at (604) 737-3074.

Why couldn't this #$ at &%! bird have showed up LAST weekend, when I was
in Vancouver??

Wayne C. Weber
Kamloops and Delta, BC
contopus at shaw.ca


----- Original Message -----
From: Mitch Meredith <mitchbirding at yahoo.com>
To: <bcvanbirds at yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Saturday, October 05, 2002 6:48 PM
Subject: [bcvanbirds] Prothonotary Warbler at Reifel..details


> Hi all,
>
> I spotted a male Prothonotary Warbler at the Reifel bird sancuary
> today at 2:30 pm. Rick Toochin was with me and we decided the bird
> was likely an immature as the bill was not jet black.
>
> It was last seen in the vicinity of
> the big blue observation tower but along one of the trails heading
> south of the big intersection of trails just East of the tower.
> The bird was seen feeding with juncos (including one slate-colored
> bird) about 100ft south on these trails and initially it was
> on the ground with the birds and then flew up into a choke cherry
> tree. The bird moved slightly south of this location and then flew
> across the channel to the west in the vicinity of two dead
> trees and a large horse chestnut tree.
>
> A strange bird called from the thick shrub area just west of the
> paths at about 3:15 pm and then was not relocated before the
> clouds and drizzle came in about 5 pm.
>
> There were many warblers and sparrows in the location today
> including a pair of Black-throated Grey Warblers, many OCWA and
> a female yellow warbler. Also, a White-throated sparrow is
> very near this location. YRWA were numerous and everywhere.
>
> I would hope that the bird stays the night due to the cloud
> and drizzle and that somebody is able to relocate it on sunday
> morning. It shouldn't be hard.. it is a very neon green and yellow
> bird and has a white undertail which is very obvious field mark.
>
> Now I have seen this species in Louisiana and BC!
>
> Good luck!
> Mitch Meredith
>
>