Subject: Vancouver, B.C. RBA for May 17, 2003
Date: May 18 17:16:40 2003
From: Wayne C. Weber - contopus at telus.net


This is the Vancouver Natural History Society?s Bird Alert for
Saturday, May 17th, sponsored in part by Wild Birds Unlimited, with
stores in Vancouver and North Vancouver.

RARE BIRD ALERT for an out-of-town NORTHERN PARULA at Qualicum Beach.

The feature birds are HOUSE WREN and DUSKY FLYCATCHER.


Sightings for Saturday, May 17

A male NORTHERN PARULA was observed singing continually for about 45
minutes, moving between the tops of various hemlock and cedar trees,
in the 600 block of Belyea Road in Qualicum Beach. The bird was last
seen at about 8:50 a.m., flying towards the Old Island Highway at the
Stop and Shop Grocery Store. Check on both sides of the Highway to the
Little Qualicum River. There are lots of trails on the left side of
the highway heading to the Little Qualicum River.

In local sightings, a HOUSE WREN was reported from the broom thickets
between the two outer ponds at Iona Island, Richmond. A STILT
SANDPIPER in breeding plumage was also reported for the third day in a
row from the Iona Island sewage ponds. (The latter sighting was not
included on the tape, but is mentioned for the sake of completeness.)

A DUSKY FLYCATCHER was observed at Queen Elizabeth Park, Vancouver.

The monthly bird count at Terra Nova (the northwest corner of Lulu
Island, Richmond) included a GREAT HORNED OWL, six warbler species
including one TOWNSEND?S WARBLER, an OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER, and other
migrants.


Sightings for Friday, May 16

A WHITE-THROATED SPARROW was seen at the Reifel Bird Sanctuary.

Three SANDHILL CRANES were seen flying over the south side of Burnaby
Mountain.

A breeding-plumage STILT SANDPIPER was seen for the second day in a
row at the Iona Island sewage ponds, Richmond.

A flood of migrant songbirds appeared in the Vancouver area: WESTERN
TANAGERS, WESTERN WOOD-PEWEES, BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAKS, and WILSON?S<
YELLOW, and ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS were widely reported.


Sightings for Thursday, May 15

An adult, breeding-plumage RED-NECKED STINT was seen among DUNLINS and
WESTERN and LEAST SANDPIPERS in front of ?the mansion? near the foot
of 96th Street on Boundary Bay in Delta. It was present for about 5
minutes as the tide came in, but then flew east toward 112th Street.
Other highlights at this locality were 5 WHIMBRELS and 5 RED KNOTS in
breeding plumage among a flock of BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS.

An intensive search for the HERMIT WARBLER reported yesterday at
Burnaby Mountain Park, Burnaby, produced no relocations. However, an
OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER was seen there today among a large number of
migrants.

At the Iona Island sewage ponds, Richmond, an adult STILT SANDPIPER in
breeding plumage was reported, as were a female WILSON?S PHALAROPE and
a BANK SWALLOW.

At Campbell Valley Regional Park, Langley, a DUSKY FLYCATCHER at the
?Listening Bridge? was the highlight among many migrants. Also noted
here were a WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE, 6 BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAKS, 7 SWAINSON?S
THRUSHES, and 6 species of warblers including 10 YELLOW WARBLERS.

Likewise, at the wooded area north of the Boundary Bay Airport in
Delta, migrants seen included 12 WESTERN TANAGERS, 3 YELLOW WARBLERS,
a SWAINSON?S THRUSH, and a WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE.


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