This is the Vancouver Natural History Society?s Bird Alert for Monday,
May 19th, sponsored in part by Wild Birds Unlimited, with stores in
Vancouver and North Vancouver.

RARE BIRD ALERT for two LARK SPARROWS at Colony Farm.

The feature bird is HOUSE WREN.


Sightings for Monday, May 19

Two LARK SPARROWS were seen together at Colony Farm in Coquitlam. From
the parking lot near the hospital, take the upper trail past the First
Nations houses, past the gate on the first bend of the trail. The
birds were seen in this area.

A pair of HOUSE WRENS were seen checking out a nest box at the foot of
104th Street on Boundary Bay in Delta. The box is located about 15
metres west along the Boundary Bay dyke from the yellow gate. The
birds were active in the morning, going in and out of the nest box,
and were observed mating. They were also seen there in the afternoon,
but not in the evening.

Along the Boundary Bay foreshore between the foot of 104th Street and
96th Street in Delta, two RED KNOTS, an AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER, and a
WHIMBREL were seen on the falling tide in the morning. In the
afternoon, highlights here were 9 WHIMBRELS and one LONG-BILLED
CURLEW.

At Iona Island in Richmond, one WESTERN KINGBIRD, one PECTORAL
SANDPIPER, one BAIRD?S SANDPIPER, and one SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER were
seen. There were 8 YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS at the north outer pond at
Iona.

At Campbell Valley Park in Langley, one BARRED OWL was reported.

At Point Roberts, Washington, two PARASITIC JAEGERS were seen chasing
about 10 COMMON TERNS off Lily Point. Off South Beach at Point Roberts
was a huge flock of birds including at least 500 PACIFIC LOONS, 6
RHINOCEROS AUKLETS, and a COMMON MURRE. At least 25 COMMON TERNS were
feeding with this flock.


Sightings for Sunday, May 18

A WESTERN KINGBIRD was seen along 72nd Street in Delta.

At the foot of 96th Street on Boundary Bay in Delta, an AMERICAN
GOLDEN-PLOVER, 2 RED KNOTS, 2 LONG-BILLED CURLEWS, and 20 WHIMBRELS
were seen.
Four MARBLED GODWITS were at Blackie Spit in Surrey.

A BAIRD?S SANDPIPER, two PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, and a BANK SWALLOW were
at the Iona Island sewage ponds.


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.



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For further information on birding in the Vancouver area, log onto the
Vancouver Natural History Society?s website at
http://www.naturalhistory.bc.ca/VNHS/index.htm .