This is the Vancouver Natural History Society's Rare Bird Alert for
Saturday, January 31, sponsored in part by Wild Birds Unlimited, with
stores in Vancouver and North Vancouver. The RBA phone number is (604)
737-3074.

Featured birds are GREAT GRAY OWL & PACIFIC GOLDEN-PLOVER.


Sightings for Saturday, January 31

At the University of BC, the GREAT GRAY OWL was seen along Wesbrook
Mall between Fisheries Road and the BC Research offices. Later around
4:45 it was observed hunting at the east end of the BC Research
parking lot.

A MARBLED GODWIT and a very bright PACIFIC GOLDEN-PLOVER
were sighted in a muddy field on the west side of 41B St. between
Deltaport Way and 33A Ave., Delta. They were in the company of a
large flock of Dunlin and Black-bellied Plovers.

An EARED GREBE was observed from the White Rock Pier.

An ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER was seen in shrubs at the nursing
home on Burns Drive west of 96th Street, Delta.

Reported from the Reifel Bird Sanctuary, Delta, were 2 BARN
SWALLOWS and a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK.

Seen along the shoreline of Port Moody?s Old Orchard Park was a
SPOTTED SANDPIPER.


Friday, January 30

The BLUE JAY was again reported coming to a feeder near the Horseshoe
Slough Trail approx. ? km west of No. 5 Rd. on Dyke Road in Richmond.

An ANNA?S HUMMINGBIRD was seen at Surrey?s Softball City.

The HARRIS?S SPARROW continues its stay at or near the Dunsmuir
Community Gardens at Blackie Spit, Surrey.

A BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD was observed along Surrey?s Colebrook
Road, west of the King George Hwy.

In Tsawwassen at Beach Grove Park were 2 GREAT HORNED OWLS.


Thursday, January 29

At the Beach Grove Lagoon, Delta were 3 swallows which appeared to be
TREE SWALLOWS.

The WESTERN SCRUB-JAY was reported at its usual location at 4126 River
Rd. in Ladner.

The HARRIS?S SPARROW was observed at the Dunsmuir Community
Gardens at Blackie Spit. Also at Blackie Spit was a GREATER
YELLOWLEGS and at the parking lot there, a WESTERN GULL.


Sightings for Wednesday, January 28

The GREAT GRAY OWL continues its stay at the University of BC in
Vancouver. Today it was located in trees north of a point about 200
metres along South Campus Road, which leads west off Wesbrook
Mall. The spot is just before the turnaround at the end of South
Campus Road.

An adult WESTERN GULL was seen from the White Rock Pier.


Tuesday, January 27

An AMERICAN KESTREL was observed near the Serpentine River bridge
off 168th Street in Surrey.


Sunday, January 25

The GREAT GRAY OWL was relocated between 4:00 & 5:00 this afternoon.
It was found hunting in a large field on the University of B.C. Farm
at the west end of South Campus Rd. This is south of the UBC Research
Facility running west off Wesbrook Mall.

The WESTERN SCRUB-JAY was reported from its usual location of 4126
River Rd. in Ladner.

The BLUE JAY was reported at the feeder at 11511 Dyke Road and from
the Boy Scout Camp further west along Dyke Rd. in Richmond. The
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW was again reported from the 13200 block
of No. 4 Road in Richmond.

Reported today from the Reifel Bird Sanctuary in Delta were 2 SWAMP
SPARROWS, 2 NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWLS, 2 BLACK-CROWNED
NIGHT HERONS, 5 SANDHILL CRANES, and the juvenile NORTHERN
GOSHAWK. Seen from the Westham Island Bridge were 9 MUTE SWANS.

An adult GLAUCOUS GULL was observed in a large gull roost along Burns
Drive in Delta. Another was seen in a field off 64th Street. Also in
a field off 64th were 3 TUNDRA SWANS in the company of 190 Trumpeter
SWANS.

Near the foot of 72nd Street, Delta, were 3 AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS.
A GYRFALCON was sighted at the north end of 96th in Delta.

AMERICAN KESTRELS were reported from 64th Street and 34B Avenue,
and near Arthur Drive & Deltaport Way in Delta.

The HARRIS?S SPARROW was observed in the field north of the Community
Gardens at Blackie Spit in the company of Golden-crowned Sparrows.

A GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was seen from the seawall near
the foot of Nicola at English Bay in Vancouver.


Saturday, January 24

Two AMERICAN AVOCETS were reported near the mouth of the Serpentine
River, Surrey.


Thank you for calling the Vancouver Bird Alert, and good birding.

This transcript was prepared by Larry Cowan and distributed by Wayne
Weber.

End Transcript

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


Wayne C. Weber
Delta, BC
contopus at telus.net