This is the Vancouver Natural History Society's Rare Bird Alert for
Thursady, January 1, sponsored in part by Wild Birds Unlimited, with stores
in Vancouver and North Vancouver.

The featured birds are RUSTY BLACKBIRD and WESTERN SCRUB & BLUE JAY.

Sightings for Thursday, January 1

There was no relocation of the Oriole of unconfirmed species seen yesterday.
The possible FIELDFARE still has not been relocated.

A RUSTY BLACKBIRD was seen on #4 Road between Finn Rd. & Dyke Rd.

The BLUE JAY was observed near #5 & River Rd. also in Richmond.

The WESTERN SCRUB JAY continues it's stay into 2004 at 4126 River Rd. in
Ladner. At Reifel were a 2 WESTERN SAW-WHET OWLS and a NORTHERN GOSHAWK.
Brunswick Point was the location for 2 RED KNOTS.

At Boundary Bay between the Mansion & 88th was a GYRFALCON.

HERMIT THRUSH were reported from Green Timbers Park in Surrey and at a park
at 14A & 128th in White Rock.

Wednesday, December 31

An immature ORIOLE, either a BULLOCK'S or BALTIMORE ORIOLE, was seen feeding
on mountain ash berries in a front yard of a residence in the 14900 block of
24A Avenue south Surrey.

The GREAT GRAY OWL was again seen in Vancouver's Jericho Park, in conifers
at the west end of the south path before a little bridge.


Tuesday, December 30:

The GREAT GRAY OWL was seen in Jericho Park about 500 meters west of the
pond area on the south trail and also near the youth hostel, where it was
being harassed by crows.

Two BLUEBIRDS, probably MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS were seen in Port Coquitlam
between Peace Park and the dyke marker at kilometre 11.

The VIRGINIA RAIL continued to peek out from under the stone bridge at Lost
lagoon in Stanley Park.

Sightings for Monday, December 29:

A BLACK AND WHITE WARBLER and 2 TOWNSEND'S WARBLERS were seen in Vancouver's
Stanley Park at the Prospect Point picnic area, on the north side in
deciduous trees.

A GREAT GRAY OWL was seen in Jericho Park, in tall conifers along the main
south path that runs along the lake. As you head east along the path the
bird was on the right hand side just before the path opens up again before
fields and the bridge.

There were 110 LAPLAND LONGSPURS in a field between 104th and 112th Streets
in Delta. Also in Delta, the gray morph immature GYRFALCON was at the foot
of 88th Street.

The TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE that was seen during the White Rock/Surrey
Christmas Bird Count was relocated at the 14900 block of 25A Avenue in South
Surrey.

Sightings for Sunday, December 28:

A bird thought to be a FIELDFARE was seen in Port Coquitlam with a flock of
50+ robins. The bird was seen on Kebet Way 200m west of Broadway Street.

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/

Larry Cowan
Port Coquitlam, BC
lawrencecowan at shaw.ca