This is the Vancouver Natural History Society's Rare Bird Alert for
Wednesday, May 12, sponsored in part by Wild Birds Unlimited, with
stores in Vancouver and North Vancouver. The RBA phone number is
(604) 737-3074.


Sightings for Wednesday, May 12th

It was a good day for shorebirds at the Iona Island sewage
ponds, Richmond, with 12 species reported. Highlights included: 2
WILSON'S PHALAROPES, 20 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, one
SEMIPALMATED PLOVER and 5 WHIMBREL on Iona Beach.


Sightings for Tuesday, May 11th

At the foot of 104th Street in Delta, a singing HOUSE WREN was
again found across the road from the Delta Air Park.

There were 2 singing male LAZULI BUNTINGS reported from Colony
Farm in Port Coquitlam.

A PURPLE MARTIN was seen at the unusual location of Lighthouse Marine
Park in Point Roberts, Washington.

In Delta, a male BULLOCK'S ORIOLE was reported from the 6300
block of Crescent Place.


Sightings for Monday, May 10th

2 OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHERS and 2 COOPER'S HAWKS were
reported in Burnaby.


Sightings for Sunday, May 9th

RARE BIRD ALERT! A YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER was
heard calling by an experienced birder, familiar with the species, on
Bowen Island in Howe Sound. To find the bird travel up Miller Road
to the Killarney Creek Trail. The bird was heard 50 yards off the road
on the trail.

On the mudflats off Boundary Bay Regional Park in Delta, a
LONG-BILLED CURLEW was found. It later flew north towards
96th Street.

On the mudflats off Blackie Spit there was a LONG-BILLED CURLEW,
30 WHIMBREL and 3 PURPLE MARTINS.

Iona Island, Richmond, had the following birds reported:1 PECTORAL
SANDPIPER, 700 WESTERN SANDPIPERS, 300 LEAST
SANDPIPERS, 3 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS, 5
SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, 3 LESSER YELLOWLEGS, 2
PEREGRINE FALCONS, 20 pairs of CINNAMON TEAL and 1 RING-NECKED DUCK.

A good fallout of passerines was reported from Queen Elizabeth Park
including many WILSON'S WARBLERS, small numbers of WESTERN
TANAGERS, CASSIN'S VIREOS, WARBLING VIREOS,
PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHERS, OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHERS,
and a YELLOW WARBLER. Also of interest was a GREAT HORNED
OWL.


Sightings for Saturday, May 8th

On the VNHS field trip to De Boville Slough in Coquitlam, the
highlight was an out-of-place juvenile GRAY JAY. Also reported
were 4 WARBLING VIREOS and a TURKEY VULTURE. Nearby in
Minnekhada Park, 7 BAND-TAILED PIGEONS, 3 BLUE GROUSE
and 5 RING-NECKED DUCKS were all reported.

A LONG-BILLED CURLEW and a WHIMBREL were seen together in
overflight at Maplewood Conservation Area in North Vancouver.

At Queen Elizabeth Park in Vancouver was a female ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD.


Sightings for Friday, May 7th

A BANK SWALLOW was reported from MacDonald Slough on
Sea Island in Richmond.

On the main road up Mount Seymour in North Vancouver, 2 displaying
male BLUE GROUSE were seen at the 10km mark on the side of the road.

At Maplewood Conservation Area was a CHIPPING SPARROW.


Sightings for Thursday, May 6th

In a field near the corner of Highway 15 (176th Street) and 8th Ave in
Surrey were 53 WHIMBREL.


Sightings for Wednesday, May 5th

A flock of 12 BLACK SWIFTS was reported from Richmond.

A CHIPPING SPARROW was found in Burnaby Mountain Park, Burnaby.

At Blackie Spit in Surrey, 10 WHIMBREL were reported foraging on the
mudflats.



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

This transcript was prepared by Rick Toochin 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