This is the Vancouver Natural History Society's Rare Bird Alert for
Sunday, May 16, sponsored in part by Wild Birds Unlimited, with
stores in Vancouver and North Vancouver. The RBA phone number is
(604) 737-3074.


Sightings for Sunday, May 16th

The strange "short billed" WHIMBREL, first reported Saturday, was
again seen in a ploughed field directly across from the Mayfair Golf
Course along Highway 91 in Richmond.

The following shorebirds were reported from Iona Island, Richmond:
a WILSON'S PHALAROPE, 4 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS,
and 1 SPOTTED SANDPIPER.


Sightings for Saturday, May 15th

A strange "short billed" WHIMBREL was reported in a ploughed field
directly across from the Mayfair Golf Course along Highway 91 in
Richmond.

The following birds were reported from Iona Island in Richmond:
a BANK SWALLOW, 3 WILSON'S PHALAROPES, over 50 PECTORAL
SANDPIPERS, 5 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS, 60 WESTERN
SANDPIPERS, an AMERICAN PIPIT, and 4 SEMIPALMATED
PLOVERS.

At the Reifel Bird Sanctuary, Delta, a CHIPPING SPARROW was
found in the parking lot area.

In a flooded field along Highway 17 just north of the Deltaport Way
exit, a flock of 30 WILSON'S PHALAROPES was observed.

At Colony Farm in Port Coquitlam, 2 male and a female LAZULI
BUNTINGS were again reported.


Sightings for Friday, May 14th

A SAY'S PHOEBE was found at Iona Island, near the washrooms beside
the "outer pond".

At Colony Farm Park in Port Coquitlam, not far from the burned-out
pig barns, there were 3 LAZULI BUNTINGS.


Sightings for Thursday, May 13th

At the Iona Island sewage ponds, Richmond, the following birds were
reported: a SOLITARY SANDPIPER, 9 WILSON'S PHALAROPES,
50 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, 4 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS,
and 5 WHIMBREL, among other species of shorebirds. Of note was a
BULLOCK'S ORIOLE which is rare at Iona. There was also a
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE along the causeway.

In the Grant Narrows area of Pitt Meadows, the following birds were
reported: 3 BULLOCK'S ORIOLES, a TURKEY VULTURE, an
AMERICAN BITTERN, a SANDHILL CRANE, 8 VAUX'S SWIFTS
and 3 BLACK SWIFTS.

At Willband Creek Park in Abbotsford, a WILSON'S PHALAROPE
and a YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD were reported.


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.



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