This is the Vancouver Natural History Society's Rare Bird Alert for
Tuesday, May 25, sponsored in part by Wild Birds Unlimited, with
stores in Vancouver and North Vancouver. The RBA phone number is
(604) 737-3074.


Sightings for Tuesday, May 25th

There was no relocation of the NORTHERN PARULA today.

In the Grant Narrows area of Pitt Meadows, 3 EASTERN KINGBIRDS
were reported.

Out of town, a female RUFF was found today in Somenos Marsh in the
Duncan area on Vancouver Island. The bird is in the long field down
behind the golf driving range off Beverly Street. It was in the
company of 2 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS.


Sightings for Monday, May 24th

RARE BIRD ALERT! A singing male NORTHERN PARULA was seen
and heard briefly along the Grant Narrows Nature Dyke in Pitt Meadows.
The bird was seen in cottonwood trees just before the wooden foot
bridge which is at the halfway mark of the trail when travelling
toward
the viewing tower. Also seen in Pitt Meadows in the woodlot 2 km south
of the Grant Narrows Parking lot was a LEWIS'S WOODPECKER. Also
from this stretch of road was a GRAY CATBIRD.

In the West Field at the Reifel Bird Sanctuary, Delta, there was a
RED-NECKED PHALAROPE, a WILSON'S PHALAROPE and
overhead, 4 TURKEY VULTURES.

At Blackie Spit in Surrey were 12 WHIMBREL, a GREEN HERON
and 10 PURPLE MARTINS


Sightings for Sunday, May 23rd

At the foot of 104th Street in Delta, the HOUSE WREN was again
singing on territory and on the dyke just to the east were the 2
WESTERN KINGBIRDS and a BULLOCK'S ORIOLE. Off 112th
Street was a flock of 12 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS, 6
SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, a LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, a
SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER, 2 DUNLINS and 12 WESTERN
SANDPIPERS.

At Burnaby Mountain Park, Burnaby, was a GOLDEN EAGLE. Also
reported from this location was a good fallout of warblers.

At Colony Farm, off Shaughnessy Street in Port Coquitlam, the
2 WESTERN KINGBIRDS were again present near the first large
power pylon. Also seen at Colony Farm were 8 LAZULI BUNTINGS
near the institute and a BULLOCK'S ORIOLE.

At the Iona Island Sewage Ponds, Richmond, the PACIFIC GOLDEN-
PLOVER was again present, along with a SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER.

In Pitt Meadows, a WESTERN KINGBIRD was seen along Rannie Road.

At Blackie Spit in Surrey, 3 PURPLE MARTINS were seen near the nest
boxes. Of interest, one male had a red leg band on its left leg. There
were also 20 WHIMBRELS along the shoreline.

In the old subdivision north of the Boundary Bay Airport in Delta were
a WILLOW FLYCATCHER and a BULLOCK'S ORIOLE.

In the flooded field along Highway 17 north of 34A Avenue, Delta,
there were 2 RED-NECKED PHALAROPES and 3 WILSON'S
PHALAROPES.


Sightings for Saturday, May 22nd

Along 72nd Street in Delta, at the turf farm was an adult breeding-
plumaged FRANKLIN'S GULL.

At the foot of 104th Street the HOUSE WREN was still singing on
territory and on the dyke just to the east were 2 WESTERN KINGBIRDS
and 1 BANK SWALLOW.

At the Reifel Refuge the HUDSONIAN GODWIT was still present though
offshore on the afternoon low tide. In the West Field there was 1 RED-
NECKED PHALAROPE, 6 WILSON'S PHALAROPES and 3 LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS.

At Blackie Spit were 3 PURPLE MARTINS.

At the Iona Island sewage ponds, Richmond were a PACIFIC GOLDEN-
PLOVER, 2 WILSON'S PHALAROPES and a BANK SWALLOW.


Sightings for Friday, May 21st

Out-of-town Rare Bird Alert! A BLACK-THROATED SPARROW
briefly visited a backyard pond at 397 Herbert Heights Road on
Poplar Point in Kelowna. For further information please call the
Okanagan Bird Alert at 1-250-491-7738.

At Colony Farm, on the Port Coquitlam side, there were 2 WESTERN
KINGBIRDS and a LAZULI BUNTING near the north power pylon.

At the Reifel Bird Sanctuary in Delta were a CHIPPING SPARROW
and 3 WILSON'S PHALAROPES.


Sightings for Thursday, May 20th

The HUDSONIAN GODWIT was again reported on the evening high
tide from the West Field at the Reifel Bird Sanctuary, Delta. Also
seen here were an AMERICAN BITTERN and 4 WILSON'S
PHALAROPES.

At Colony Farm there are now 9 LAZULI BUNTINGS present, with
7 males and 2 females being reported.

Another LAZULI BUNTING was reported from MacKay Creek Trail,
which is accessed off of Atkins Road in Abbotsford.

At Lighthouse Marine Park in Point Roberts, Washington, a PURPLE
MARTIN and 2 PACIFIC LOONS were reported.


Sightings for Wednesday, May 19th

The HUDSONIAN GODWIT was again seen on the evening high tide
in the West Field at the Reifel Bird Sanctuary, Delta.

At the foot of 104th Street in Delta, the singing male HOUSE WREN
continues to stay on territory in the fruit trees across from the Air
Park parking lot.

An AMERICAN KESTREL was still present along Deltaport Way in Delta.

The following birds were reported from the Reifel Bird Sanctuary,
Delta: a BANK SWALLOW, 3 WILSON'S PHALAROPES, 8 SNOW
GEESE, and 2 TURKEY VULTURES. From the Westham Island
bridge, there were 8 MUTE SWANS visible along the river bank.

The following birds were reported from Maplewood Conservation area in
North Vancouver: 5 PURPLE MARTINS, 2 BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS
and 2 BLUE-WINGED TEAL.


Sightings for Tuesday, May 18th

RARE BIRD ALERT! A HUDSONIAN GODWIT was seen on the
evening high tide in the West Field of the Reifel Bird Sanctuary,
Delta. Also reported from the refuge were 5 WILSON'S
PHALAROPES, 5 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS and still 12 late
lingering SNOW GEESE.

At Beach Grove Lagoon in Delta, a group of 3 SEMIPALMATED
SANDPIPERS and 1 WESTERN SANDPIPER were reported.

At Colony Farm, Port Coquitlam, the number of LAZULI BUNTINGS
increased to 5 birds, with 4 males and 1 female.



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