Subject: [Tweeters] Vancouver, BC RBA for April 20, 2005
Date: Apr 21 15:14:51 2005
From: Wayne C. Weber - contopus at telus.net
This is the Vancouver Natural History Society's
Rare Bird Alert for Wednesday, April 20, sponsored in part by the
Wild Birds Unlimited stores in Vancouver and North Vancouver.
The RBA phone number is (604) 737-3074.
If you have a report, please leave your full name, telephone number,
date and exact location of your sighting. If you want to skip the update,
press the pound key on your phone, otherwise please wait until the
end of this update to leave your message.
RARE BIRD ALERT: In Washington, a BAIKAL TEAL, an accidental
visitor from Asia, has been present since mid-December. For the
last 2 weeks, from March 31 through April 19, it has been seen
on or near 277th Street in Kent, just SE of Seattle. For further details,
please phone the Washington State RBA at (206) 281-9172, or check
the TWEETERS E-mail group.
Sightings for Wednesday, April 20
At Maplewood Conservation Area in North Vancouver, 3 PURPLE
MARTINS and a BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER were seen.
Sightings for Tuesday, April 19
At Iona Island in Richmond, the first SOLITARY SANDPIPER
of the year was reported, as were 4 LESSER YELLOWLEGS,
3 CASPIAN TERNS, and 2 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE.
At Maplewood Conservation Area were 8 PURPLE MARTINS,
an OSPREY, and a female MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD still in the
west salt marsh.
At the University of BC Botanical Gardens were 3 TOWNSEND'S
WARBLERS, a HUTTON'S VIREO, and a GREATER WHITE-
FRONTED GOOSE.
Two RHINOCEROS AUKLETS were seen at Lighthouse Marine
Park in Point Roberts, Washington, and nearby were an OSPREY
and two RED CROSSBILLS.
Sightings for Monday, April 18
A LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE was reported from McDonald Road on Sea Island.
Also on Sea Island were the first WHIMBREL of the year, 6 MOUNTAIN
BLUEBIRDS near the UPS building, and two CINNAMON TEAL. On Iona
Island were a YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD, and two EARED GREBES off
the south jetty.
At Maplewood Conservation Area were a PURPLE MARTIN a 3 HERMIT
THRUSHES.
A TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE and a HUTTON'S VIREO were at Queen
Elizabeth Park in Vancouver.
At Grant Narrows Regional Park at the south end of Pitt Lake were an
AMERICAN
BITTERN and 4 VIRGINIA RAILS.
Finally, numbers of migrating shorebirds near the foot of 96th Street on
Boundary Bay in Delta increased to 2000 WESTERN SANDPIPERS and
180 SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS, along with 30,000 DUNLIN. At
the base of the Tsawwassen Jetty in Delta were 5 MARBLED GODWITS.
Sightings for Sunday, April 17
A flood of reports was received today as birders emerged from
hibernation, and spring migration swung into high gear.
At the Maplewood Conservation Area in North Vancouver, the first-of-year
PURPLE MARTIN was seen. Other first-of-year reports included a
TOWNSEND'S WARBLER at Queen Elizabeth Park in Vancouver,
and BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLERS at QE Park, at Beach
Grove Park and near the Boundary Bay Airport in Delta, and on Elkview
Road near Ryder Lake in Chilliwack. CASPIAN TERNS were also
reported from 4 localities, including 9 over Clark Drive and East
Hastings in Vancouver, and singles at Iona I., at the Tsawwassen
ferry jetty in Delta, and near the Port Mann bridge in Surrey.
In Pitt Meadows, 18 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE were still
on Neaves Road south of the North Alouette River, with 3 or 4 CACKLING
GEESE. Two SANDHILL CRANES were seen near the Swan-e-set
Golf Course, and at least 5 AMERICAN KESTRELS were seen
around Pitt Meadows, as were two TURKEY VULTURES.
At the Reifel Bird Sanctuary in Delta, highlights included 2
AMERICAN BITTERNS, 3 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE,
and 1500 remaining SNOW GEESE.
At Iona Island in Richmond were 4 CINNAMON TEAL and 3
YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS.
Three TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRES were still at the University
of BC Botanical Gardens, as was a migrant HERMIT THRUSH.
20 RHINOCEROS AUKLETS, a high number, were seen from
the Tsawwassen ferry jetty in Delta.
In Chilliwack, a surprising BRANT was seen at Sardis Park; a
TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE, NASHVILLE WARBLER, and MOUNTAIN
CHICKADEE were seen in the 48100 block of Elkview Road; and
3 early LESSER YELLOWLEGS were seen with other shorebirds
and ducks, including 2 CINNAMON TEAL, along Chilliwack Central
Road near Prest Road.
Sightings for Saturday, April 16
A late SNOWY OWL was seen briefly in North Delta near 116th
Street and 94A Avenue.
At the Maplewood Conservation Area, a female MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD
was in the west salt marsh.
An AMERICAN BITTERN was heard "pumping" near the high tower in
Boundary Bay Regional Park, Delta.
At Iona Island, a LONG-BILLED CURLEW was reported on the flats
by one observer, and 6 CASPIAN TERNS, a YELLOW-HEADED
BLACKBIRD, and a CINNAMON TEAL were reported by another.
In Vancouver, 3 TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRES were still at the UBC
Botanical Garden, and a first-of-year HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER
was near Boundary Road and 49th Street.
Sightings for Friday, April 15
At Blackie Spit in Surrey, the wintering LONG-BILLED CURLEW was
still present, and one WESTERN MEADOWLARK was heard singing.
Sightings for Thursday, April 14
At Colony Farm, on the Port Coquitlam side, an early WILSON'S
WARBLER was seen. Also here were a late NORTHERN SHRIKE and
6 RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRDS.
A BARRED OWL was seen in Campbell Valley Regional Park,
Langley.
The LONG-BILLED CURLEW was still at Blackie Spit in Surrey,
near the mouth of the Nicomekl River.
In Delta, two MARBLED GODWITS and 15 SHORT-BILLED
DOWITCHERS were seen on the Boundary Bay mudflats off
the foot of 72nd Street, along with many other shorebirds.
At Jericho Park in Vancouver were 6 BONAPARTE'S GULLS.
Along 6th Avenue near Stevens Drive, in the Tsawwassen area of
Delta, a HUTTON'S VIREO was singing.
If you have any questions about birds or birding in the
Vancouver area, please call Wayne at (604) 597-7201,
Viveka at 531-3401, or Larry at 465-1402. Thank you for
calling the Vancouver Rare Bird Alert, and good birding.
For further information about birding in the Vancouver area,
log onto the Vancouver Natural History Society's website at
http://www.naturalhistory.bc.ca/VNHS/
This message was recorded, transcribed and distributed
by Wayne Weber.
Wayne C. Weber
Delta, BC
contopus at telus.net