This is Wayne Weber with the Vancouver Natural History Society?s Rare
Bird Alert for Tuesday, January 11, 2005, sponsored in part by the
Wild Birds Unlimited stores in Vancouver and North Vancouver. The RBA
phone number is (604) 737-3074.

The Rare Bird Alert continues for the REDWING in Olympia, Washington,
which has been seen daily through January 11. At the Kent Ponds in
Kent, just SE of Seattle, a drake BAIKAL TEAL has been seen
intermittently through January 10. For updates on these birds, phone
the Washington State RBA at (206) 281-9172 or check the TWEETERS
E-mail group.

Locally, the Rare Bird Alert continues for a SKY LARK. The probable
female MCKAY?S BUNTING has not been reported since January 9 but is
probably still present, and the same applies to the SLATY-BACKED GULL
and PRAIRIE FALCON reported recently.


Sightings for Tuesday, January 11, 2005

The SKY LARK was present again for most of the day along the north
dyke of the Serpentine River in Surrey, about 500 metres E of the
railroad trestle at the river mouth. This locality can be accessed
from Mud Bay Park, off Colebrook Road in Surrey. The SKY LARK was
feeding with a group of up to 4 AMERICAN PIPITS in a triangular
peninsula jutting into the river at the upper end of the estuary. Up
to 16 WESTERN MEADOWLARKS were also present near here, in fields north
of the dyke.

This is only the second record of SKY LARK for Vancouver. The bird
could be either a straggler from Vancouver Island, or a long-distance
migrant from eastern Asia.

On the north side of Boundary Bay in Delta, the GYRFALCON was seen
again near the mansion west of the foot of 96th Street. The adult
GLAUCOUS GULL was seen again along the Boundary Bay foreshore west of
88th Street. Two SNOWY OWLS were seen near the foot of 72nd Street,
and a male RUSTY BLACKBIRD was seen in a blackbird flock near the
railway crossing on 72nd Street. A flock 0f 24 SAVANNAH SPARROWS was
seen along 96th Street, and 12 WESTERN MEADOWLARKS were seen along
104th Street.

An ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER was coming to a suet feeder near 34th Avenue
at Pine Crescent in Vancouver. In Langley, the HERMIT THRUSH was seen
again at 6905 Bradner Road. And at Lighthouse Marine Park in Point
Roberts, WA, an adult WESTERN GULL was perched on pilings.


Sightings for Monday, January 10, 2005

A SKY LARK was discovered along the north dyke of the Serpentine River
in Surrey, about 500 metres E of the railroad trestle at the river
mouth. About 12 WESTERN MEADOWLARKS were present near here, in fields
north of the dyke.

On the Boundary Bay foreshore at the foot of 72nd Street in Delta,
birds seen included 4 SNOWY OWLS, 2 SAVANNAH SPARROWS, and 10 AMERICAN
PIPITS. An AMERICAN TREE SPARROW was seen with White-crowns near the
pump station east of 72nd on the dike, and a GYRFALCON was hunting
along the foreshore here.

Another GYRFALCON was seen at the Reifel Bird Sanctuary, as were 2
LINCOLN?S SPARROWS. The WILLET was present at the base of the
Tsawwassen ferry jetty on the south side, and 6 WESTERN MEADOWLARKS
were on 88th Street in Delta near the railroad crossing. A single
EARED GREBE was seen from the town pier in White Rock.


Sightings for Sunday, January 9

The probable female MCKAY?S BUNTING was seen again today with 3 SNOW
BUNTINGS on the Iona Island south jetty in Richmond. Photos of the
bunting have been studied by an expert on the species, who believes it
is probably a McKAY?S, but cannot completely rule out a hybrid. The
male MCKAY?S BUNTING, present here beginning on December 4, has not
been seen since December 29.

In Delta, an adult GLAUCOUS GULL was seen in the morning at the Burns
Bog landfill, a locality normally off-limits to birders, and again
late in the day at the foot of 72nd Street on Boundary Bay. A
first-year GLAUCOUS GULL was also seen earlier in the day off the foot
of 72nd.

Also along the Boundary Bay dyke, 10 SAVANNAH SPARROWS, at least 3
AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS, and an immature HARRIS?S SPARROW were seen
east of the foot of 72nd Street. Two SNOWY OWLS, and 6 LAPLAND
LONGSPURS were also reported near the foot of 72nd Street, and a
PRAIRIE FALCON was seen along 36th Avenue west of 72nd. A GYRFALCON
was present near the mansion west of the foot of 96th Street.

At the Reifel Bird Sanctuary in Delta, the long-staying immature
GOLDEN EAGLE was observed, as were 2 adult BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS,
4 SANDHILL CRANES, a HUTTON?S VIREO, and 20 COMMON REDPOLLS. 26
LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS were in the West Field at the Refuge. At nearby
Brunswick Point, sightings included 2 SNOWY OWLS, an AMERICAN BITTERN,
a SWAMP SPARROW, an AMERICAN TREE SPARROW, and a SAVANNAH SPARROW.

At Vancouver?s Stanley Park, near the Aquarium parking lot, was a
flock of 50 RED CROSSBILLS. Noteworthy feeder birds included an
ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER in the 2500 block of West 12th in Vancouver,
and a locally-unusual CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE on Ferry Road in
Delta.

In Pitt Meadows, a flock of at least 12 PINE GROSBEAKS was seen along
Rannie Road just north of the Swan-e-set Golf Course. At Blackie Spit
in Surrey, a LEAST SANDPIPER and a WESTERN SANDPIPER were seen. And at
the end of Marine Drive in Blaine, WA, an adult WESTERN GULL was seen
from the crab-fishing pier.


Sightings for Saturday, January 8

An adult SLATY-BACKED GULL, the first one reported this winter, was
seen in a gull flock along Burns Drive east of the Burns Bog landfill
in Delta.

The probable female MCKAY?S BUNTING and 3 SNOW BUNTINGS were seen on
the Iona I. West jetty, Richmond. On nearby Sea Island, 3 WESTERN
MEADOWLARKS, a NORTHERN SHRIKE, and a SHORT-EARED OWL were seen along
Templeton and Ferguson Roads near the Vancouver airport.

At Blackie Spit in Surrey, unusual shorebirds included a LONG-BILLED
CURLEW, a MARBLED GODWIT, and a LEAST SANDPIPER. Three AMERICAN PIPITS
and a WESTERN MEADOWLARK were also here. In Queens Park in New
Westminster, a TOWNSEND?S WARBLER was seen near the waterpark and
petting zoo.


Sightings for Friday, January 7

Reports have been few because of the severe winter weather. The only
report today was of a HERMIT THRUSH at 6905 Bradner Road in Langley.


Sightings for Thursday, January 6

At the pier in White Rock, an EARED GREBE and a WESTERN GULL were
seen, and an AMERICAN PIPIT was seen on the beach nearby. Five GREATER
YELLOWLEGS were at the mouth of the Campbell River, also in White
Rock.

At the Reifel Bird Sanctuary in Delta, the immature GOLDEN EAGLE was
reported again, as was one adult BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON and a flock
of 35 COMMON REDPOLLS.

In Surrey, the MOUNTAIN CHICKADEE was seen again at the NE corner of
160th Street and 82nd Avenue. At the Maplewood Conservation Area in
North Vancouver, an AMERICAN DIPPER was present at the mouth of
McCartney Creek, and a LINCOLN?S SPARROW in the west marsh area.


Sightings for Wednesday, January 5

The probable female MCKAY?S BUNTING was seen again today with 3 SNOW
BUNTINGS and 3 GRAY-CROWNED ROSY FINCHES at the end of the Iona Island
jetty in Richmond.

In Delta, the WILLET was seen again near the base of the Tsawwassen
ferry jetty. In Surrey, a NORTHERN GOSHAWK was reported along 100th
Avenue just east of Tynehead Regional Park.

At White Rock, an AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN was seen on the water near
the town pier. This bird, which spent much of December at Wiser Lake
near Lynden, WA, was seen in the White Rock and Blaine, WA area on
January 2 as well, and should be looked for in this area in future.

Finally, an AMERICAN KESTREL was observed at the intersection of 176th
Street and Fraser Highway in Surrey.



If you have any questions about 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.

END TRANSCRIPT


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/