This is Wayne Weber with the Vancouver Natural History Society?s Rare
Bird Alert for Friday, January 28, 2005, sponsored in part by the Wild
Birds Unlimited stores in Vancouver and North Vancouver. The RBA
phone number is (604) 737-3074.

There have been no reports of the apparent female MCKAY?S BUNTING
since January 17, or of the male MCKAY?S BUNTING since December 29.

Local highlights include PINE GROSBEAKS in Pitt Meadows,
WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS in Port Coquitlam, GRAY-
CROWNED ROSY-FINCHES on the Iona Island south jetty,
and a TUFTED DUCK x SCAUP hybrid in Stanley Park.


Sightings for Friday, January 28

Six PINE GROSBEAKS were seen in Pitt Meadows, along
Rannie Road about 1 km south of the bend where it hits the
Pitt River dyke. Pine Grosbeaks have been seen in this general
area for the last 2-3 weeks.

A NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL was seen again at the Maplewood
Conservation Area in North Vancouver.

At Blackie Spit in Surrey, a LONG-BILLED CURLEW and a
MARBLED GODWIT were present along the Nicomekl River.
On 40th Avenue, also called Mud Bay Road, west of Highway 99,
an immature GYRFALCON was perched in a large cottonwood
late in the afternoon. At least 7 BROWN-HEADED COWBIRDS
were seen in a flock of about 5000 STARLINGS along 140th
Street just north of Mud Bay Road. This has been a consistent
wintering area for cowbirds over the last few years.

At the Reifel Bird Sanctuary in Delta, one adult BLACK-CROWNED
NIGHT-HERON was seen, as were 30 COMMON REDPOLLS. The
immature GOLDEN EAGLE, present since October, was at the
refuge entrance. A first-year GLAUCOUS GULL was in fields along
Westham Island Road near Tamboline Road, and two MUTE
SWANS were in the river near the Westham Island bridge.


Sightings for Thursday, January 27

An adult NORTHERN GOSHAWK was perched in a tree in Beach
Grove Park on 17A Avenue in Delta.

An EARED GREBE, rare in winter, was at the White Rock town pier.
A LONG-BILLED CURLEW and a PEREGRINE FALCON were at
Blackie Spit in Surrey. A MYRTLE form of the YELLOW-RUMPED
WARBLER was at Serpentine Fen in Surrey, and a group of 40
MOURNING DOVES was along 40th Avenue near 160th Street.

One SNOWY OWL was seen at the foot of 72nd Street in Delta,
and two more were at Brunswick Point. An AMERICAN KESTREL
was seen along 64th Street in Delta

In North Vancouver, a NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL was reported
from the Maplewood Conservation Area.


No sightings for Wednesday, January 26


Sightings for Tuesday, January 25

A flock of 30 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS was seen for the
second day in a row in hemlocks near the corner of Lincoln and
Shaughnessy in Port Coquitlam.

A bird answering the description of a PACIFIC-SLOPE
FLYCATCHER was seen along the lane in the 6300 block
between Vine and Yew Streets in Vancouver. This bird was also
reported on the 22nd. This would be a very unusual winter sighting,
and confirmation from other observers is requested.

The male TUFTED DUCK x SCAUP hybrid was present again
at Stanley Park in Vancouver. The bird was seen near the stone
bridge at the west end of Lost Lagoon. Elsewhere in Stanley Park,
a BONAPARTE?S GULL and 8 MARBLED MURRELETS were
seen off Ferguson Point, and 5 PIGEON GUILLEMOTS were off
Brockton Point.

The immature GOLDEN EAGLE was seen near the entrance to
the Reifel Bird Sanctuary in Delta, and just south of there, a
GYRFALCON along Westham Island Road.

At Blackie Spit in Surrey, an AMERICAN AVOCET and a
LONG-BILLED CURLEW were seen on the far side of the
Nicomekl River.


Sightings for Wednesday, January 24

Three GRAY-CROWNED ROSY FINCHES but no buntings were
at the end of the Iona I. South jetty.

Thirty WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS were seen in hemlocks
near the corner of Lincoln and Shaughnessy in Port Coquitlam.

A male ANNA?S HUMMINGBIRD was displaying at the University
of BC Botanical Gardens, far from the nearest known feeder.

In Delta, the GYRFALCON was seen on the microwave tower near
the foot of 96th Street, and two SNOWY OWLS were seen near
the foot of 72nd Street, Three AMERICAN KESTRELS, a MERLIN,
and 3 PEREGRINE FALCONS were also seen along roads north of
Boundary Bay. Two unidentified swallows were seen on the west side
of Boundary Bay, near the pumphouse at the E end of 12th Avenue.


Sightings for Sunday, January 23

The male TUFTED DUCK x SCAUP hybrid was present again
at Stanley Park in Vancouver. Also in Stanley Park were 50 RED
CROSSBILLS near Prospect Point and 6 unseasonable
BONAPARTE?S GULLS off Ferguson Point.

At the end of the Iona I south jetty in Richmond, a GRAY-CROWNED
ROSY FINCH was seen, as well as a bunting which may have been
either a SNOW BUNTING or the probable female MCKAY?S BUNTING
which had been seen earlier.

At the Reifel Bird Sanctuary in Delta, birds seen included 4 BARN
SWALLOWS, an adult BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON, an
immature GOLDEN EAGLE, a GYRFALCON, 4 SANDHILL
CRANES, 2 AMERICAN BITTERNS, a NORTHERN SAW-WHET
OWL, a GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, a MANDARIN DUCK,
and 35 COMMON REDPOLLS. At nearby Brunswick Point, 7
SNOWY OWLS were seen.

At the White Rock town pier, 2 EARED GREBES and 70
LONG-TAILED DUCKS were seen.

In Vancouver, 35 COMMON REDPOLLS were seen in birches
in the 2100 block of Trafalgar Street.


Sightings for Saturday, January 22

The male TUFTED DUCK x SCAUP hybrid was seen again next
to the stone bridge at the west end of Lost Lagoon in Stanley Park,
Vancouver. Also in Stanley Park were 3 BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS
at Ferguson Point and a RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER near Third Beach.

One SNOWY OWL was seen in driving rain at Brunswick Point, Delta. A
single MUTE SWAN was in the Fraser River near the Westham Island
bridge. On the Roberts Bank coal port jetty, a ROCK SANDPIPER was
seen with a flock of 150 BLACK TURNSTONES.

At Burns Drive near 96th Street in Delta, near the intersection of
Highways 10 and 99, an adult GLAUCOUS GULL and an adult
WESTERN GULL were seen in a large gull flock.


Sightings for Friday, January 21

At Stanley Park in Vancouver, a drake TUFTED DUCK x SCAUP
hybrid was seen just west of the stone bridge at the west end of Lost
Lagoon.

At the Reifel Bird Sanctuary in Delta, birds seen included a
remarkable 11 BARN SWALLOWS near the viewing tower,
a drake REDHEAD, an immature GOLDEN EAGLE, a
GYRFALCON, 3 AMERICAN BITTERNS, 20 CEDAR WAXWINGS,
15 COMMON REDPOLLS, a NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL,
and 200 TRUMPETER SWANS.

At Brunswick Point in Delta, just south of Reifel, 6 SNOWY OWLS in
various plumages were seen at once, with 4 of them at one point in
close proximity on one large stump. A BARN OWL was also in the thicket
here. At the Tsawwassen ferry jetty in Delta, the WILLET and four
BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS were seen along the south side.

At the foot of 72nd Street in Delta, 5 SNOWY OWLS were seen, 3 from
the dyke to the east and 2 more from the dyke to the west of 72nd. In
addition, a NORTHERN GOSHAWK was seen along the dyke just
to the east, and 2 WESTERN MEADOWLARKS along the dyke to the
west of 72nd.

In Delta, large groups of TRUMPETER SWANS included 403 off
112th Street just S of Highway 10, and about 330 in 2 flocks between
Brunswick Point and 34th Street. At least 4 TUNDRA SWANS were
with the latter group.

Two SNOW BUNTINGS were at the tip of the Iona Island S jetty in
Richmond, and 2 WESTERN MEADOWLARKS were on McDonald
Road near the Vancouver Airport fence on Sea Island.


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/


Wayne C. Weber
Delta, BC
contopus at telus.net