This is the Vancouver Natural History Society's Rare
Bird Alert for Monday, March 7, sponsored in part by the Wild
Birds Unlimited stores in Vancouver and North Vancouver. The
RBA phone number is (604) 737-3074.

The REDWING in Olympia, Washington, present since December,
was seen on March 6th. For further details, please call the
Washington Rare Bird Alert at (206) 281-9172, or check the
TWEETERS E-mail group.

The featured bird is MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD.


Sightings for Monday, March 7

At Colony Farm, the MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD was again present
on the Port Coquitlam side in the 2nd field from the pond. Also
at Colony Farm were 2 NORTHERN SHRIKES and 6 TREE
SWALLOWS.

At Iona Island in Richmond, at the tip of the south jetty, there were
5 SNOW BUNTINGS. Some birders now think that the 2 "probable
female MCKAY'S BUNTINGS" are in fact 2 male SNOW BUNTINGS.

At Serpentine Fen in Surrey, 2 CACKLING GEESE were seen with
CANADA GEESE.


Sightings for Sunday, March 6

At Colony Farm, a male MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD was seen on the Port
Coquitlam side in the 2nd field from the pond. Also at Colony Farm
was a TURKEY VULTURE.

At the Reifel Bird Sanctuary in Delta were 4 SANDHILL CRANES, a
BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON, and a BARN SWALLOW.

In Delta, off 41B Street near Deltaport Way, were 6 LEAST SANDPIPERS.

In Surrey, at the mouth of the Serpentine River, the AMERICAN AVOCET
was present. Access is from Mud Bay Park, off Colebrook Road.

On 140th St in Surrey, north of Mud Bay Road, were 30 BROWN-
HEADED COWBIRDS in a flock of STARLINGS and BREWER'S
BLACKBIRDS. Nearby, at Serpentine Fen WMA, were 3
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE, a SNOW GOOSE, and 20 CACKLING GEESE.

At Blackie Spit in Surrey, the LONG-BILLED CURLEW continues.

At Iona at the tip of the south jetty, the EARED GREBE was seen again.
No news either way on the BUNTINGS today. A flock of 40 TREE and
VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS were seen over the sewage ponds.


Sightings for Saturday, March 5:

At the Reifel Bird Sanctuary in Delta, a NORTHERN SAW-WHET
OWL, a CLIFF SWALLOW, 15 VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS,
and 10 BARN SWALLOWS were reported.

At Brunswick Point in Delta, a SNOWY OWL and an AMERICAN
BITTERN were seen.

At Boundary Bay Regional Park in Delta were 2 WESTERN
MEADOWLARKS and 4 TREE SWALLOWS. Nearby in Beach
Grove were 2 BAND-TAILED PIGEONS. At the Tsawwassen
ferry jetty were 4 BRANDT'S CORMORANTS.

In Serpentine Fen, South Surrey, up to 200 TREE SWALLOWS, a
VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW and a BARN SWALLOW were seen.
Also here were a SNOW GOOSE, 2 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED
GEESE, and a few CACKLING GEESE.


Sightings for Friday, March 4:

In South Surrey, 2 RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRDS were seen at a feeder.


Sightings for Thursday, March 3:

At the Reifel Bird Sanctuary were a CLIFF SWALLOW, 15 TREE
SWALLOWS, 2 BARN SWALLOWS, 1 MARBLED GODWIT, a
BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON, 7,000 SNOW GEESE, and 2
HUTTON'S VIREOS.


There were no reports for Wednesday, March 2.


Sightings for Tuesday, March 1:

At the tip of the Iona Island south jetty in Richmond, the probable
female MCKAY'S BUNTING was seen with 2 SNOW BUNTINGS.
It has probably been present for the past 2 weeks.

In Vancouver, a HERMIT THRUSH was seen.



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 prepared and posted by Kevin Louth, and
forwarded by Wayne Weber.


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