This is the Vancouver Natural History Society's Rare
Bird Alert for Thursday, March 17, 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 14th. For further details, please call the
Washington Rare Bird Alert at (206) 281-9172, or check the
TWEETERS E-mail group.


Rare bird alert continues for a BOREAL OWL.

Sightings for Thursday, March 17:

At the Reifel Bird Sanctuary in Delta, the BOREAL OWL remains
faithful to the cedar tree near the pay telephone at the edge of the
parking lot, along with a NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL. Also
at Reifel were a BARN OWL, a GREAT HORNED OWL, a HUTTON'S
VIREO, a flock of 200 VIOLET-GREEN and TREE SWALLOWS,
and a GYRFALCON which has been seen south of the sanctuary 2
or 3 times this week.

Sightings for Wednesday, March 16:

At Reifel, the BOREAL OWL was present for the 4th day.


Sightings for Tuesday, March 15:

At Reifel, the BOREAL OWL spent its third day in a cedar tree
near the pay telephone at the edge of the parking lot. A NORTHERN
SAW-WHET OWL was in the same tree. Also at Reifel were a BARN
SWALLOW and 2 SANDHILL CRANES.

At the Westham Island bridge in Delta, 4 MUTE SWANS were
present. Nearby a NORTHERN SHRIKE was seen on River Road
half a mile east of Brunswick Point.

In Downes Bowl Park, Abbotsford, a GREAT HORNED OWL
and a BARRED OWL were seen.


Sightings for Monday, March 14:

At the Reifel Bird Sanctuary in Delta, the BOREAL OWL spent its second
day in a cedar tree near the pay telephone at the edge of the parking
lot. Also a NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL was in the same tree.


Sightings for Sunday, March 13:

At Reifel, a BOREAL OWL was found in a cedar tree near the pay
telephone at the edge of the parking lot. It was present until at
least 5:15pm. Also at Reifel were 2 BLACK-CROWNED
NIGHT-HERONS, 2 SANDHILL CRANES, an AMERICAN
BITTERN, and a RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD.

Negative news from North Vancouver - the possible AMERICAN
OYSTERCATCHER was not seen today.

At Brunswick Point in Delta, 3 SNOWY OWLS were still present
on the foreshore near the big bend of the dike.

At the Tsawwassen ferry jetty near berth 1 were 2 ROCK SANDPIPERS
and 2 SURFBIRDS with 150 BLACK TURNSTONES. Also here were
6 BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS and 2 LONG-TAILED DUCKS. At the
base of the jetty, the WILLET was present.

At Boundary Bay in Delta, the GYRFALCON was again along 112th St.
3 AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS were seen along the dyke just east
of 72nd Street.

At Deas Island Regional Park in Delta, 2 YELLOW-RUMPED
WARBLERS were seen.


Sightings for Saturday, March 12:

In North Vancouver, a bird thought to be an AMERICAN
OYSTERCATCHER was seen briefly from a bridge crossing
the Seymour River on the Dollarton Hwy, just east of Hwy 1.
Confirmation is required.

At the Tsawwassen ferry jetty, berth 1, were 2 ROCK SANDPIPERS,
a SURFBIRD, 4 BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS, and 40 BLACK
TURNSTONES; however, no sign of the RUDDY TURNSTONES
today. At the base of the jetty, the WILLET was still present.

At Pitt Meadows, a grey phase GYRFALCON was seen north of
Connecting Road in a snag about 400 m east of MacKechnie
Road. Two SANDHILL CRANES were seen north of Thompson
Road about 1 km east of Neaves Road. Nearby was an AMERICAN
KESTREL.

At Colony Farm, a NORTHERN SHRIKE was seen in the 2nd field
from the pond on the Port Coquitlam side.

At Elgin Heritage Park, south Surrey, were 2 LEAST SANDPIPERS, 11
LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS, and 1 RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD.
Nearby, the LONG-BILLED CURLEW continues at Blackie Spit.

At Point Roberts, Washington were 6 BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS
east of the marina breakwater. A NORTHERN SHRIKE was in
a field west of the marina. A HUTTON'S VIREO was singing along
Benson Road and 3 RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRDS were at Lily Point.

In Delta, an AMERICAN KESTREL was seen south of 34B Ave on
64th Street.

On Barnston Island in the Fraser River, there were up to 3
AMERICAN KESTRELS and 6 YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS.



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