This is the Vancouver Natural History Society's Rare Bird Alert for Sunday,
May 1, sponsored in part by the Wild Birds Unlimited stores in Vancouver and
North Vancouver. This message was updated at noon, May 2. The RBA phone
number is (604) 737-3074.

RARE BIRD ALERT for a PALM WARBLER at Pitt Lake and a VESPER
SPARROW at Iona Island.


Sightings for Sunday, May 1, 2005

At Grant Narrows Regional Park on Pitt Lake, a PALM WARBLER was
seen feeding with other warblers in trees along the "nature dyke", about
100 metres from the start of the trail. Also seen or heard along this dyke
were 3 BULLOCK'S ORIOLES, a WESTERN TANAGER, 2 WARBLING
VIREOS, 57 RING-NECKED DUCKS, an AMERICAN BITTERN, and 2
BLUE GROUSE heard hooting in the distance.

Also at Grant Narrows, a LONG-BILLED CURLEW was seen at the edge of
the marsh, near the viewing tower just east of the boat launch. Elsewhere in
Pitt Meadows, a fourth BULLOCK'S ORIOLE was at the parking lot for the
Swan-e-set Golf Course, and two TRUMPETER SWANS were in a field east
of Neaves Road and south of the North Alouette River.

A male CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD was seen at close range feeding from
an apple tree along one of the internal trails at the Reifel Bird Sanctuary
in Delta.

Burnaby Mountain Park in Burnaby had a significant fallout of migrants
including 20 TOWNSEND'S and 10 WILSON'S WARBLERS, single
WARBLING and CASSIN'S VIREOS, a WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE,
and 2 HAMMOND'S and 4 PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHERS.

Maplewood Conservation Area in North Vancouver also had lots of
migrants including a WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE and 3 WESTERN
TANAGERS.

On the north side of Burnaby Lake in Burnaby, around and near the Nature
House, a TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE, two first-of-year BLACK-HEADED
GROSBEAKS, and a YELLOW WARBLER were reported.

Eight PURPLE MARTINS and 5 WHIMBRELS were at Blackie Spit in
Surrey.

At Iona Island in Richmond, the VESPER SPARROW did not reappear.
However, sightings there included 9 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED
GEESE, 3 male YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS, an OSPREY,
a SPOTTED SANDPIPER, a SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, and 4
BLUE-WINGED TEAL.

Finally, 4 BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS were at the Tsawwassen ferry jetty
In Delta.


Sightings for Saturday, April 30

At the Iona Island sewage ponds in Richmond, a VESPER SPARROW was
present for several hours on the roadway between the NW and SW sewage
ponds, and was photographed. Also here were the first SPOTTED SANDPIPER
of the spring, 2 male BLUE-WINGED TEAL, at least 20 CINNAMON TEAL,
and an OSPREY. An AMERICAN BITTERN was seen in the marsh at the
west end of Ferguson Road on Sea Island, where it turns north toward Iona.

In Pitt Meadows, at the "Nature Dyke" leading SE from Grant Narrows
Regional Park, birds seen included a first-of-year BULLOCK'S ORIOLE,
a singing WHITE-THROATED SPARROW, a MACGILLIVRAY'S
WARBLER, and 2 SANDHILL CRANES. Also in the Pitt Meadows area
were 3 VAUX'S SWIFTS along Koerner Road (an unsigned, gated road
leading W from Rannie Road, S of the Ecological Reserve); 2 TURKEY
VULTURES along McNeil Road near Rannie Road, and a late TRUMPETER
SWAN E of Neaves Road and S of the North Alouette River.

Two more SANDHILL CRANES were at Derby Reach Regional Park in
Langley. At Campbell Valley Regional Park in Langley, birds included
5 first-of-year YELLOW WARBLERS, 3 WARBLING VIREOS, and a
CASSIN'S VIREO.

At Maplewood Conservation Area in North Vancouver were 3 VAUX'S
SWIFTS, a WARBLING VIREO, and many warblers.

Three WHIMBRELS were at Blackie Spit in Surrey, and 26 RED CROSSBILLS
were reported from North Delta. 50 more WHIMBRELS and 4 MARBLED
GODWITS were on the polo field at 17948 8th Avenue in Surrey.

In the Brunswick Point area of Delta were a BULLOCK'S ORIOLE, a LONG-
BILLED CURLEW, 4 CASPIAN TERNS, and 12 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED
GEESE. Not far away at the Tsawwassen ferry jetty, 2 BLACK OYSTER-
CATCHERS were seen on the north side.


Sightings for Friday, April 29

In the Hazelmere Valley of Surrey, in the polo field at 17948 8th Avenue,
were 200 WHIMBREL and 5 MARBLED GODWITS in the morning.
This is a traditional staging area for Whimbrel, and they should be looked
for here over the next 2 weeks.

At Pitt Meadows, a WHITE-THROATED SPARROW, 3 BAND-TAILED
PIGEONS, and 4 OSPREYS were seen along the Grant Narrows nature
dyke.

At Minnekhada Regional Park in Coquitlam were 2 HAMMOND'S
FLYCATCHERS, 5 BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLERS, and
several PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHERS.

There were many migrant songbirds at Maplewood Conservation Area
in North Vancouver, including a WILSON'S WARBLER, and a
MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLER.


Sightings for Thursday, April 28

At Beach Grove Park in Delta were a TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE, a
WESTERN TANAGER, and a CASSIN'S VIREO.

At Point Roberts, Washington, off Lighthouse Marine Park were 4
RHINOCEROS AUKLETS and a COMMON MURRE..

Burnaby Mountain Park in Burnaby had many birds including an
OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER, 3 first-of-year WARBLING VIREOS,
2 WILSON'S WARBLERS, and many YELLOW-RUMPED and
ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS.

At Queen Elizabeth Park in Vancouver, birds included a WESTERN
TANAGER, a HUTTON'S VIREO, and a WILSON'S WARBLER.


Sightings for Wednesday, April 27

An OSPREY was seen over the cricket pitch in Vancouver's Stanley Park.


Sightings for Tuesday, April 26

At Queen Elizabeth Park in Vancouver, the first CASSIN'S VIREO
of the year was reported, along with a HUTTON'S VIREO and a BARRED
OWL.

Another CASSIN'S VIREO was seen at Burnaby Mountain Park in
Burnaby near the Horizons Restaurant, as were a TOWNSEND'S
SOLITAIRE and 4 RED CROSSBILLS.

A WILSON'S WARBLER and many RED CROSSBILLS were near Lost
Lagoon in Vancouver's Stanley Park.

At Beach Grove Lagoon, at the east end of 12th Avenue in Delta, were
12 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS.


Sightings for Monday, April 25

Five PURPLE MARTINS were at Blackie Spit in Surrey.

Many migrant songbirds were at Burnaby Mountain Park, including two
first-of-year WESTERN TANAGERS, two TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRES,
A NASHVILLE WARBLER, a WILSON'S WARBLER, and at least 150
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS.

A pair of BLUE-WINGED TEAL were seen in Pitt Meadows along Rannie
Road near Pitt Lake, and a pair of CINNAMON TEAL were in a field east
of Neaves Road and south of the North Alouette River.

A BAIRD'S SANDPIPER, also a first for the year, was at Iona Island
in Richmond, as were 40 SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS and
Hundreds of LEAST SANDPIPERS. Other shorebirds of note
included a SEMIPALMATED PLOVER near the base of the Roberts Bank
Jetty in Delta, and at least 300 SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS near
the foot of 96th Street on Boundary Bay in Delta.

At Maplewood Conservation Area in North Vancouver were at least
30 RED CROSSBILLS, plus a TOWNSEND'S WARBLER and 3
BLACK-THROATED GRAY 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 recorded, transcribed and distributed by Wayne Weber
for the Vancouver Natural History Society.


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