This is Wayne Weber with the Vancouver Natural History Society's
Rare Bird Alert for Sunday, November 6, 2005, sponsored in part by
the Wild Birds Unlimited stores in Vancouver and North Vancouver.
This update was recorded at 9 AM on November 7. The RBA phone
number is 604-737-3074.


RARE BIRD ALERT for KING EIDER


Sightings for Sunday, November 6, 2005

The KING EIDER, present since October 30, is moving frequently and has
been hard to locate. Today, it was seen only briefly, about 3 PM, with
a flock of SURF SCOTERS flying past the foot of 25th Street in West
Vancouver. The birds flew eastward, and then apparently turned
toward Stanley Park.

The eider could be anywhere along the English Bay shoreline in West
Vancouver or Vancouver. Check any large scoter flocks, and eventually
you should find it.

At the Reifel Bird Sanctuary in Delta, birds seen included 14 SANDHILL
CRANES, 3 BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS and 12 CEDAR
WAXWINGS, as well as 3 ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS along Westham
Island Road. A late BARN SWALLOW was seen along River Road
west of Ladner.

A BAR-TAILED GODWIT and 2 MARBLED GODWITS were seen along
the east side of Blackie Spit in Surrey.

A WHITE-THROATED SPARROW was seen at the Maplewood
Conservation Area in North Vancouver.

In Vancouver's Stanley Park, several BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS were seen
near Ferguson Point.


Sightings for Saturday, November 5, 2005

The immature male KING EIDER was seen during the day at various points
along the English Bay shoreline of Vancouver from Kitsilano Point to as
far west as the foot of Blenheim Street.

On the Iona Island south jetty in Richmond, the ROCK WREN and five
SNOW BUNTINGS were seen.

On Sea Island in Richmond, 3 MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS were seen on
Vancouver Airport property along the south side of the airport, and a
NORTHERN SHRIKE was seen on Grauer Road.

In Burnaby, a BARRED OWL was seen at 3340 Phillips in the early evening.

An ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD was seen in West Vancouver near the foot
of 22nd Street.

At Elgin Heritage Park in Surrey were 5 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE.


Sightings for Friday, November 4

The KING EIDER was seen briefly late in the day near Siwash Rock in
Stanley Park, Vancouver.

At Blackie Spit in the Crescent Beach area of Surrey, a very late
BAR-TAILED GODWIT was present along with 4 MARBLED GODWITS.
Also here were 6 EURASIAN WIGEON and 2 WESTERN MEADOWLARKS.

A CACKLING GOOSE was present for the second day with CANADA
GEESE near the Second Beach pool on the west side of Stanley Park
in Vancouver.


Sightings for Thursday, November 3

A CATTLE EGRET, the first of the fall, was seen in Richmond on
the north side of Highway 91, the East-West Connector, between
No. 6 Road and No. 7 Road. The bird was in a field with a large
flock of MEW GULLS.

In Vancouver's Stanley Park, the KING EIDER could not be found at
Ferguson Point, although there were still about 2000 SURF SCOTERS
there. However, a CACKLING GOOSE was found with CANADA
GEESE near the pool at Second Beach in Stanley Park.


Sightings for Wednesday, November 2

The second-winter male KING EIDER, present in West Vancouver from
October 30 to November 1, has moved to the Ferguson Point area of
Stanley Park in Vancouver, between Second Beach and Third Beach.
It was seen there by several observers in early afternoon. Please note
that pay parking is in effect throughout Stanley Park. Look for the eider
in a large flock of SURF SCOTERS.

At Klootchman Park in West Vancouver, 120 SURFBIRDS and 2
MARBLED MURRELETS were seen.

At the tip of the Iona Island south jetty in Richmond were two adult
light-phase PARASITIC JAEGERS, plus a third dark-phase jaeger of
undetermined species. Two SNOW BUNTINGS were also seen on
the jetty.

At the Reifel Bird Sanctuary in Delta, 14 SANDHILL CRANES were reported,
as were 2 BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS.


Sightings for Tuesday, November 1

The KING EIDER was still present off Dundarave Pier at the foot of 25th
Street in West Vancouver with about 300 SURF SCOTERS.

A tan-striped WHITE-THROATED SPARROW was seen in the 14900 block
of 24th Avenue in South Surrey.


Sightings for Monday, October 31

The KING EIDER was seen by many observers just east of the Dundarave
Pier, at the foot of 25th Street in West Vancouver, with at least 1500 SURF
SCOTERS.

At Cecil Green Park, near the Museum of Anthropology at the University of
BC in Vancouver, there was no sign of the SEDGE WREN, but a late
YELLOW WARBLER was seen.


Sightings for Sunday, October 30

A male KING EIDER was found today just east of the Dundarave Pier at
the foot of 25th St in West Vancouver. The bird was in a large flock
of SURF SCOTERS.

The SEDGE WREN was reported early this morning just south of the
location it was seen yesterday behind the Museum of Anthropology.
In front of the Museum a WHITE-THROATED SPARROW was present and a
SHORT-EARED OWL flew high overhead. A late OSPREY was seen flying
over the intersection of Wesbrook Mall and Marine Drive.

The ROCK WREN continues on the Iona South Jetty in Richmond. A BROWN
PELICAN was also observed near the tip as well as a PARASITIC JAEGER.
5 SNOW BUNTINGS were also present here. On the outer pond were 32
RING-NECKED DUCKS.


If you have any questions about birds or birding in the Vancouver area,
please call Wayne at (604) 597-7201, Viveka at (604) 531-3401, or
Larry at (604) 465-1402. Thank you for calling the Vancouver Rare Bird
Alert, and good birding.

For further information about birds and birding in the Vancouver area,
check the Vancouver Natural History Society's website at
http://www.naturalhistory.bc.ca/VNHS/ .


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