This is Wayne Weber with the Vancouver Natural History Society's
Rare Bird Alert for Tuesday, September 13, sponsored in part by the Wild
Birds Unlimited stores in Vancouver and North Vancouver.
The RBA phone number is (604) 737-3074.


Sightings for Tuesday, September 13, 2005

At Cecil Green Park, near the University of BC campus, a WHITE-THROATED
SPARROW, the first of the fall, and a RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER were
seen among many other birds.


Sightings for Monday, September 12, 2005

A SHARP-TAILED SANDPIPER, the first of the fall, was seen along the shore
of Boundary Bay near the foot of 104th Street in Delta, Also here were a
RUDDY TURNSTONE, 2 MARBLED GODWITS, an early DUNLIN, 2 AMERICAN
GOLDEN-PLOVERS, and at least 1000 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS.

Elsewhere in Delta, 2 AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVERS were seen near the
base of the Roberts Bank jetty, and a juvenile PACIFIC GOLDEN-PLOVER
was along 41B Street south of Deltaport Way but north of the Tsawwassen
Indian Reserve.

At the turf farm on 72nd Street in Delta, south of Highway 10, were at
least 200 AMERICAN PIPITS, a HORNED LARK, and 50 PECTORAL
SANDPIPERS.

On the Boundary Bay shoreline between 72nd and 80th were 9 AMERICAN
GOLDEN-PLOVERS and one PACIFIC GOLDEN-PLOVER and one RED KNOT.
Another 100 PIPITS were in the 2800 block of 57B Avenue west of Ladner.

On Burns Drive west of the Vancouver Landfill in Delta were 9 SANDHILL
CRANES.


Sightings for Sunday, September 11, 2005

At the turf farm on the west side of 72nd Street in Delta, 2 BUFF-BREASTED
SANDPIPERS were reported by several observers. At the foot of 104th Street
were 2 AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVERS and one RED KNOT. On the
Tsawwassen ferry jetty were 3 HORNED LARKS and one RUDDY TURNSTONE.

At Iona Island in Richmond, a PARASITIC JAEGER and 30 COMMON TERNS
were seen off the south jetty, and 4 LAPLAND LONGSPURS were on the jetty.

At the Squamish River estuary in Squamish, interesting birds noted on the
September count were 2 LEWIS'S WOODPECKERS, a TURKEY VULTURE,
a GREEN HERON, 4 HORNED LARKS, and a LAPLAND LONGSPUR.


Sightings for Saturday, September 10, 2005

A BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER was seen on the Boundary Bay shoreline
in Delta both east and west of 104th Street at different times. Also near
the foot of 104th were 150 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, 5 RED KNOTS,
and 2 PACIFIC GOLDEN-PLOVERS. A SOLITARY SANDPIPER was
near the mansion west of the foot of 96th Street.

On the Iona west jetty were 2 HORNED LARKS and 3 LAPLAND
LONGSPURS.

At Blackie Spit in Surrey were a MARBLED GODWIT and about 2000
BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS.

Off Lily Point on Point Roberts, Washington, were at least 600 COMMON
MURRES, 50 RED-NECKED PHALAROPES, and 9 COMMON TERNS.
Along Benson Road west of Tyee Drive on Point Roberts were a CHIPPING
SPARROW, 2 LINCOLN'S SPARROWS, and a PURPLE MARTIN flying
overhead.

At the Tsawwassen ferry jetty in Delta were 2 RUDDY TURNSTONES and
3 BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS.


Sightings for Friday, September 9, 2005

At the Reifel Bird Sanctuary in Delta, a BOHEMIAN WAXWING, almost
unheard of In September, was seen with 10 CEDAR WAXWINGS near
the NE corner of the inner field. Also seen at Reifel were an AMERICAN
BITTERN, 3 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE, 3 BLACK-CROWNED
NIGHT-HERONS, 2 RED-NECKED PHALAROPES, and a STILT
SANDPIPER.

At Cecil Green Park near the University of BC, a TENNESSEE WARBLER
was seen.

At the turf farm on 72nd Street in Delta, north of the OWL facilities, a
BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER was seen again.

A LAPLAND LONGSPUR and 20 VAUX'S SWIFTS were reported near
the foot of 104th Street in Delta.

At Iona Island in Richmond, 2 LAPLAND LONGSPURS were seen on
the South jetty, and a WHIMBREL near the end of the jetty. A HUTTON'S
VIREO was seen along Shannon Road on northwestern Sea Island.

A NASHVILLE WARBLER was seen at the Maplewood Conservation
Area in North Vancouver.


Sightings for Thursday, September 8

A boat trip around the Grebe Islets and Bird Islets in Howe Sound,
near West Vancouver's Lighthouse Park, produced 14 BLACK
OYSTERCATCHERS, 10 BLACK TURNSTONES, and 125 SURFBIRDS.

At Point Roberts in Washington, 6 VAUX'S SWIFTS and 2 HUTTON'S
VIREOS were noted at Lily Point, and 2 COMMON TERNS were seen
offshore from there.


Sightings for Wednesday, September 7

A BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER was seen with 6 KILLDEER at the
turf farm on 72nd Street in Delta, opposite the pulloff north of the OWL
raptor rehab facility. On the Tsawwassen Ferry jetty in Delta were 2
BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS and 30 BLACK TURNSTONES.

Two LAPLAND LONGSPURS were on the Iona I. South jetty.


Sightings for Tuesday, September 6

An extremely early ROCK SANDPIPER was seen on the Tsawwassen
ferry jetty among 125 BLACK TURNSTONES. Elsewhere on the jetty were
4 BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS.

At Iona Island in Richmond, 30 AMERICAN PIPITS were seen in the
sewage ponds, and a LAPLAND LONGSPUR was on the south jetty.
The CLAY-COLOURED SPARROW was still present at the sewage
ponds, along the south side of the southeast pond.

At White Rock, the two WILLETS, first reported on August 28, were still
present on the beach near the White Rock pier.



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 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