This is the Vancouver Natural History Society's Rare Bird Alert for
Saturday, December 31st, sponsored in part by Wild Birds Unlimited,
with stores in Vancouver and North Vancouver. This message was
updated at 9:30 pm on December 31st.


Sightings for Saturday, December 31st:

At Iona Island in Richmond, the ROCK WREN continues on the south
jetty just past the 2nd shelter on the north side.

In Langley, at 208th St and 102B Ave, 10 CACKLING GEESE were present.


Sightings for Friday, December 30th:

At the Iona south jetty, the ROCK WREN and a SNOWY OWL were seen
near the 2nd shelter. Nearby on Iona were 2 NORTHERN SHRIKES and 13
RING-NECKED DUCKS. A second SNOW OWL was present inside the
Vancouver Airport property on Sea Island.

Also in Richmond on the Lulu Island west dyke at the end of Francis
Road, a SNOWY OWL has been present for at least 2 days.


Sightings for Thursday, December 29th:

At the Iona Island south jetty in Richmond, the ROCK WREN was present
near the 2nd shelter.

In Delta, at the intersection of 112th St and Hornby Drive, an adult gray
phase GYRFALCON was present.

At Brunswick Point in Delta, 9 SNOWY OWLS and a NORTHERN
SHRIKE were sighted.

At Blackie Spit in Surrey, 3 MARBLED GODWITS were present.


Sightings for Wednesday, December 28th:

At the Iona south jetty, the ROCK WREN was present near the 2nd
shelter.


Sightings for Tuesday, December 27th:

The Ladner Christmas Bird Count tallied 139 species, with the
following highlights:

At the Reifel Bird Sanctuary in Delta were a YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD,
2 SWAMP SPARROWS, 6 SANDHILL CRANES, 4 BLACK-CROWNED
NIGHT-HERONS, and 3 AMERICAN BITTERNS. Nearby, 6 MUTE SWANS
were seen near the Westham Island Bridge.

At Brunswick Point and vicinity, 7 SNOWY OWLS, 2 AMERICAN TREE
SPARROWS, and 3 AMERICAN BITTERNS were seen.

On the Boundary Bay shoreline in Delta, eastward from the foot of
72nd Street, 17 SNOWY OWLS were counted.

At the Tsawwassen jetty in Delta, 4 BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS, the
WILLET, and 2 SNOW BUNTINGS were present.

At Lily Point in Pt. Roberts, a drake REDHEAD was present.


No reports for Sunday, December 25th and Monday, December 26th.


Sightings for Saturday, December 24th:


At the Tsawwassen jetty, 6 SNOW BUNTINGS were 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
www.naturalhistory.bc.ca/VNHS/


This message was recorded and transcribed by Kevin Louth, and forwarded by
Wayne Weber

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