This is Wayne Weber with the Vancouver Natural History Society's
Rare Bird Alert for Saturday, June 3, 2006, sponsored in part by
the Wild Birds Unlimited stores in Vancouver and North Vancouver.
This update was recorded at 9 AM on June 4. The RBA phone number
is 604-737-3074.


RARE BIRD ALERT for an out-of-town LARK BUNTING at Miracle
Beach and also for an out-of-town DICKCISSEL and BALTIMORE
ORIOLE at Jordan River. Both these locations are on Vancouver Island.
For further details, check the Victoria RBA at (250) 592-3381.


Sightings for Saturday, June 3

A COMMON NIGHTHAWK was reported from the Lower
Lonsdale area of North Vancouver.

Two EASTERN KINGBIRDS were seen in the 900 block of
Ioco Road in Port Moody, an unusual location for this species.

At Pitt Lake, two EASTERN KINGBIRDS and a late NASHVILLE
WARBLER were seen along the Grant Narrows nature dyke, and
two GRAY CATBIRDS and another EASTERN KINGBIRD were
seen along Rannie Road in the Pitt Wildlife Area.

Eight PURPLE MARTINS were present at the nest boxes on the
east side of Blackie Spit in Surrey.

At Colony Farm Park in Coquitlam were 2 male and one female
LAZULI BUNTING.


Sightings for Friday, June 2

Out of town, a male LARK BUNTING was reported to be visiting
feeders on Seaview Drive at Miracle Beach, north of Courtenay
on Vancouver Island.

A BROWN PELICAN, possibly the same bird seen a few days earlier
at Sandheads, was seen just off the marina at Point Roberts, Washington.

A NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD was seen at Blackie Spit Park in
Surrey, but could not be found there the next day.

The first COMMON NIGHTHAWK of the year was reported near
the Peace Arch Hospital in South Surrey.

At Iona Island Regional Park in Richmond were 30 CASPIAN TERNS
and 10 BONAPARTE'S GULLS between the north and south jetties.


Sightings for Thursday, June 1

At Ferguson Point in Vancouver's Stanley Park were a late WHIMBREL,
5 BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS, and 2 COMMON TERNS.


No sightings reported for Wednesday, May 31


Sightings for Tuesday, May 30

Out of town, a DICKCISSEL and a BALTIMORE ORIOLE were
both reported from Jordan River on Vancouver Island. No update
has since been received on either of these birds.

Two GREEN HERONS were present at the pond in Ambleside Park,
West Vancouver, where they have nested in previous years.

At Pitt Meadows, a RED-EYED VIREO, 3 BULLOCK'S ORIOLES,
an EASTERN KINGBIRD, a TURKEY VULTURE, and a
MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLER were seen along the Grant
Narrows nature dyke. Elsewhere in the Pitt Meadows area
were 3 different GRAY CATBIRDS.

In Vancouver's Stanley Park, 2 BARRED OWLS were seen.

In Colony Farm Regional Park, on the Port Coquitlam side accessed
from Shaughnessy Ave. were an EASTERN KINGBIRD and an
AMERICAN BITTERN.

Two late SANDERLINGS were seen at Boundary Bay Regional
Park in Delta.


Sightings for Monday, May 29

At Colony Farm Regional Park, 7 male LAZULI BUNTINGS were
reported on the west, or Coquitlam side of the park.

In Vancouver, a singing CHIPPING SPARROW was reported
near the intersection of 16th Avenue and Camosun Street.


Sightings for Sunday, May 28

Near the Sandheads light at the mouth of the Fraser River, an
immature BROWN PELICAN was seen perched on the rocks.

In the Pitt Meadows area, 2 SANDHILL CRANES were seen near the
Swan-e-set Golf Course on Rannie Road, and 2 EASTERN KINGBIRDS
near the bend on Rannie Road. At Grant Narrows, the first GRAY
CATBIRD of the year was noted. Also at Grant Narrows were many
other birds including 5 MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLERS, a late
GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW, 2 BULLOCK'S ORIOLES, a
RED-EYED VIREO, and 2 BLACK SWIFTS.

At Colony Farm Regional Parks, birds seen included 2 LAZULI
BUNTINGS, 3 VAUX'S SWIFTS, and 5 RED-EYED VIREOS.

At Jericho Park in Vancouver was a PECTORAL SANDPIPER
on the east pond and a late RED-THROATED LOON and
7 CASPIAN TERNS offshore.

At Point Roberts, Washington was a singing LAZULI BUNTING,
apparently the first ever recorded there, across the road from the
entrance to Lighthouse Marine Park. Also at Point Roberts were
at least 4 singing HUTTON'S VIREOS and a few late migrants
including 5 PACIFIC LOONS and 8 BRANT.


Sightings for Saturday, May 27

At about 10 AM, an OVENBIRD was heard singing but not seen
in Pacific Spirit Park, Vancouver. The bird was along the Salish
Trail, about halfway between Marine Drive and Chancellor
Boulevard, near the top of the hill coming up from Marine
Drive.

At Colony Farm Regional Park, a VNHS field trip produced
many interesting birds including a WESTERN KINGBIRD and
3 LAZULI BUNTINGS on the Coquitlam side, and a GREEN
HERON, a VIRGINIA RAIL, a SORA, a MOURNING DOVE,
2 BLACK SWIFTS and 30 VAUX'S SWIFTS, most of
which were on the Port Coquitlam side.

Vancouver's Queen Elizabeth Park had an ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD
and many migrants including an OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER,
2 WESTERN WOOD-PEWEES, a WILLOW FLYCATCHER, and
lots of warblers.

A late BLACK SCOTER was seen off the Tsawwassen jetty in
Delta, and a BLACK SWIFT near the Roberts Bank jetty.

Two PARASITIC JAEGERS were off Jericho Park in Vancouver.

Along the Boundary Bay dyke in Delta near the foot of 96th Street
were 3 WESTERN KINGBIRDS and numerous late migrant
shorebirds, including 125 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS,
10 SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS, and 8 SEMIPALMATED
PLOVERS.


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/