This is Wayne Weber with the Vancouver Natural History Society's
Rare Bird Alert for Friday, May 19, 2006, sponsored in part by
the Wild Birds Unlimited stores in Vancouver and North Vancouver.
The RBA phone number is 604-737-3074.


Sightings for Friday, May 19

An ARCTIC TERN was reported along the Iona Island south jetty in
Richmond, as was an out-of-season adult WESTERN GULL.
Five PURPLE MARTINS were also seen near the nest boxes
along the North Arm of the Fraser River on Iona I.

Breeding of SANDHILL CRANES on Lulu Island in Richmond was confirmed
when a young bird was seen with a pair of adults near the 14th hole on the
Country Meadows Golf Course on No. 6 Road.


Sightings for Thursday, May 18

A BLUE GROUSE at the Maplewood Conservation Area in North Vancouver
was at an unusual locality.

At Blackie Spit in Surrey, noteworthy sightings included 5 CEDAR
WAXWINGS, the first reported this spring, plus a BULLOCK'S ORIOLE,
a WHIMBREL, and 10 PURPLE MARTINS.


Sightings for Wednesday, May 17

A MOURNING DOVE at the Maplewood Conservation Area was noteworthy.
Also seen there were several migrants including a SWAINSON'S THRUSH, a
BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK, and 2 WARBLING VIREOS.

An AMERICAN BITTERN was seen on Sea Island in Richmond. At nearby
Iona Island were several BLUE-WINGED and CINNAMON TEAL in the
sewage ponds, and YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS in the north
outer pond.


Sightings for Tuesday, May 16

The first LAZULI BUNTINGS of the year were a male at Burnaby Mountain
Park in Burnaby, and a pair on the Coquitlam side of Colony Farm
Regional Park.

A WESTERN KINGBIRD at the downhill ski area in Cypress Provincial
Park, West Vancouver, was both rare and at a surprising location.

A GREEN HERON was photographed at Jericho Park in Vancouver.

A BULLOCK'S ORIOLE was seen on 208th Street in Langley.

Seven TURKEY VULTURES were seen in the Eagleridge area of
West Vancouver.

Five BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS along the Roberts Bank Jetty in Delta,
plus 3 more along the Tsawwassen ferry jetty, were a high number.


Sightings for Monday, May 15

At Lighthouse Marine Park in Point Roberts, Washington were at least 300
PACIFIC LOONS, 2 RHINOCEROS AUKLETS, 3 COMMON MURRES,
and several SANDERLINGS.

At the Beach Grove Lagoon at the east foot of 12th Avenue in Delta were
2 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS and 2 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS.
49 BALD EAGLES seen in the same area was a high count for mid-May.

A WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE was at Derby Reach Park in Langley.


Sightings for Sunday, May 14

At Cypress Provincial Park in West Vancouver, birds seen included a
TURKEY VULTURE, 10 TOWNSEND'S WARBLERS, 3 MACGILLIVRAY'S
WARBLERS, an OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER, and 5 BAND-TAILED
PIGEONS.

At the Reifel Bird Sanctuary in Delta, 2 BULLOCK'S ORIOLES, 2
BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAKS, and 2 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED
GEESE were seen. In the wooded area north of the Boundary Bay
Airport, also in Delta, an ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD and 2 SWAINSON'S
THRUSHES were reported.

A single PECTORAL SANDPIPER was noted at the Iona I. sewage ponds
in Richmond. Also at Iona were a WESTERN KINGBIRD near the park
washrooms, and a PURPLE MARTIN at the nestboxes on the North
Arm of the Fraser River.

Two OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHERS and a HERMIT THRUSH were at
Vancouver's Queen Elizabeth Park.

Outside the Vancouver checklist area, the monthly bird count at the
Squamish Estuary in Squamish produced 77 species, including a
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, 2 BLUE-WINGED TEAL,
3 TURKEY VULTURES, a YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD,
and a CHIPPING SPARROW.


Sightings for Saturday, May 13

At Minnekhada Regional Park in Coquitlam, birds noted included 9
RING-NECKED DUCKS, a SANDHILL CRANE, 2 RED-BREASTED
SAPSUCKERS, 12 BAND-TAILED PIGEONS, a RED-BREASTED
NUTHATCH, several SWAINSON'S THRUSHES, and 6 BLACK-HEADED
GROSBEAKS.

At Campbell Valley Park in Langley, a HUTTON'S VIREO, a CASSIN'S
VIREO, and many warblers were reported.

Birds seen at Queen Elizabeth Park in Vancouver included a NASHVILLE
WARBLER, an ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD, a HUTTON'S VIREO, 50
WILSON'S WARBLERS, 4 TOWNSEND'S WARBLERS, 8 ORANGE-
CROWNED WARBLERS, and 5 WARBLING VIREOS.

A CHIPPING SPARROW was seen at Maplewood Conservation Area in
North Vancouver.

Forty WHIMBREL were seen at Blackie Spit in Surrey.

At the Reifel Bird Sanctuary in Delta, an AMERICAN BITTERN and 300
SNOW GEESE were still present.


Sightings for Friday, May 12

At Blackie Spit in Surrey, there were 3 RED KNOTS, 6 WHIMBRELS,
6 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, and 15 SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS.

Near the foot of 104th Street in Delta on Boundary Bay were 45 GREATER
WHITE-FRONTED GEESE and an immature BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-
HERON in the ditch.

Six TURKEY VULTURES were seen in Langley near the intersection of
40th Avenue and 228th Street.

An OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER was singing at Sunnyside Woods in Surrey.



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/