Subject: [Tweeters] Vancouver, BC RBA for April 5, 2007
Date: Apr 6 17:02:42 2007
From: Wayne C. Weber - contopus at telus.net


This is Wayne Weber with the Vancouver Natural History Society's
Rare Bird Alert for Thursday, April 5th, sponsored in part by Wild
Birds Unlimited, with stores in Vancouver and North Vancouver.
This message was updated at 4 PM on April 6th. The RBA
telephone number is (604) 737-3074.


RARE BIRD ALERT for a SAGE THRASHER at the Maplewood
Conservation Area in North Vancouver. Also of note are a NORTHERN
WATERTHRUSH at the Reifel Bird Sanctuary and a TUFTED DUCK
at Iona Island.


Sightings for Thursday, April 5

A SAGE THRASHER was seen well in the morning in a brushy area
between the West Pond and the East Pond at the Maplewood
Conservation Area in North Vancouver. However, it could not be
relocated later in the day.

Also seen or heard at Maplewood were a SORA, a VIRGINIA RAIL, a flock
of 16 WILSON'S SNIPE, and on the pilings in Burrard Inlet, an OSPREY.

At the Reifel Bird Sanctuary in Delta, sightings included a NORTHERN
WATERTHRUSH, 2 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS, an AMERICAN
BITTERN, and 121 GREATER YELLOWLEGS.


Sightings for Wednesday, April 4

The first TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE of the spring was seen at the Maplewood
Conservation Area, as was a male EURASIAN GREEN-WINGED TEAL. Also
new for the year was a CINNAMON TEAL at Serpentine Fen Wildlife Area
in Surrey.

An OSPREY was seen at the White Rock pier in White Rock.

At the Reifel Bird Sanctuary, 2 MARBLED GODWITS were seen with
a flock of BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS.

At Point Roberts, Washington, birds seen included 11 WILSON'S
SNIPE, at least 30 SAVANNAH SPARROWS, 2 RHINOCEROS
AUKLETS, 120 COMMON MURRES, and 30 PACIFIC LOONS. The
waterbirds were all seen off Lighthouse Marine Park.


At Hi-Knoll Park, on Colebrook Road in Surrey near the Langley
boundary, the first ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER of the spring
was reported, as were 3 RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRDS and at least
20 PINE SISKINS, hopefully signalling an end to the near-absence
of Pine Siskins in the area.


Sightings for Tuesday April 3

A VIRGINIA RAIL and an OSPREY were seen at the Maplewood
Conservation Area in North Vancouver.

At Colony Farm Park, on the Port Coquitlam side, an AMERICAN BITTERN
was seen.


Sightings for Monday, April 2

A male MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD was seen on the Port Coquitlam side
of Colony Farm Regional Park.

Several RHINOCEROS AUKLETS and large numbers of other waterbirds
were seen off Lighthouse Marine Park at Point Roberts, WA.

The GYRFALCON was seen again along 112th Street, and later along
96th Street, north of Boundary Bay in Delta.


Sightings for Sunday, April 1

Raptors noted included 2 AMERICAN KESTRELS at Colony Farm Park in
Port Coquitlam, one AMERICAN KESTREL and a ROUGH-LEGGED
HAWK on Deltaport Way in Delta, and a TURKEY VULTURE near
Redwood Park in Surrey.

On Sea Island in Richmond, a WESTERN MEADOWLARK and a
NORTHERN SHRIKE were reported.

Outside the Vancouver area, 2 TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRES were noted
at the Squamish River estuary in Squamish.


Sightings for Saturday, March 31

At Iona Island in Richmond, 3 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE
were on the lawn near the sewage plant, and a PIGEON GUILLEMOT
and a drake TUFTED DUCK were seen off the South Jetty. A
MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD was seen on the airport fence on nearby
Sea Island, near the UPS building.

At Pitt Meadows, the first 2 OSPREYS of the year were seen at
Grant Narrows Regional Park.


Sightings for Friday, March 30

At Pitt Meadows, 2 SANDHILL CRANES were seen from the nature dyke,
and a COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, the first of the year, was singing. Nearby
along Rannie Road were 3 TURKEY VULTURES.

At Lighthouse Marine Park, Point Roberts WA, were 2 RHINOCEROS
AUKLETS, 4 MARBLED MURRELETS, and over 200 COMMON
MURRES.


Sightings for Thursday, March 29

At Colony Farm, 2 male MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS were present in the
northeast corner of the park on the Port Coquitlam side.

In Richmond, a SNOW BUNTING was seen at Garry Point in Steveston.


Sightings for Wednesday, March 28

At Colony Farm in Port Coquitlam, a probable SAY'S PHOEBE was
present, but was too distant for confirmation. Nearby, the wintering
TOWNSEND'S WARBLER was still present on Spuraway Avenue.

Along the Richmond dyke, just north of Blundell Road, an early
YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD was sighted.


Sightings for Tuesday, March 27

In Hawthorne Park, Surrey, at 104 Ave and 144 St, 7 RING-NECKED
DUCKS were seen.


Sightings for Monday, March 26th:

At Iona Island, the MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD was again seen just past the
restrooms. Nearby, 3 GREATER-WHITE FRONTED GEESE were
seen near the gate to the inner pond, and an AMERICAN KESTREL
was seen at the Coast Guard station on Sea Island.

At Lighthouse Marine Park in Point Roberts, a SURFBIRD was present with
BLACK TURNSTONES north of the boat launch.

Along Deltaport Way east of 41B St, a pair of AMERICAN KESTRELS were
present.



If you have any questions about birds or birding in the Vancouver area,
please call Peter at 604-736-0991, Wayne at 604-597-7201, 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, check the
Vancouver Natural History Society's website at http://naturevancouver.ca .


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