This is Wayne Weber with the Vancouver Natural History Society's Rare
Bird Alert for Monday, August 27th, sponsored in part by Wild Birds
Unlimited, with stores in Vancouver and North Vancouver. This update was recorded at 2 PM on August 28th. The RBA telephone number is
(604) 737-3074.


RARE BIRD ALERT for POMARINE JAEGER, BROWN PELICAN, TENNESSEE WARBLER, AMERICAN REDSTART, and EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE.


Sightings for Monday, August 27

The TENNESSEE WARBLER, perhaps the same one present since mid-July, was seen again near the west pond at the Maplewood Conservation Area in North Vancouver.

Four EASTERN KINGBIRDS, including an adult and 3 young fledglings, were seen at the Willband Ponds in Abbotsford.

A late LAZULI BUNTING and 5 EASTERN KINGBIRDS were at Colony Farm Park in Coquitlam.

At the Iona Island sewage ponds in Richmond were 10 RED-NECKED PHALAROPES, 6 BAIRD?S SANDPIPERS, 4 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS, and 2 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS.


Sightings for Sunday, August 26

A dark-phase POMARINE JAEGER was seen from the beach at Iona Island. Also here were 5 BANK SWALLOWS, 2 late N. ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWS, and a LONG-BILLED CURLEW. Along Ferguson Road on nearby Sea Island were 70 BLACK SWIFTS, an AMERICAN KESTREL, and another BANK SWALLOW.

At Blackie Spit in Surrey were another LONG-BILLED CURLEW and at least 2 COMMON TERNS.

Eight RED-NECKED PHALAROPES were at the Iona I. sewage ponds in Richmond.


Sightings for Saturday, August 25

A BROWN PELICAN was seen flying south past the tip of the Iona Island south jetty, and an out-of-season RED-THROATED LOON was also seen nearby.

At the Reifel Bird Sanctuary in Delta, an AMERICAN REDSTART was seen in a flock of 6 species of warblers.

A EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE was seen in the Beach Grove area of Delta between 4th and 6th Avenues. Nearby, 3 RED KNOTS and a juvenile AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER were seen near the foot of 96th Street on Boundary Bay.

At the Tsawwassen ferry terminal were 2 SURFBIRDS and 30 HARLEQUIN DUCKS.

The LONG-BILLED CURLEW and a MARBLED GODWIT were at Blackie Spit in Surrey.

At Lighthouse Marine Park in Point Roberts, Washington were 100 COMMON MURRES, 12 RHINOCEROS AUKLETS, a HEERMANN?S GULL, and 3 BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS.

At Colony Farm Park in Coquitlam were a SORA, 4 EASTERN KINGBIRDS, and at least 200 BAND-TAILED PIGEONS which were feeding on elderberries.


Sightings for Friday, August 24

An unseasonable GRAY-CROWNED ROSY-FINCH was reported from the summit of Mount Seymour in North Vancouver.

At Cecil Green Park near the University of BC, a female AMERICAN REDSTART and a bird believed to be a female ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK, both very rare locally, were seen. Also here were 4 RED CROSSBILLS and many migrants including 30 WESTERN TANAGERS, 20 YELLOW WARBLERS, and 10 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS.

At and near the foot of 96th Street on Boundary Bay in Delta were a BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER, 2 RED KNOTS, 2 STILT SANDPIPERS, a WILSON?S PHALAROPE, and a MARBLED GODWIT.

A RUDDY TURNSTONE was seen on the south side of the Tsawwassen ferry jetty in Delta.

At the Maplewood Conservation Area in North Vancouver were a BARRED OWL, a juvenile FRANKLIN?S GULL, and several RED CROSSBILLS.


Sightings for Thursday, August 23

A BROWN PELICAN was seen at the Tsawwassen ferry terminal in Delta, as were two WANDERING TATTLERS, 4 BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS, and 17 HARLEQUIN DUCKS.

A TENNESSEE WARBLER was found near the west pond at the Maplewood Conservation Area in North Vancouver.

The FRANKLIN?S GULL was seen again just east of the Sea-bus terminal in North Vancouver.


Sightings for Wednesday, August 22

In Delta, at and near the foot of 96th Street on Boundary Bay, were 2 RED KNOTS, a RED-NECKED PHALAROPE, a WILSON?S PHALAROPE, and 2 STILT SANDPIPERS, along with large numbers of other shorebirds, plus 2 YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS.

Several STILT SANDPIPERS and a PURPLE MARTIN were reported from Iona Island in Richmond.

A juvenile FRANKLIN?S GULL was reported on the North Vancouver waterfront just east of the Sea-bus terminal.

Noteworthy birds from the Reifel Bird Sanctuary included 9 STILT SANDPIPERS, a MARBLED GODWIT, 2 BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS, 2 GREEN HERONS, a WILSON?S PHALAROPE, and a EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE near the parking area.

Outside the Vancouver area, a FORSTER?S TERN was carefully studied at Alta Lake in Whistler.


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Sightings for Tuesday, August 21

At the Maplewood Conservation Area in North Vancouver were a TURKEY VULTURE, a CHIPPING SPARROW, and several BAIRD?S and SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS.

Two STILT SANDPIPERS were at the Beach Grove lagoon in Delta, at the east foot of 12th Avenue on Boundary Bay. Twelve BAIRD?S SANDPIPERS were reported from the foot of 96th Street.


Sightings for Monday, August 20

At and near the foot of 96th Street on Boundary Bay in Delta were a BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER, a PACIFIC GOLDEN-PLOVER, 2 RED KNOTS, 20 DUNLIN, and 40 BAIRD?S SANDPIPERS. At nearby 72nd Street, two RED-NECKED PHALAROPES were in the golf course pond.

Two STILT SANDPIPERS and 2 WILSON?S PHALAROPES were at the pond off Highway 17 just north of Deltaport Way, and a MARBLED GODWIT and 12 STILT SANDPIPERS were at the Reifel Bird Sanctuary in Delta. At the nearby Tsawwassen ferry terminal were 30 BLACK TURNSTONES and 5 BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS, with the usual WILLET near the base of the jetty.

At Iona Island were 2 PECTORAL, 16 BAIRD?S, 30 SEMIPALMATED, and 9 STILT SANDPIPERS in the sewage ponds, plus 2 WILSON?S PHALAROPES.

The long-staying LONG-BILLED CURLEW was still at Blackie Spit in Surrey.

At the Maplewood Conservation Area in North Vancouver were a juvenile FRANKLIN?S GULL and a RED-EYED VIREO.


Sightings for Sunday, August 19

A WANDERING TATTLER was seen on the Iona Island south jetty in Richmond, beyond the second shelter, and 4 STILT SANDPIPERS and 4 WILSON?S PHALAROPES were seen in the sewage ponds.


Sightings for Saturday, August 18

At Point Roberts, Washington, 100 RHINOCEROS AUKLETS, 150 COMMON MURRES, and 8 COMMON TERNS were seen at Lighthouse Marine Park.

Ten more COMMON TERNS were seen off the Iona Island south jetty. At the Iona sewage ponds were a SOLITARY SANDPIPER, 4 STILT SANDPIPERS, 6 BAIRD?S SANDPIPERS, and 40 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS.

At the Tsawwassen ferry terminal were 4 SURFBIRDS, 20 BLACK TURNSTONES, 20 BRANDT?S CORMORANTS, and 9 COMMON MURRES.

A PACIFIC GOLDEN-PLOVER, a juvenile RED KNOT, and a STILT SANDPIPER were at the foot of 96th Street in Delta.

Outside the Vancouver area, 2 YELLOW-BREASTED CHATS were reported about 7 km NW of Pemberton, well outside their known range in B.C.

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Sightings for Friday, August 17

A WESTERN KINGBIRD was seen along Ferguson Road on Sea Island, Richmond. At nearby Iona Island were 5 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, 40 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS, 7 WILSON?S PHALAROPES, and a BANK SWALLOW.

At the Reifel Bird Sanctuary were 14 STILT SANDPIPERS and a GREEN HERON.

The foot of 96th Street in Delta featured an adult PACIFIC GOLDEN-PLOVER, a juvenile RED KNOT, a STILT SANDPIPER, 7 BLACK TURNSTONES, 40 BAIRD?S SANDPIPERS, and 50 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS.


Sightings for Thursday, August 16

The PAINTED BUNTING at Johnson?s Landing was observed briefly at 8:45 AM, for the third day in a row. It has not been reported since.

Four EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES were seen again along 96th Street in Delta, about 200 metres south of Hornby Drive.

Outside the Vancouver area, an AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER, reportedly a first local record, was seen on the shore of Green Lake in Whistler.



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://naturevancouver.ca


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