This is Wayne Weber with the Vancouver Natural History Society's Rare
Bird Alert for Wednesday, December 12th, sponsored in part by Wild Birds
Unlimited, with stores in Vancouver and North Vancouver. This message
was updated at 1 PM on December 13th. The RBA telephone number is
(604) 737-3074.


RARE BIRD ALERT (out of town) for an ARCTIC LOON which has been
photographed and seen regularly from December 9 through 12 at Brownsmead,
just east of Astoria, OR. For updates, check the transcripts of the OBOL
e-mail group at http://www.birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/OBOL.html .


Local RARE BIRD ALERT for a possible BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS
onshore at Boundary Bay Regional Park in Delta.


No sightings reported for Wednesday, December 12th


Sightings for Tuesday, December 11th

A bird believed to be a BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS, which was very sick
or injured and was being harassed by an eagle, was seen onshore at
Boundary Bay Regional Park in Delta.

A NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL, which caught and killed a HOUSE FINCH,
was seen in the village of Lions Bay.

A NORTHERN SHRIKE seen and photographed near Prospect Point in
Vancouver's Stanley Park was at an unusual locality.


Sightings for Monday, December 10th

The PRAIRIE FALCON was seen again near the foot of 72nd Street in Delta.
This bird has a leg band, and may or may not be an escape from captivity.

Six AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS were still present along the Boundary Bay
dyke not far east of the foot of 72nd, and 2 SAVANNAH SPARROWS were seen
west of 72nd.

Six EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES were at the usual location along Highway
10 in Delta between 96th and 104th Streets.

A large flock of 36 WESTERN MEADOWLARKS was seen on 27A Avenue in
Delta, east of 41B Street, and 5 more were along 34th Street north of 33A
Avenue.

A flock of 60 apparent CACKLING GEESE was present at the Beach Grove
Lagoon in Delta.


Sightings for Sunday, December 9th

The PRAIRIE FALCON was reported again along the Boundary Bay dyke
in Delta.


Sightings for Saturday, December 8th

The PRAIRIE FALCON was seen again at various location from 96th Street west
to 72nd Street, north of Boundary Bay in Delta.

Five SHORT-EARED OWLS, 4 LINCOLN'S SPARROWS, and 3 SAVANNAH
SPARROWS were reported along the Boundary Bay dyke between 64th and
72nd Streets.

A very late PECTORAL SANDPIPER was seen along 36th Avenue near 72nd Street
In Delta

Five BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS were at the Reifel Bird Sanctuary in Delta.

Twelve MARBLED MURRELETS were seen at Lighthouse Marine Park in Point
Roberts, Washington.

The WILLET was seen at the base of the Tsawwassen ferry jetty in Delta, and
11 ANCIENT
MURRELETS were seen from the ferry just off the terminal.


Sightings for Friday, December 7th

Six AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS were seen along the Boundary Bay dyke just
east of the foot of 72nd Street in Delta. Four PEREGRINE FALCONS were
also seen along the Boundary Bay dyke.

A HARRIS'S HAWK reported from the Iona Island sewage ponds in
Richmond was Later found to be a bird being flown by a falconer.


Sightings for Thursday, December 6th

The TOWNSEND'S WARBLER which spent two consecutive winters in the
vicinity of 3051 Spuraway in Coquitlam has reappeared at that address.


Sightings for Wednesday, December 5th

A gadfly petrel which has been tentatively identified as a COOK'S PETREL
was found alive near Lillooet in the B.C. interior, but has subsequently
died. If the identification is correct, this would be a first record
for B.C. and for Canada.

The PRAIRIE FALCON was seen again at the foot of 72nd Street in Delta,
and 3 AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS were seen along the Boundary Bay dyke
just to the east.

A large flock of 70 LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS were feeding in a farm field
at the foot of No. 3 Road on Lulu I., Richmond, near the dog park.


Sightings for Tuesday, December 4th

3 EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES were seen at the usual spot, along the
Ladner Trunk Road (Highway 10) in Delta, between 96th Street and
104th Street.

The PRAIRIE FALCON was seen again and photographed at the foot of 96th
Street in Delta.


There were no sightings reported for Monday, December 3rd


Sightings for Sunday, December 2nd

Three AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS were seen on the south side of Deer Lake
Park in Burnaby, near Oakland Avenue.


Sightings for Saturday, December 1st

The wintering WILLET was seen again near the base of the Tsawwassen ferry
jetty in Delta, on the south side.


Sightings for Friday, November 30th

In North Vancouver, 3 WESTERN MEADOWLARKS and an out-of-place SNOW GOOSE
Were seen at Harbourside Park

A large flock of 265 TRUMPETER SWANS were feeding in a field next to 104th
Street in Delta, just south of Highway 10 and close to Highway 99,
Where they have been for some time.


Sightings for Thursday, November 29th

A PRAIRIE FALCON was seen and photographed at the foot of 72nd Street in
Delta.


Sightings for Wednesday, November 28th

A PALM WARBLER was observed just east of the United Parcel Service building
on Ferguson Road on Sea Island, Richmond.


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 website at http://naturevancouver.ca



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