This is Wayne Weber with the Vancouver Natural History Society's Rare
Bird Alert for Monday, July 16th, sponsored in part by Wild Birds
Unlimited, with stores in Vancouver and North Vancouver. This update was
recorded at 11:00 AM on July 17th. The RBA telephone number is (604)
737-3074.


RARE BIRD ALERT for a LESSER SAND-PLOVER, a TENNESSEE WARBLER, and an INDIGO
BUNTING. The ALDER FLYCATCHER was last reported on July 9, but may still be
present.


Sightings for Monday, July 16th

The adult LESSER SAND-PLOVER (formerly called MONGOLIAN PLOVER) was present
from at least 7:00 to 9:30 AM on the Boundary Bay tideflats near the foot of
104th Street in Delta. This bird has now been seen for 5 days in a row, but
for the last four, has been seen only at the morning high tide and not at
the evening high tide. It appears to be either a female, or a male in
somewhat faded breeding plumage, but still has a bright cinnamon band across
the breast.


Sightings for Sunday, July 15th

The LESSER SAND-PLOVER was seen again with other shorebirds near the foot
of 104th Street in Delta from about 7:00 to 8:00 AM.

Other shorebirds of interest included a MARBLED GODWIT and a WILSON'S
PHALAROPE at the Reifel Bird Sanctuary in Delta; a LONG-BILLED CURLEW and 4
WHIMBREL at Blackie Spit in Surrey; 3 BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS along the
Tsawwassen ferry terminal in Delta; and 2 DUNLIN and about 15 SEMIPALMATED
SANDPIPERS near the foot of 104th Street in Delta.

At Maplewood Conservation Area in North Vancouver, the TENNESSEE WARBLER
was present all morning and was singing tirelessly. A MERLIN was also seen
here, and was mobbed by PURPLE MARTINS.

At Colony Farm Regional Park in Coquitlam, the male INDIGO BUNTING was still
singing in the area along the Mundy Creek trail where it has been for more
than 2 weeks.

A POMARINE JAEGER was reported from the ferry just off the Tsawwassen ferry
terminal.

At Lighthouse Marine Park in Point Roberts, WA, an adult HEERMANN'S GULL, 12
RHINOCEROS AUKLETS, and 20 HARLEQUIN DUCKS were seen.

At Cypress Provincial Park in West Vancouver, a RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, rare
in summer, was singing along the Yew Lake trail. Also present were more
usual birds such as RED CROSSBILLS, RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKERS, and at least 3
hooting SOOTY GROUSE.

A COMMON NIGHTHAWK was reported from Como Lake in Coquitlam.


Sightings for Saturday, July 14th

The adult LESSER SAND-PLOVER was seen for the third successive day near the
foot of 104th Street, on the north side of Boundary Bay in Delta, from about
6:45 to 8:30 AM.

The TENNESSEE WARBLER was present again at the Maplewood Conservation
Area in North Vancouver, north of the two ponds, and was singing almost
non-stop. A TURKEY VULTURE was also seen in the area.

The INDIGO BUNTING was again seen at Colony Farm Park in Coquitlam, as were
4 LAZULI BUNTINGS and 6 EASTERN KINGBIRDS.


Sightings for Friday, July 13th

The LESSER SAND-PLOVER was seen again between about 6:45 and 7:30 AM on the
Boundary Bay shoreline between 104th and 112th Streets in Delta, and photos
were obtained. The bird could not be found in the area during the evening
high tide.

At the Maplewood Conservation Area in North Vancouver, a TENNESSEE WARBLER,
which was singing constantly, was found along the road north of the ponds on
the west side of the sanctuary.


Sightings for Thursday, July 12th

An adult LESSER SAND-PLOVER-- either a female or a male in faded breeding
plumage-- was seen at about 4:15 PM on the shoreline of Boundary Bay,
between the foot of 104th and 112th Streets, but closer to 112th. The bird
was seen very briefly in a large flock of shorebirds consisting mainly of
WESTERN and LEAST SANDPIPERS, but also including SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS,
BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS, and other species.

At Lighthouse Marine Park in Point Roberts, Washington, at least 60
RHINOCEROS AUKLETS were feeding with gulls on small fish just off the tip of
the point.

Eight COMMON TERNS were seen on a sandbar off Boundary Bay Regional Park, on
the west side of Boundary Bay in Delta, and two WHIMBREL were seen near the
Tsawwassen ferry terminal, also in Delta.


No sightings reported for July 10th or 11th


Sightings for Monday, July 9th

At Colony Farm Regional Park in Coquitlam, the territorial male INDIGO
BUNTING was still present and singing frequently. To find this bird, turn
off Highway 7 (the Lougheed Highway) in Coquitlam) onto Colony Farm Road,
and park in the small parking lot on your left just past the railroad
crossing. The bunting was about 200 metres along the trail (Mundy Creek
Trail) which leads NE from this parking area.

In Surrey, the singing ALDER FLYCATCHER found on June 28 was still present
at Surrey Lake Park on the east side of 152nd Street. From the parking area,
walk east over a bridge and along the north side of the lake to the third
bench, past the end of the lake, which overlooks a cattail marsh. The
flycatcher was singing from a group of willows and alders in the middle of
the marsh.

The LONG-BILLED CURLEW was seen again at Blackie Spit in Surrey.

A PEREGRINE FALCON, rare in summer, was seen at Pacific and Jervis in the
West End district of Vancouver.


Sightings for Sunday, July 8th

At Blackie Spit in Surrey, shorebirds reported included a LONG-BILLED
CURLEW, 9 WHIMBREL, and 3 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS.


Sightings for Saturday, July 7th

A RUFF was seen with a MARBLED GODWIT in the West Field at the Reifel Bird
Sanctuary in
Delta, but has not been reported since.

At Grouse Mountain in North Vancouver, reached by the SkyRide, at least 30
BAND-TAILED PIGEONS were seen, as well as a good variety of warblers and
other breeding songbirds.


Sightings for Friday, July 6th

At Christie Islet in Howe Sound, north of Horseshoe Bay, birds seen included
a HARLEQUIN DUCK, 2 MARBLED MURRELETS, 4 BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS, a CASPIAN
TERN, and 100 SURF SCOTERS, as well as nesting GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS,
PELAGIC CORMORANTS, and PIGEON GUILLEMOTS.


Sightings for Thursday, July 5th

An out-of-season SNOW GOOSE was seen at the lagoon on the north side of the
Tsawwassen ferry jetty in Delta.


Sightings for Wednesday, July 4th

At the Tsawwassen ferry terminal in Delta, birds seen included a MARBLED
GODWIT, a female BLACK SCOTER, 2 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS, 16 SURF SCOTERS, and
11 HARLEQUIN DUCKS.


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