Subject: [Tweeters] Vancouver, BC RBA for April 11, 2008
Date: Apr 12 10:27:39 2008
From: Wayne Weber - contopus at telus.net


This is Wayne Weber with Nature Vancouver's Rare Bird Alert for Friday,
April 11th, sponsored in part by Wild Birds Unlimited, with stores in Vancouver and North Vancouver. This message was updated at 10 AM on April 12th. The RBA telephone number is (604) 737-3074.

If you wish to leave a rare bird report, please press the star button
at the end of this message to go back to the menu, press ?2? for the
rare bird reporting line, and follow the instructions given there.


RARE BIRD ALERT for a RUFF on April 11th and a SLATY-BACKED GULL on
April 6th.


Sightings for Friday, April 11th

A male RUFF in partial breeding plumage was spotted in Boundary Bay
Regional Park, Delta, just east of the pumphouse near the east foot of
12th Avenue. Nearby was a MARBLED GODWIT.

Three MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS were still present at Deer Lake Park in Burnaby.


Sightings for Thursday, April 10th

An OSPREY and 10 BLACK TURNSTONES were seen just east of the marina
in Point Roberts, Washington.

About 2100 BRANT and 2 MARBLED GODWITS were seen from the Tsawwassen
ferry terminal in Delta.

At the Reifel Bird Sanctuary in Delta, one BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON
remained, and a female YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD was observed.


Sightings for Wednesday, April 9th

Six MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS and a male ANNA?S HUMMINGBIRD were seen
on the west side of Deer Lake Park in Burnaby.

A late AMERICAN TREE SPARROW was near the foot of 72nd Street in Delta,
and a late TRUMPETER SWAN was at the Reifel Bird Sanctuary.

At Deer Lake Park in Burnaby, an AMERICAN KESTREL and a COMMON
YELLOWTHROAT were noted.


Sightings for Tuesday, April 8th

At Iona Island in Richmond, a single male YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD,
a VIRGINIA RAIL, and 4 RING-NECKED DUCKS were all seen in the marsh outside
the sewage ponds. Also in the area were 8 CLIFF SWALLOWS, 2 BARN SWALLOWS,
and 2 YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS.


?
Sightings for Monday, April 7th

Five MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS (3 males and 2 females) were at the Maplewood
Conservation Area in North Vancouver.

In Delta, 2 WESTERN GULLS were along Highway 10 near 88th Street, and
one EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE was nearby at 4650 96th Street.

Also in Delta, a MARBLED GODWIT and a female YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD
were at the Reifel Bird Sanctuary.

A BAIRD?S SANDPIPER and a EURASIAN WIGEON were at the Iona Island
sewage ponds in Richmond.

At Porteau Cove Provincial Park, between Horseshoe Bay and Squamish on
Highway 99, were 5 BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS, 4 PIGEON GUILLEMOTS,
a RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER, 3 RED CROSSBILLS, and 6 YELLOW-
RUMPED WARBLERS.


Sightings for Sunday, April 6th

An adult SLATY-BACKED GULL, a late spring record, was seen with other
gulls in a field at 88th Street and Burns Dive (the frontage road north
of Highway 99).


Sightings for Saturday, April 5th

The first CASSIN?S VIREO of the spring was reported at Crescent Park
in Surrey. Also here were 6 RED CROSSBILLS and 2 RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRDS.

The HARRIS?S SPARROW, present since January, was still along 188th Street
in Surrey, just south of 8th Avenue. An AMERICAN KESTREL and 3 SAVANNAH
SPARROWS were nearby.

The BAIRD?S SANDPIPER was still in the sewage ponds at Iona Island in
Richmond, along with 10 WILSON?S SNIPE and 29 GREATER YELLOWLEGS.
Also in the area were an OSPREY, 8 YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS, a
YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD, 2 CLIFF SWALLOWS, a NORTHERN
ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW, and a late NORTHERN SHRIKE.

5 AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS and at least 10 newly-arrived SAVANNAH
SPARROWS were near the foot of 72nd Street on Boundary Bay in Delta.

A TOWNSEND?S SOLITAIRE and a TURKEY VULTURE were seen in North
Delta near 116th Street and 95th Avenue.

Two SURFBIRDS were seen with BLACK TURNSTONES at the Tsawwassen
ferry terminal in Delta.


Sightings for Friday, April 4th

A male YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD and 2 CLIFF SWALLOWS, both of
which were the first of the spring, were seen at Iona Island in Richmond.

An OSPREY at the Maplewood Conservation Area in North Vancouver
was the first of the year.


Sightings for Thursday, April 3rd

The NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD, present since January on the west side of
St. John?s College on the University of BC campus near Vancouver, was
seen again.

The immature NORTHERN GOSHAWK at Jericho Park in Vancouver, present
for weeks, was seen again. Also there were 6 RING-NECKED DUCKS and
4 YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS.

Two EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES were visiting a feeder at 4126 River Road
in Delta.

A BAIRD?S SANDPIPER, an extremely early arrival, was reported from the
Iona Island sewage ponds in Richmond.


Sightings for Wednesday, April 2nd

At Boundary Bay Regional Park in Delta, the drake EURASIAN
GREEN-WINGED TEAL was seen again.

Two SOOTY GROUSE were heard hooting at Cypress Provincial Park in West
Vancouver, and many RED CROSSBILLS were seen and heard.

Two BARRED OWLS were seen at close range near the pond in Crescent Park,
Surrey.

Along Quarry Road near Minnekhada Park in Coquitlam, at least 6 RED-BREASTED
SAPSUCKERS and 8 PURPLE FINCHES were seen and heard. Nearby,
along Coast Meridian Road in Port Coquitlam, 3 BAND-TAILED PIGEONS
were thought to be newly-arrived migrants.

A road-killed LONG-EARED OWL was found on Holly Park Lane in Surrey.


Sightings for Tuesday, April 1st

The TUFTED DUCK x SCAUP hybrid was still present at Lost Lagoon in
Vancouver?s Stanley Park.

A TOWNSEND?S SOLITAIRE was at the Van Dusen Botanical Garden in
Vancouver, and another at Trout Lake Park.

The wintering WILLET, a SNOW BUNTING, and 2 BLACK
OYSTERCATCHERS were seen on the Tsawwassen ferry jetty in Delta.

Six AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS and 3 SAVANNAH SPARROWS were
near the foot of 72nd Street in Delta.

At Campbell Valley Park in Langley, the first COMMON YELLOWTHROAT
of the spring was reported.

The HARRIS?S SPARROW and several SAVANNAH SPARROWS were along
188th Street in Surrey, just south of 8th Avenue.

The drake EURASIAN GREEN-WINGED TEAL was seen near the pumphouse
at Boundary Bay Regional Park in Delta.


Sightings for Monday, March 31st

A LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE was seen along the Vancouver Airport fence near
McDonald Road on Sea Island in Richmond, but has not been reported since.
Also on Sea Island was a SAVANNAH SPARROW. On nearby Iona Island,
A VIRGINIA RAIL was heard calling in the outer pond.

Two SANDHILL CRANES flew over the 6900 block of Bradner Road in Langley.
They are known to nest not far away at Derby Reach Regional Park.

Two EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES were seen near the pumphouse at
Boundary Bay Regional Park in Delta, and five more were on telephone
wires and trees at 4650 96th Street, just south of Highway 99.


Sightings for Sunday, March 30th

Two RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRDS and a TURKEY VULTURE were reported from
Nelson Canyon Park in West Vancouver.


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.



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