Tweeters,

The RUFF first seen on Friday, April 11 at Boundary Bay Regional Park in
Delta was still there today, April 13, and was seen by several birders.
To find this bird, park in the small parking area at the north end of the
park (east foot of 12th Avenue on Boundary Bay) and walk eastward to just
beyond the observation platform near the pumphouse. The bird has been
feeding with several GREATER YELLOWLEGS along the water's edge. Look for it
in the morning when the tide is high; tomorrow, the tide is low all
afternoon.

I managed to get a distant but recognizable photo of the Ruff with a Greater
Yellowlegs. To see the photo, check my "Flickr" page at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wcweber . The photo with the Ruff is the first
one in the upper left when you open the page; you can enlarge it by clicking
on it or starting the "view as slideshow" option.

Compared with the yellowlegs, the Ruff is about the same size, but with a
stockier build. The legs are a brighter orange-yellow compared to those of
the yellowlegs. The bill is much shorter, slightly downcurved, and a
yellowish color at the base can be seen. The bird is just starting to molt
into breeding plumage; a few blackish feathers can be seen on the breast and
sides. The Ruff also had some dishevelled feathers on the back which seemed
to stick up from the rest of the plumage, as can be seen on the photo.

Ruffs are a regular migrant through the Vancouver area, seen on average
about 2-3 times per year, but mostly in late summer and fall; they are very
rare in spring. This was the first I had ever seen here in spring.

Thanks to John Ireland and Tom Bearss, who first reported this bird, and
with luck, it may stay there a couple more days.

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