Subject: [Tweeters] Vancouver, BC RBA for January 2, 2008
Date: Jan 3 15:18:37 2008
From: Wayne Weber - contopus at telus.net


This is Wayne Weber with the Vancouver Natural History Society's Rare
Bird Alert for Wednesday, January 2nd, sponsored in part by Wild Birds
Unlimited, with stores in Vancouver and North Vancouver. The RBA
telephone number is (604) 737-3074.

If you have a report, please leave your name, telephone number, date, and
location of your sighting at the end of this recording, including numbers of
birds seen wherever possible. To skip the recording and leave your message,
press the pound sign on your phone and begin speaking after the tone.


RARE BIRD ALERT (out of town) for an ARCTIC LOON which has been
photographed and seen regularly from December 9 through January 2 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

Another out-of-town ARCTIC LOON was reported on December 26 from
Quadra Island, BC, but apparently has not been seen since.

Out of town RARE BIRD ALERT for a BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER
seen on December 22 to 30 at Nanoose Bay on Vancouver Island.
For updates, phone the Nanaimo RBA at (250) 390-3029 .


Sightings for Wednesday, January 2nd

At Canoe Pass (a channel of the Fraser River), near the Westham Island
bridge in Delta, a CLARK'S GREBE and a drake CINNAMON TEAL were
reported.

Fifteen BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS were still at the Reifel Bird Sanctuary
in Delta.

The HARRIS'S SPARROW was still present along 188th Street S of
8th Avenue in Surrey.


Sightings for Tuesday, January 1st, 2008

The PRAIRIE FALCON was seen again near the foot of 72nd Street in Delta.
Nearby, along the Boundary Bay dyke between 72nd and 64th, were an
ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, a LINCOLN'S SPARROW, and a
SAVANNAH SPARROW. At a pumpkin field along 72nd Street were 33
AMERICAN PIPITS and an AMERICAN TREE SPARROW. Near the foot
of 88th Street was an immature GLAUCOUS GULL and an adult WESTERN
GULL.

Also in Delta, the WILLET and 4 BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS were seen
together at the base of the Tsawwassen ferry jetty. Two EURASIAN
COLLARED-DOVES were seen at the usual spot along Highway 10 in
Delta west of 104th Street.

In Pitt Meadows, an immature GOLDEN EAGLE was seen along Thompson
Road east of Neaves Road, and an AMERICAN KESTREL was nearby.

In Abbotsford, a male TOWNSEND'S WARBLER was seen in the 2000
block of Winfield Drive.


Sightings for Monday, December 31st

The HARRIS'S SPARROW along 188th Street in Surrey, about 150 metres
south of 8th Avenue, was seen again.

A female YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD was seen at the Reifel Bird Sanctuary,
at a feeder near the gift shop.


Sightings for Sunday, December 30th

A HARRIS'S SPARROW was seen along 188th Street in Surrey, about
100 metres south of 8th Avenue.

At the Reifel Bird Sanctuary in Delta, a "HARLAN'S" RED-TAILED HAWK,
6 BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS, 5 SANDHILL CRANES, 2
GREAT HORNED OWLS, and 12 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS were
seen.

In Surrey, a drake REDHEAD was seen with CANVASBACKS at Surrey
Lake Park on 152nd Street, and 7 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE
were seen near the intersection of 160th Street and 48th Avenue.

Two RUSTY BLACKBIRDS were seen in a large blackbird flock along
Bell Road in the Matsqui Prairie area of Abbotsford.

In Port Moody, an AMERICAN DIPPER was seen along Noon Creek.


Sightings for Saturday, December 29th

A third-winter SLATY-BACKED GULL was seen along 68th Street in
Delta, not far south of River Road. Near Boundary Bay in Delta,
a GYRFALCON was seen along 112th Street south of Highway 99, and 7
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE were seen with TRUMPETER SWANS
near John Oliver Park, north of Highway 99 and east of 112th.

Birds reported from the Reifel Bird Sanctuary included 5 BLACK-CROWNED
NIGHT-HERONS along Fuller Slough, 5 SANDHILL CRANES, 20
BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS and 20 CEDAR WAXWINGS.

Four BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS and 2 SNOW BUNTINGS were
seen along the Tsawwassen ferry jetty in Delta, 3 SURFBIRDS were at
the ferry terminal, and the WILLET was at the base of the jetty.

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

Mud Bay Road (40th Avenue) in Surrey, west of Highway 99, produced
an immature GYRFALCON, 5 SAVANNAH SPARROWS, and 20
CACKLING GEESE.


Sightings for Friday, December 28

At least 20 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS were seen feeding on crabapples at the
Reifel Bird Sanctuary in Delta.


No sightings reported for December 27th


Sightings for Wednesday, December 26th

A GYRFALCON was seen and photographed along 40th Avenue (Mud Bay
Road) in Surrey, west of Highway 99.

Outside the Vancouver area, an ARCTIC LOON was reported from Quadra Island.


No sightings reported for Monday, December 24th or 25th


Sightings for Sunday, December 23rd

The BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER was seen again in Nanoose Bay.

The Ladner Christmas Bird Count, held under somewhat rainy and windy
conditions, tallied at least 138 bird species. Highlights included:

A SLATY-BACKED GULL and 2 GLAUCOUS GULLS at the Burns Bog landfill.
(Please note that the landfill is not normally open to birders, but rare
gulls
can sometimes be seen among gull flocks in nearby fields.)

Two EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES along Highway 10 between 96th and
104th Streets in Delta.

Nine MUTE SWANS, mostly along Canoe Pass near the Westham Island
bridge.

A LONG-EARED OWL, 2 NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWLS, 5 SANDHILL CRANES,
and 21 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS at the Reifel Bird Sanctuary.

Three HUTTON'S VIREOS and a RHINOCEROS AUKLET at Point Roberts,
Washington.

Eight BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS and 2 SNOW BUNTINGS on the Tsawwassen
ferry jetty, and the wintering WILLET at the base of the jetty.


Sightings for Saturday, December 22nd

A BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER was seen coming to a feeder in the 2400
block of Cross Road, near the library in Nanoose Bay, between Nanaimo and
Parksville on Vancouver Island.


Sightings for Friday, December 21st

The NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD was seen again in the quadrangle at St.
John's College at the University of BC in Vancouver, and also across
the road on the W side of NW Marine Drive.

In North Vancouver, a BLACK OYSTERCATCHER and a LINCOLN'S SPARROW
were seen at the Maplewood Conservation Area in North Vancouver.

Seven AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS were seen along the Boundary Bay dyke
just east of 72nd Street in Delta, plus one more in a pumpkin field along
72nd Street.

A GLAUCOUS GULL was reported from the Boundary Bay dyke between 80th
and 88th Streets in Delta.


Sightings for Thursday, December 20th

A COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, very rare in winter, was seen in the enclosed
area at the Reifel Bird Sanctuary, Delta.

The AMERICAN TREE SPARROW was seen again with juncos at the
Maplewood Conservation Area.

An EARED GREBE was seen from the White Rock pier in White Rock,
a regular spot for this species.

Birds seen along 40th Avenue in Surrey, west of Highway 99 toward Mud Bay,
included a GYRFALCON, 21 CACKLING GEESE, 4 AMERICAN PIPITS, 3
CEDAR WAXWINGS, 15 SAVANNAH SPARROWS, and 20 BROWN-HEADED
COWBIRDS.


Sightings for Wednesday, December 19th

An AMERICAN TREE SPARROW was seen in North Vancouver along the
path just past the entrance to the Maplewood Conservation Area.


Sightings for Tuesday, December 18th

The NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD was seen again at St. John's College at
the University of BC in Vancouver.


Sightings for Monday, December 17th

A NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD was found at St. John's College near the
intersection of University Boulevard and Lower Mall Road on the University
of BC
campus in Vancouver.

Birds seen at the Reifel Bird Sanctuary in Delta include 9 COMMON REDPOLLS,
10 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS, 15 CEDAR WAXWINGS, a VIRGINIA RAIL, 2
GREAT HORNED OWLS, and a NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL.

At Blackie Spit in Surrey, 6 MARBLED GODWITS and a LONG-BILLED CURLEW
were seen. Nearby at Elgin Heritage Park were 50 LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS.

The leg-banded PRAIRIE FALCON, which may or may not be an escaped bird,
was seen again near the foot of 88th Street on Boundary Bay in Delta.
Nearby,
east of the foot of 72nd Street along the dyke were up to 9 AMERICAN TREE
SPARROWS, 2 WESTERN MEADOWLARKS, and a SHORT-EARED OWL.


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