This is Wayne Weber with Nature Vancouver's Rare Bird Alert for April 17,
2009, sponsored in part by Wild Birds Unlimited, with stores in Vancouver
and North Vancouver. 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.


Sightings for Friday, April 17th

Notable birds at the Maplewood Conservation Area in North Vancouver included
40 VARIED THRUSHES, a HERMIT THRUSH, and a TURKEY VULTURE.

At Burnaby Mountain Park in Burnaby, a HERMIT THRUSH, a RED-BREASTED
SAPSUCKER, and 15 RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS were seen.


Sightings for Thursday, April 16th

An OSPREY at Trout Lake in Vancouver was somewhat unusual.


Sightings for Wednesday, April 15th

A SORA, the first of the spring, was on the Port Coquitlam side of Colony
Farm Regional Park. Also there were 6 MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS, 2 TURKEY VULTURES,
and an AMERICAN KESTREL.

At Iona Island, a CLIFF SWALLOW and a NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW were
seen with other swallows.

An AMERICAN BITTERN was at the Reifel Bird Sanctuary in Delta.


Sightings for Tuesday, April 14th

Twelve MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS and a CINNAMON TEAL were at Colony Farm Park in
Port Coquitlam.

A HERMIT THRUSH, 2 BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS, and a EURASIAN GREEN-WINGED TEAL
were at the Maplewood Conservation Area in North Vancouver.

The 3 MARBLED GODWITS were still at Boundary Bay Regional Park in Delta.

A TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE and a BARRED OWL were at Queen Elizabeth Park in
Vancouver.


Sightings for Monday, April 13th

In the Pitt Meadows area, birds of note included 3 OSPREYS at Pitt Lake, a
flock of 60 AMERICAN PIPITS on Connecting Road near Sharpe Road, 9 TURKEY
VULTURES circling over Dewdney Trunk Road near Neaves Road, a TOWNSEND'S
SOLITAIRE on the Swan-e-set Golf Course, and an AMERICAN KESTREL and a late
NORTHERN SHRIKE along Rannie Road.

A drake CINNAMON TEAL was along River Road near Fort Langley.

At Iona Island in Richmond, the YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD, an OSPREY, and 20
WILSON'S SNIPE were still present, and 200 GREATER YELLOWLEGS were seen
along the North Arm of the Fraser River. A late ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK and an
AMERICAN KESTREL were on nearby Sea Island.

The 3 MARBLED GODWITS were still at Boundary Bay Regional Park, along with a
VIRGINIA RAIL.

Ten RHINOCEROS AUKLETS were at Lighthouse Marine Park on Point Roberts, WA,
and an AMERICAN KESTREL was near the Point Roberts marina.

At Maplewood in North Vancouver, an AMERICAN PIPIT, 2 VIRGINIA RAILS, and 2
CALIFORNIA GULLS were noted. At Spanish Banks East in Vancouver,
6 BONAPARTE'S GULLS, the first of the spring, and an immature GLAUCOUS GULL
were reported.

At Queen Elizabeth Park in Vancouver were the first HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER of
the spring, a TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE, and a small fallout of warblers
including 7 ORANGE-CROWNED and 7 YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS.


Sightings for Sunday, April 12th

A single SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER and 100 WESTERN SANDPIPERS on the north
shore of Boundary Bay in Delta were the first of the spring, as was a LESSER
YELLOWLEGS near the foot of 88th Street. Nearby at Boundary Bay Regional
Park,
3 MARBLED GODWITS and a pair of CINNAMON TEAL were noteworthy. Along 68th
Street in Delta, south of River Road, a flock of late-departing swans
included
25 TRUMPETER SWANS, 25 TUNDRA SWANS, and a MUTE SWAN.


Sightings for Saturday, April 11th

Three MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS were seen at the playing fields at the west end of
Burnaby Lake in Burnaby.

The first YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD of the spring was a male in the marsh next
to the outer pond at Iona Island, Richmond.


Sightings for Friday, April 10th

A NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW near 208th Street and 102B Avenue was the
first report for the spring, and a HERMIT THRUSH nearby was also of note.

The first CLIFF SWALLOW of the spring was reported from Iona Island in
Richmond.
Also here were 2 CINNAMON TEAL, a pair of OSPREYS, at least 20 BARN
SWALLOWS, 20 WILSON'S SNIPES, and 18 GREATER YELLOWLEGS. A late TRUMPETER
SWAN was seen across the river on the Musqueam flats.

At Colony Farm Park in Port Coquitlam, a count of 18 MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS was
the highest ever reported on one day in the Vancouver area. Also here were a
TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE, 2 SANDHILL CRANES, and several AMERICAN PIPITS.

At Boundary Bay Regional Park in Delta were 2 MARBLED GODWITS, a NORTHERN
ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW, and a reported first-winter GLAUCOUS GULL. Nearby, 5
CEDAR WAXWINGS were seen along 3rd Avenue in Tsawwassen.


Sightings for Thursday, April 9th

An AMERICAN PIPIT and a HERMIT THRUSH at the Maplewood Conservation Area in
North Vancouver were both first records for the spring, and a ROUGH-LEGGED
HAWK was unusual for that locality.

An AMERICAN BITTERN, 7 RING-NECKED PHEASANTS, and many COMMON YELLOWTHROATS
were at Colony Farm Regional Park.


Sightings for Wednesday, April 8th

Two BLUE-WINGED TEAL were unusually early spring arrivals on the Port
Coquitlam side of Colony Farm Park. Also there were 10 MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS,
several LINCOLN'S SPARROWS, and many COMMON YELLOWTHROATS.

A migrant TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE was at Maplewood in North Vancouver.

A MARBLED GODWIT appeared at the Beach Grove lagoon in Delta.


Sightings for Tuesday, April 7th

Three COMMON YELLOWTHROATS at Colony Farm Regional Park in Port Coquitlam
were the first of the spring. Also here were a TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE and 5
MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS.

Another TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE was on the University of BC campus.

At the Maplewood Conservation Area in North Vancouver were an OSPREY, an
ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, the first LINCOLN'S SPARROW of the migration, a
HERRING GULL, and a VIRGINIA RAIL.

On the west dyke of Lulu Island in Richmond, between Terra Nova and
Steveston, were an ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER and 4 AMERICAN BITTERNS, one of
which was seen hunting and catching garter snakes.


Sightings for Monday, April 6th

A CINNAMON TEAL, the first of the year, and a WESTERN MEADOWLARK
were both seen at Boundary Bay Regional Park, Delta.

An ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER was reported from Colony Farm Park.

An OSPREY and several RING-NECKED DUCKS were seen at Hawthorne Park,
near the intersection of 104th Avenue and 144th Street in Surrey.

The TOWNSEND'S WARBLER which wintered on Spuraway Avenue in
Coquitlam was seen again, perhaps for the last time this spring.


Sightings for Sunday, April 5th

The second-winter GLAUCOUS GULL was seen again at Boundary Bay
Regional Park, and 2000 BRANT were north of the Tsawwassen ferry jetty,
both in Delta.


Sightings for Saturday, April 4th

The HARRIS'S SPARROW at Crescent Beach and a SURFBIRD at the Tsawwassen
Ferry terminal were seen again.

On the Port Coquitlam side of Colony Farm Regional Park, 6 MOUNTAIN
BLUEBIRDS,
a LAPLAND LONGSPUR, a SAVANNAH SPARROW, and 2 AMERICAN BITTERNS were seen.

The immature NORTHERN GOSHAWK which wintered at Jericho Park in
Vancouver was last reported on this date.


Sightings for Friday, April 3rd

In Crescent Beach, the HARRIS'S SPARROW was still present near the
intersection of
Dunsmuir and Gilley, at the edge of Blackie Spit Park.

An EARED GREBE was seen off the White Rock pier at White Rock.

Two SURFBIRDS were observed at the Tsawwassen ferry terminal in Delta.

At Boundary Bay Regional Park in Delta, a male MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD, a second-
winter GLAUCOUS GULL, and 2 SHORT-EARED OWLS were noted. Eight more
SHORT-EARED OWLS were hunting around the foot of 72nd Street in Delta.

A GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE and 8 late swans, 6 TRUMPETER SWANS and 2
TUNDRA SWANS, were seen near 104th Avenue and Hornby Drive in Delta.

Four out-of-season CEDAR WAXWINGS were near the University of BC library.

In North Vancouver, 3 SOOTY GROUSE were heard hooting at the switchback just
below
the ski area in Mount Seymour Provincial Park.


Sightings for Thursday, April 2nd

Seven MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS and an AMERICAN BITTERN were seen at Colony Farm
Regional Park in Port Coquitlam.

Two SANDHILL CRANES were seen in North Langley near the intersection
of 208th Street and 102B Avenue.



A brief account of 31 of the best birding locations in the
Vancouver area can be found on the Nature Vancouver website at
http://www.naturevancouver.ca/Birding_Birding_Sites



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