This is Wayne Weber with Nature Vancouver's Rare Bird Alert for April 28,
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.


RARE BIRD ALERT: On April 27, a bird answering the description of a
ZONE-TAILED
HAWK was seen in the Port Kells area of Surrey (96th Avenue near 188th
Street). If
this bird is a Zone-tailed, it is likely an escapee, but further reports
would be
appreciated if the bird can be found again.


Sightings for Tuesday, April 28th

Two GRAY-CROWNED ROSY FINCHES on the Cypress Bowl road in West Vancouver,
near the turnoff to the cross-country ski area, were a late sighting of a
locally-rare species.

Campbell Valley Park in Langley produced 2 TURKEY VULTURES, 2 HAMMOND'S
FLYCATCHERS, 6 PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHERS, 6 BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLERS,
2 EVENING GROSBEAKS, and many migrant warblers and RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS.

Two TURKEY VULTURES were seen in the Walnut Grove area of Langley.

Two more TURKEY VULTURES and 2 CINNAMON TEAL were seen at the Maplewood
Conservation Area in North Vancouver.


Sightings for Monday, April 27th

A bird which answered the description of an immature ZONE-TAILED HAWK
(a species never recorded in B.C.) was seen in flight near 96th Avenue and
188th Street in Surrey. However, if the identification is correct, the bird
is
most likely to be an escapee from captivity.

At Colony Farm Regional Park in Port Coquitlam, the EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE
was seen again, as were 2 VAUX'S SWIFTS and 2 AMERICAN KESTRELS.

Two more EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES were reported from the Musqueam Golf
Course in Vancouver, another new locality for this species.

A WESTERN MEADOWLARK at Hastings Park, Vancouver was at an odd locality.

A TURKEY VULTURE and a HERMIT THRUSH were at the Tall Timbers Golf
Course in Langley.


Sightings for Sunday, April 26th

A CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD, a rare spring migrant, was seen briefly at a
feeder in the 2100 block of Bowser in North Vancouver.

At Colony Farm Regional Park, a EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE was apparently a
first for the park, and a SORA, an AMERICAN BITTERN, and 2 late
TRUMPETER SWANS were also noted.

A SNOW GOOSE at Lost Lagoon in Stanley Park, Vancouver, was late and
out of place.

At Deer Lake in Burnaby, a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was quite late, and a CASSIN'S
VIREO, 2 HERMIT THRUSHES, and 2 each of TOWNSEND'S and BLACK-THROATED
GRAY WARBLERS were also of interest.


Sightings for Saturday, April 25th

Birds of note at Campbell Valley Regional Park in Langley included 6 HERMIT
THRUSHES, 4 BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLERS, and 2 EVENING GROSBEAKS.

A BAIRD'S SANDPIPER, the first of the spring, was seen on the south side of
the
Roberts Bank Jetty in Delta along with the previously-noted SEMIPALMATED
PLOVERS.

At Point Roberts, WA, birds of interest included 20 BONAPARTE'S GULLS, 9
BLACK
OYSTERCATCHERS, 18 PACIFIC LOONS, 200 BLACK TURNSTONES, and a CHIPPING
SPARROW.


Sightings for Friday, April 24th

Two CALIFORNIA QUAIL, apparently released by someone, were seen in Burnaby
Mountain Park, Burnaby, near the restaurant. Also here was a SHORT-EARED
OWL.

At the Maplewood Conservation Area in North Vancouver, a SAY'S PHOEBE,
a TURKEY VULTURE, and a HERMIT THRUSH were noted.

At Colony Farm Park, a late NORTHERN SHRIKE, two MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS,
and two HERMIT THRUSHES were observed.

A flock of 200 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE with 2000 late SNOW GEESE
at Brunswick Point in Delta was a large number.

Just outside the Vancouver area, a CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD present for 4 days,
from April 21 to 24, at Whonock was a regional rarity.


Sightings for Thursday, April 23rd

At Burnaby Mountain Park in Burnaby, a male WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL and a
female
SOOTY GROUSE were unusual; a CASSIN'S VIREO was the first of the spring; and
150 RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRDS was a very high number.

At Point Roberts, Washington, 2 RHINOCEROS AUKLETS and 6 BLACK
OYSTERCATCHERS
were noteworthy. Not far away at the base of the Roberts Bank coal port
jetty
in Delta were the first RED KNOT of the spring, 10 CASPIAN TERNS, and 50
SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS. 32 WHITE-FRONTED GEESE were seen landing on Westham
Island in Delta near Canoe Pass, but flew off later.


Sightings for Wednesday, April 22nd

An early WESTERN TANAGER, the first of the spring, was at Queen Elizabeth
Park in
Vancouver, and 22 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE flew over the park.

Two CHIPPING SPARROWS and a HERMIT THRUSH were seen among other
migrants at Maplewood in North Vancouver.

A TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE was seen in Fort Langley, and another one in the
4600 block of Bellevue in Vancouver.


Sightings for Tuesday, April 21st

A LONG-BILLED CURLEW was seen along Highway 17 in Delta south of Highway 99,
and a WHIMBREL, the first of the spring, was at a pond near 60th Avenue and
64th Street in Delta.

A pair of CINNAMON TEAL were noted on the ponds at Trinity Western
University
in Langley.

Five CASPIAN TERNS, the first of the spring, were in Semiahmoo Bay off
Blaine, WA,
and another was seen in Boundary Bay.


Sightings for Monday, April 20th

A RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER, the first of the spring for this rare migrant, was on
Cambridge Avenue near Renfrew Street in Vancouver.

Two BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLERS, the first of the year, were at Burnaby
Mountain Park, as were a TURKEY VULTURE, a TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE, and a
HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER. Three more BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLERS,
another TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE, another HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER, and a
HERMIT THRUSH were at Maplewood in North Vancouver.

In Queen Elizabeth Park, Vancouver were a CHIPPING SPARROW, 2 LINCOLN'S
SPARROWS, a BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER, and several HAMMOND'S
FLYCATCHERS.

At Colony Farm Regional Park were an out-of-place YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD,
4 lingering MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS, an AMERICAN BITTERN, and a TOWNSEND'S
SOLITAIRE.

Two TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRES were at Cecil Green Park at the University of BC,
and
a CINNAMON TEAL and 8 LESSER YELLOWLEGS were on the beach near Point Grey.


Sightings for Sunday, April 19th

At Boundary Bay in Delta, near the foot of 96th Street, the first
SEMIPALMATED
PLOVER of the spring was seen. Also here were 2 MARBLED GODWITS and a SHORT-
BILLED DOWITCHER, among thousands of DUNLIN and BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS.
Nearby, near 68th Street and 60th Avenue, 2 LEAST SANDPIPERS, the first of
the spring, and a LESSER YELLOWLEGS were with 10 GREATER YELLOWLEGS.

At Burnaby Mountain Park in Burnaby were 2 TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRES and 9
TOWNSEND'S WARBLERS. Another TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE was in the 2100
block of Bowser in North Vancouver, and a third on Francis Place in Port
Coquitlam.


Sightings for Saturday, April 18th

Three MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS and a TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE were seen at or
near the banding station on the Port Coquitlam side of Colony Farm Regional
Park.


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.



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