This is Wayne Weber with Nature Vancouver's Rare Bird Alert for Monday,
October 19th, 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 for a WESTERN SCRUB-JAY, probably present since last May, on
the Lougheed Highway in Maple Ridge; a BLACK PHOEBE at Terra Nova Park in
Richmond from September 7 to at least October 17; an EMPEROR GOOSE found in
Richmond on October 19; a MCCOWN'S LONGSPUR in Stanley Park, Vancouver from
October 10 to 14; and a LARK BUNTING on the University of BC campus on
October 11 and 12.


Sightings for Monday, October 19th

An immature EMPEROR GOOSE was seen and photographed in late afternoon with a
flock of SNOW GEESE along the Richmond west dyke at the west foot of
Westminster Highway.

The AMERICAN AVOCET was seen again at the Serpentine River mouth in Surrey,
as were 2 NORTHERN SHRIKES. This area can best be seen from the north end of
the BNSF railway trestle near Mud Bay Park, but be careful as the railway
line is, strictly speaking, a no trespassing area.

Six SNOW BUNTINGS were seen on the Iona Island south jetty in Richmond.

Ten EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES were seen at the foot of 88th Street in Delta.


Sightings for Sunday, October 18th

An AMERICAN AVOCET was seen at the mouth of the Serpentine River in Surrey,
near Mud Bay Park, where this species has wintered previously.

Four SNOW BUNTINGS and a LAPLAND LONGSPUR were seen along the Iona Island
south jetty in Richmond.

An adult NORTHERN GOSHAWK and at least 10 SOOTY GROUSE were seen by a birder
hiking around the summit of Mount Seymour in North Vancouver.

Birds seen along the north side of Boundary Bay in Delta included an
AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER and a SNOW BUNTING near the foot of 96th Street, and
4 NORTHERN SHRIKES, 2 of which were at the foot of 72nd Street.

Two EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES were reported from the intersection of APA Road
and South Beach Road at Point Roberts, WA, the first report for that area.


Sightings for Saturday, October 17th

The BLACK PHOEBE was seen again near the abandoned house at 2500 River Road
in Richmond, in Terra Nova Park. Three VIRGINIA RAILS and a SHORT-EARED OWL
were seen nearby along the Richmond west dyke.

The long-staying WESTERN SCRUB-JAY was still being seen regularly in Maple
Ridge.


Sightings for Friday, October 16th

A flock of 52 SURFBIRDS was seen, along with 2 BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS and 3
BLACK TURNSTONES, on the Grebe Islets, near Lighthouse Park in West
Vancouver.

Another BLUE JAY was reported from the vicinity of 34th Avenue and Camosun
Street in Vancouver.


No sightings reported for Thursday, October 15th


Sightings for Wednesday, October 14

The MCCOWN'S LONGSPUR in Stanley Park was last reported on this date.


Sightings for Tuesday, October 13th

The MCCOWN'S LONGSPUR was present again for most of the day along the
Stanley Park seawall on the north side of Coal Harbour in Vancouver.

Three AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVERS were reported along the Nicomekl River near
Elgin Heritage Park in Surrey.

A flock of 25 GRAY-CROWNED ROSY FINCHES was seen on a hiking trail near
Coliseum Mountain in North Vancouver.


Sightings for Monday, October 12th

The MCCOWN'S LONGSPUR was again present all day in Vancouver's Stanley Park.

The LARK BUNTING near the University of BC Museum of Anthropology was seen
briefly by 3 observers in the morning, but could not be found after about
8:30 AM.

A BLUE JAY was seen with 3 STELLER'S JAYS in the 1200 block of Duchess
Avenue, West Vancouver, near Ambleside Park.


Sightings for Sunday, October 11th

The MCCOWN'S LONGSPUR was present all day on the Stanley Park seawall in
Vancouver and was seen and photographed by many.

A LARK BUNTING, extremely rare in BC, was found and photographed near the
University of BC Anthropology Museum in Vancouver.

A SHARP-TAILED SANDPIPER was seen with Pectoral Sandpipers at the Reifel
Bird Sanctuary in Delta.

Four late BAIRD'S SANDPIPERS were seen along the Roberts Bank coal port
Jetty in Delta, and 12 late BARN SWALLOWS were seen over fields nearby.


Sightings for Saturday, October 10th

A MCCOWN'S LONGSPUR was found along the Stanley Park seawall just east of
the Vancouver Yacht Club on this date. This is the first Vancouver record
and only about the 4th for B.C.

The WESTERN SCRUB-JAY was seen and photographed again in the 21900 block of
the Lougheed Highway in Maple Ridge.

Three SNOW BUNTINGS, the first of the fall, were seen on the Iona Island
south jetty in Richmond, and another was seen on the Tsawwassen ferry jetty
in Delta.

Along the Boundary Bay dyke between 96th and 104th Streets in Delta, a
SHARP-TAILED SANDPIPER, a MARBLED GODWIT, 3 AMERICAN GOLDEN- PLOVERS, a late
SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, and 7 SNOW BUNTINGS were seen.

A BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON was seen at the usual location beside Fuller
Slough at the Reifel Bird Sanctuary in Delta.


Sightings for Friday, October 9th

A NORTHERN SHRIKE, the first of the fall, was reported from Colony Farm
Regional Park in Port Coquitlam.

An AMERICAN TREE SPARROW was seen again at the Dunsmuir Gardens in Surrey,
along with 2 WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS, 15 LINCOLN'S SPARROWS, and 3 ANNA'S
HUMMINGBIRDS.

A SHARP-TAILED SANDPIPER was seen along the Boundary Bay dyke in Delta at
two different spots between 96th and 104th Streets. Also here were 5
AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVERS.


Sightings for Thursday, October 8th

Two AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS, the first of the fall, were seen along the
entrance road to the Dunsmuir Community Gardens at Blackie Spit in Surrey.

A YELLOW-SHAFTED form of the NORTHERN FLICKER was seen near 2000 Brigantine
Drive in Coquitlam.


Sightings for Wednesday, October 7th

The BLACK PHOEBE at Terra Nova Park in Richmond was seen again near the
abandoned house at 2500 River Road, and between there and the parking area
at the west end of River Road. It was very active and moving around a lot,
but should be findable by birders willing to spend a bit of time to track it
down.

Seven BARN SWALLOWS and a SWAINSON'S THRUSH, both quite late, were seen near
128th Street and 92nd Avenue in Surrey.

A BLACK OYSTERCATCHER and a BRANDT'S CORMORANT were seen at the end of the
Iona Island south jetty in Richmond.


Sightings for Tuesday, October 6th

Birds seen along the Boundary Bay dyke between 88th and 104th Streets in
Delta included a MARBLED GODWIT, 2 AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVERS, and a RED KNOT
with about 800 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS. Also here were a late BANK SWALLOW and
12 BARN SWALLOWS.

Seven MARBLED GODWITS and a LONG-BILLED CURLEW were seen again at Blackie
Spit in Surrey.

A bird thought at first to be a MURPHY'S PETREL, but later determined to be
a SOLANDER'S PETREL, a first for B.C., was seen and well photographed on a
pelagic birding trip off Tofino on Vancouver Island.


Sightings for Monday, October 5th

A flock of 30 CLARK'S NUTCRACKERS was reported flying over the ski area at
Grouse Mountain in North Vancouver, then heading toward Mount Seymour.
This is the first report of this species in several years in the Vancouver
area. A late OSPREY was also seen over Grouse Mountain.

In Vancouver's Stanley Park, a white-striped WHITE-THROATED SPARROW
was seen near Lost Lagoon.

In Pitt Meadows, 15 HORNED LARKS were seen along Thompson Road.


Sightings for Sunday, October 4th

The BLACK PHOEBE in Terra Nova Park, Richmond, was seen again, but this time
it
was seen mainly around a house at 2380 Westminster Highway and the nearby
community gardens.


Sightings for Saturday, October 3rd

A WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL was present with about 10 RED CROSSBILLS
near the parking area at the Mount Seymour ski area in North Vancouver.

Blackie Spit in Surrey produced a LONG-BILLED CURLEW, 7 MARBLED GODWITS,
3 RED KNOTS, and a PACIFIC GOLDEN-PLOVER.


Sightings for Friday, October 2nd

A CLARK'S GREBE was seen just off Blackie Spit in Surrey.

The WESTERN SCRUB-JAY was seen again in the 21900 block of the Lougheed
Highway in Maple Ridge.

Eleven late CASPIAN TERNS were at Brunswick Point, near the west end of
River Road in Delta. Also here were 12 WESTERN MEADOWLARKS and 3
SANDHILL CRANES.

Twelve GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE were at Serpentine Fen on the
King George Highway in Surrey.


Sightings for Thursday, October 1st

The wintering LONG-BILLED CURLEW and 8 MARBLED GODWITS were at
Blackie Spit in Surrey.


Sightings for Wednesday, September 30th

Ten BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS and a HEERMANN'S GULL were near the
Tsawwassen ferry jetty in Delta, and two HORNED LARKS and a LONG-BILLED
CURLEW were at Blackie Spit in Surrey.

On Vancouver Island, a PRAIRIE WARBLER was reported for the third day in a
row in Tofino. This is only the third well-documented record for B.C.


Sightings for Tuesday, September 29th

Twenty LAPLAND LONGSPURS and a HORNED LARK were on the Iona Island south
jetty in Richmond, and 6 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE were seen from
Ferguson Road on Sea Island, Richmond.

A MARBLED GODWIT, a LONG-BILLED CURLEW, and 3 late CASPIAN TERNS were at
Blackie Spit in Surrey.




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