This is Wayne Weber with Nature Vancouver's Rare Bird Alert for Thursday,
April 29th, 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 ROSS'S GOOSE with SNOW GEESE in the Brunswick Point
and Westham Island area of Delta on April 28 and 29; a CLAY-COLOURED SPARROW
at the banding station on the Port Coquitlam side of Colony Farm Regional
Park on April 27 and 28; and a WESTERN SCRUB-JAY in and near the 21900 block
of the Lougheed Highway in Maple Ridge, which has been present for at least
9 months.



Sightings for Thursday, April 29th

The ROSS'S GOOSE was seen again with about 350 SNOW GEESE. It landed in a
field on Westham Island, and then took off toward the Reifel Bird Sanctuary.

A MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLER at the Maplewood Conservation Area in North
Vancouver was only the second report of the year.

A WARBLING VIREO, a CASSIN'S VIREO, and a HUTTON'S VIREO were all reported
from Burnaby Mountain Park in Burnaby.

An AMERICAN KESTREL was seen in Langley near 232nd Street at 64th Avenue.


Sightings for Wednesday, April 28th

A ROSS'S GOOSE, casual in the Vancouver area, was seen well with SNOW GEESE
in fields near Brunswick Point in Delta, south of Westham Island.

The CLAY-COLOURED SPARROW was seen again at the banding station at Colony
Farm, Port Coquitlam.

Two WESTERN TANAGERS, the first of the year and earlier than usual, were
reported: one at Joe Brown Park in Surrey, and another in the Walnut Grove
area of Langley.

A SANDHILL CRANE landed at the Iona Island sewage ponds in Richmond, and 4
CINNAMON TEAL were also there.

Two SPOTTED SANDPIPERS, the first of the year other than the wintering bird
at Maplewood, appeared at Brunswick Point in Delta. A late EURASIAN WIGEON
and 6 CASPIAN TERNS were also there.

Fifty BRANDT'S CORMORANTS and a COMMON MURRE were seen from a boat at the
Sand Heads light off the mouth of the Fraser River.


Sightings for Tuesday, April 27th

A CLAY-COLOURED SPARROW, a casual migrant, was found at the banding station
in Colony Farm Park, Port Coquitlam.

A NASHVILLE WARBLER, a rare migrant and the first of the year, was near the
duck pond in Crescent Park, Surrey.

A EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE was at Cecil Green Park on the UBC campus in
Vancouver.

Thirteen GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE were seen along Canoe Pass next to
Westham Island in Delta.

A LONG-BILLED CURLEW was seen on the flats at the Maplewood Conservation
Area in North Vancouver.

A MARBLED GODWIT flew into the Beach Grove Lagoon in Delta, at the east foot
of 12th Avenue.

An AMERICAN BITTERN and 2 BLUE-WINGED TEAL were seen again at the Reifel
Bird Sanctuary in Delta.


Sightings for Monday, April 26th

A WHITE-THROATED SPARROW was seen at Iona Island, Richmond.

Two BLUE-WINGED TEAL, 2 CINNAMON TEAL, and an AMERICAN BITTERN were reported
from the Reifel Bird Sanctuary in Delta, and a EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE from
the Ladner area nearby.

At Point Roberts, WA, noteworthy birds were a CHIPPING SPARROW, a TOWNSEND'S
SOLITAIRE, 6 RHINOCEROS AUKLETS at Lighthouse Marine Park, and a EURASIAN
COLLARED-DOVE, only the second record from that locality.

Five BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS and a CASSIN'S VIREO were at the Maplewood
Conservation Area in North Vancouver.

1200 BLACK BRANT and 6 BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS were at and near the Tsawwassen
ferry terminal, and 170 PACIFIC LOONS were nearby off the Roberts Bank coal
port.


Sightings for Sunday, April 25th

A flock of 56 WHIMBRELS, the first of the spring, plus one MARBLED GODWIT
were in Drayton Harbor at Blaine, WA.

A MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD and 2 BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS were seen at Ambleside Park
in West Vancouver.

In Port Moody, a northbound SANDHILL CRANE was seen flying over.


Sightings for Saturday, April 24th

Two TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRES were seen at Ioco, near Port Moody, and another
one turned up near 16th and Farrell in the Beach Grove area of Delta.

The first WARBLING VIREO report of the year was one heard singing in the
2100 block of Bowser in North Vancouver.


Sightings for Friday, April 23rd

A CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD, a very rare spring migrant, and an out-of-place
female SOOTY GROUSE were seen at Burnaby Mountain Park in Burnaby.

The WESTERN SCRUB-JAY was found in the 21200 block of the Lougheed Highway
in Maple Ridge, about 7 blocks west of where it is usually seen.

A MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLER, the first of the year, plus a TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE
and a CINNAMON TEAL were at Minnekhada Park in Coquitlam.

Twenty-one GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE were seen in flight near the Westham
Island bridge in Delta, 4000 SNOW GEESE were still feeding on the island,
and 4 WESTERN MEADOWLARKS were along 27B Avenue to the south.

A CASSIN'S VIREO was found along the Salish Trail in Vancouver's Pacific
Spirit Park, and a PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER at nearby Camosun Bog.


Sightings for Thursday, April 22nd

A TURKEY VULTURE was seen along Ferguson Road on Sea Island, near the
Vancouver Airport.


Sightings for Wednesday, April 21st

Three YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS and a CHIPPING SPARROW were still at Iona
Island in Richmond. Another CHIPPING SPARROW was at the Reifel Bird
Sanctuary in Delta.


Sightings for Tuesday, April 20th

A WHITE-THROATED SPARROW was seen at McDonald Beach on Sea Island in
Richmond, and at least 200 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE flew over nearby Iona
Island.
Also at Iona were a LONG-BILLED CURLEW and 2 EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES,
possibly the first report of the latter species for the island. In the Iona
sewage ponds were a pair of BLUE-WINGED TEAL, the first of the spring.


Sightings for Monday, April 19th

A YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER, extremely rare around Vancouver, was seen and
photographed at Hastings Park in Vancouver, but could not be relocated.

The WESTERN SCRUB-JAY was seen along Cliff Place in Maple Ridge, not far
from where it has been staying since June 2009.

At Iona Island in Richmond, 150 WESTERN SANDPIPERS, 4 LEAST SANDPIPERS, 3
LESSER YELLOWLEGS, and 3 PURPLE MARTINS were all first sightings for the
year. The shorebirds were seen inside the sewage ponds. Also of note were 30
CASPIAN TERNS and 2 AMERICAN BITTERNS along the Sea/Iona causeway, and a
CHIPPING SPARROW still at Iona.

At Brunswick Point in Delta, a major fallout of migrants included 80
SAVANNAH SPARROWS, 70 AMERICAN PIPITS, 6 LINCOLN'S SPARROWS, a CHIPPING
SPARROW, and at least 300 WESTERN SANDPIPERS. At the nearby Alaksen National
Wildlife Area, 4 WILSON'S WARBLERS and a CASSIN'S VIREO were the first of
the spring.

A PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER, the first of the spring, was at Camosun Bog in
Vancouver.

Two RHINOCEROS AUKLETS were again at Point Roberts, Washington.

At the Maplewood Conservation Area in North Vancouver, a TOWNSEND'S
SOLITAIRE and a late TRUMPETER SWAN were of note.

Another TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE, a HERMIT THRUSH, and a HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER
were reported from the Spanish Trail in Pacific Spirit Park in Vancouver.


Sightings for Sunday, April 18th

A PALM WARBLER at the Reifel Bird Sanctuary in Delta was a very rare
migrant, and an AMERICAN BITTERN was also noted there.

A female MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD was noted at Jericho Park in Vancouver. Not far
away, a SLATE-COLOURED (DARK-EYED) JUNCO was on the University of NC South
Farm.

At Iona Island in Richmond, a 2 BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLERS were the first
of the spring, and a CHIPPING SPARROW, a SHORT-EARED OWL, and an OSPREY were
also seen.

A TURKEY VULTURE was seen near Maple Ridge Park on 232nd Street in Maple
Ridge.

A HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER in North Vancouver was the first of the spring.


Sightings for Saturday, April 17th

A HERMIT THRUSH, the first of the spring migration, was noted in the 5500
block of Inverness in Vancouver,


Sightings for Friday, April 16th

A MARBLED GODWIT and 2 YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS were at Iona Island in
Richmond.
In Delta, a TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE was seen along Westham Island Road, and 3
WESTERN MEADOWLARKS were along 27B Avenue in West Delta.

A TOWNSEND'S WARBLER at Camosun Bog in Vancouver may have been the first of
the spring.


Sightings for Thursday, April 15th

A TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE and 80 AMERICAN PIPITS were seen near the west end of
River Road in Delta, near Brunswick Point.

An AMERICAN TREE SPARROW at Iona Island in Richmond was very late.


Sightings for Wednesday, April 14th

Two RHINOCEROS AUKLETS, 2 TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRES, and an OSPREY were reported
from Point Roberts, Washington.

Twenty CLIFF SWALLOWS and a BARN SWALLOW at the Alaksen NWA were both the
first of the year, and both a bit later than usual.


Sightings for Tuesday, April 13th

A female MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD and 3 AMERICAN BITTERNS were seen at the Reifel
Bird Sanctuary in Delta, and a late NORTHERN SHRIKE was along Westham Island
Road.

A YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD and a late AMERICAN TREE SPARROW were at Iona
Beach Regional Park in Richmond.

Four MARBLED GODWITS and a VIRGINIA RAIL were at Beach Grove in the
Tsawwassen area of Delta.


Sightings for Monday, April 12th

Nine SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS at Beach Grove in Delta were the first of the
spring. Nearby, two MUTE SWANS were present near the Westham Island bridge
in Delta, and a late NORTHERN SHRIKE was along Westham Island Road.

Two BONAPARTE'S GULLS, a TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE, and several MOUNTAIN
BLUEBIRDS were noteworthy at Green Lake in Whistler, north of Vancouver.

Nine GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE were still on Neaves Road in Pitt Meadows.

The first CHIPPING SPARROW of the spring was seen at Iona Island in
Richmond.


Sightings for Sunday, April 11th

Two YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS, the first of the spring, appeared in the north
outer pond at Iona Island, Richmond. An AMERICAN TREE SPARROW and a GADWALL
x MALLARD hybrid were also seen at Iona. Two CASPIAN TERNS at Iona were also
the first of the spring.

Four MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS, 2 males and 2 females, were present in Boundary Bay
Regional Park at the same location as the single bird the previous day.
Three MARBLED GODWITS were also seen at the Beach Grove lagoon in this park.

A TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE was seen briefly in the 3700 block of West 23rd
Avenue in Vancouver.

A flock of 9 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE was seen in a field in Pitt
Meadows, east of Neaves Road and south of Thompson Road.

Two BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS were seen along the Tsawwassen ferry jetty in
Delta.


Sightings for Saturday, April 10th

A TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE appeared at Burnaby Mountain Park in Burnaby.

Another MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD was found near the observation tower at Boundary
Bay Regional Park in Delta. A TURKEY VULTURE was also seen nearby.

Noteworthy birds from Iona Beach Regional Park in Richmond included a
NORTHERN SHRIKE and an AMERICAN TREE SPARROW, both rather late. Another
NORTHERN SHRIKE was seen on 88th Avenue west of 176th Street 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