This is Wayne Weber with Nature Vancouver's Rare Bird Alert for Thursday,
December 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 wish to leave a rare bird report, please phone the main number again
at (604) 737-3074, press "2" for the rare bird reporting line, and follow
the instructions given there.





RARE BIRD ALERT for a NORTHERN HAWK OWL on Westham Island in Delta, and a
very late YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT at the nearby Alaksen National Wildlife Area,
for WESTERN SCRUB-JAYS in Maple Ridge and (2 birds) near Strathcona Park in
Vancouver, and for a PALM WARBLER at the Maplewood Conservation Area in
North Vancouver.





Sightings for Thursday, December 2nd



A NORTHERN HAWK-OWL was seen and photographed along the Westham Island Road
in Delta, on the way in to the Reifel Bird Sanctuary. The YELLOW-BREASTED
CHAT was also present at the nearby Alaksen NWA.



Two SNOW BUNTINGS were seen at Blackie Spit in Surrey, and a LONG-BILLED
CURLEW was also there.



In Abbotsford, one GYRFALCON was still present near the junction of Campbell
and McDermott Roads, as was a flock of 37 EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES. An
additional 49 EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES were seen nearby on Bowman Road.





Sightings for Wednesday, December 1st



The YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT was present and easily visible again all day at the
Alaksen National Wildlife Area. Also seen nearby were 3 MUTE SWANS near the
Westham Island bridge and 6 EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES along River Road in
Ladner.





Sightings for Tuesday, November 30th



A YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT was present most of the day along a fence line next
to the Canadian Wildlife Service offices at the Alaksen National Wildlife
Area in Delta.

This locality is open to visitors only from 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM on weekdays,
and visitors are asked to check in at the office.





Sightings for Monday, November 29th



At Blackie Spit in Surrey were 5 MARBLED GODWITS, a LONG-BILLED CURLEW, and
6 EURASIAN WIGEON.





Sightings for Sunday, November 28th



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



One GYRFALCON, 3 PEREGRINE FALCONS, and 35 EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES were seen
near the intersection of Campbell and Marion Roads in Abbotsford.





Sightings for Saturday, November 27th



A SWAMP SPARROW and a GOLDEN EAGLE were seen at the Maplewood Conservation
Area in North Vancouver.



In Richmond, the 7 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS were seen again at Terra Nova Park on
Lulu Island, near where they were seen on the previous day.



In Abbotsford, 3 GYRFALCONS (plus 2 PEREGRINE FALCONS) were seen in the
vicinity of Campbell Road and McDermott Road, as well as a flock of 29
EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES.





Sightings for Friday, November 26th



Three GYRFALCONS were seen in the Fraser Valley east of Vancouver. One was
near the intersection of Prairie Central Road and Banford Road, SE of
Chilliwack, and 2 were seen together in Abbotsford, near the intersection of
Campbell and Marion Roads. Also near the latter location were several rather
late songbirds, including numerous SAVANNAH SPARROWS and a flock of 110
AMERICAN PIPITS.





Sightings for Thursday, November 25th



The long-staying PALM WARBLER was seen again in the SW corner of the
Maplewood Conservation Area in North Vancouver. Also there briefly were 2
BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS.



Seven more BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS were seen in Richmond, along the Lulu Island
west dyke near the Quilchena Golf Course.





Sightings for Wednesday, November 24th



Eight BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS were seen along the central dyke at the Reifel Bird
Sanctuary in Delta.



A GYRFALCON was seen along Yale Road near Chilliwack, about 100 km east of
Vancouver.





Sightings for Tuesday, November 23rd



The WILLET and a BLACK OYSTERCATCHER were along the south side of the
Tsawwassen ferry jetty in Delta. Not far away, 20 CACKLING GEESE and a
GREATER WHITE-FRIONTED GOOSE were in a field east of 56th Street and south
of Highway 17, and 3 EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES were along 28th Avenue west of
52nd Street.



The PRAIRIE FALCON was seen again near the foot of 88th Street in Delta.





Sightings for Monday, November 22nd



The PALM WARBLER at the Maplewood Conservation Area (North Vancouver) was
seen by several observers. Also there was a BLACK OYSTERCATCHER.



Ambleside Park in West Vancouver produced an AMERICAN TREE SPARROW, a
WESTERN GULL, and 5 HERMIT THRUSHES.



In Vancouver, 2 GRAY-CROWNED ROSY-FINCHES were with a flock of 25 EVENING
GROSBEAKS near the intersection of 28th Avenue and John Street.



One BARN SWALLOW was still hanging on at Iona Island in Richmond.





Sightings for Sunday, November 21st



The COSTA'S HUMMINGBIRD which first showed up in June in the Dunbar area of
Vancouver is still being seen. However, the property owner would prefer no
visitors, so the exact location is not being publicized.



The PALM WARBLER was seen again at the Maplewood Conservation Area, along
with a SWAMP SPARROW.



The GRAY-CROWNED ROSY FINCH was still on the Iona Island south jetty. On the
island itself, 2 BARN SWALLOWS, an AMERICAN KESTREL, and 6 RING-NECKED DUCKS
were seen.



A PRAIRIE FALCON, very rare in the Vancouver area, was reported near the
foot of 88th Street on Boundary Bay in Delta. Also seen nearby were a
PACIFIC GOLDEN-PLOVER (near 72nd Street), 3 SAVANNAH SPARROWS, and 2
SHORT-EARED OWLS.



The wintering WILLET was still on the south side of the Tsawwassen jetty in
Delta, and a surprising 600 LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS were still at the Reifel
Bird Sanctuary in Delta.



In the Okanagan Valley, the NORTHERN PARULA in the campground at Inkaneep
Provincial Park near Oliver, present since November 7th, was seen again.





Sightings for Saturday, November 20th



A GRAY-CROWNED ROSY-FINCH was seen more than halfway out the Iona Island
south jetty.



Three GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE were at Jericho Park in Vancouver, and an
ANCIENT MURRELET was briefly seen far offshore from the park. Also in
Vancouver, the WESTERN SCRUB-JAY in the Strathcona Park area, present there
since October, was joined by a second one.



The PALM WARBLER was observed again at the Maplewood Conservation Area in
North Vancouver.



Still another SNOW BUNTING was seen along the Boundary Bay dyke near 104th
Street in Delta.



In the Okanagan Valley, the LITTLE BLUE HERON was last seen on this date at
Whitworth Road in West Kelowna, and was looking cold and weak.





Sightings for Friday, November 19th



The PALM WARBLER was rediscovered at the Maplewood Conservation Area in
North Vancouver in the same area as reported previously, in shrubbery and
small trees south of the duck pond. Also here was a SNOW BUNTING at Otter
Point (the southwesternmost extremity with a viewing platform).



Five more SNOW BUNTINGS and 2 AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS were seen in Harrison
Hot Springs, on the Harrison Lake beach near the enclosed pond.



The WESTERN SCRUB-JAY in Maple Ridge was seen for the first time in a month,
in the 21900 block of Cliff Drive. Nearby, an AMERICAN DIPPER was seen along
Blaney Creek near where it crosses 224th Street.



Sightings from Iona Island in Richmond included 4 BARN SWALLOWS, a NORTHERN
SHRIKE, and 7 RING-NECKED DUCKS in the "outer pond".





Sightings for Thursday, November 18th



Birds reported from Iona Island in Richmond included 4 BARN SWALLOWS, 2
WESTERN MEADOWLARKS, and 7 RING-NECKED DUCKS.



Seven BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS were seen along the west side of Stanley Park in
Vancouver, as well as a DIPPER and a SLATE-COLOURED (DARK-EYED) JUNCO near
the Vancouver Aquarium in the park.



A WHITE PELICAN, very rare at any time of year, was reported flying over the
Lions Gate Bridge between Vancouver and North Vancouver.





There were no sightings for Wednesday, November 17th





Sightings for Tuesday, November 16th



Out of town in the Okanagan Valley, the NORTHERN PARULA at Inkaneep
Provincial Park and immature LITTLE BLUE HERON at Pritchard Park in West
Kelowna were still being seen.



Also out of the Vancouver area, the NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD was still present
and easily seen at the boat launch parking area at Island 22 Park in
Chilliwack.



The two SNOW BUNTINGS were seen again on the Tsawwassen ferry jetty in
Delta.





There were no sightings for Monday, November 15th





Sightings for Sunday, November 14th



Two late BARN SWALLOWS were seen at Iona Island in Richmond.



Birds seen at Brunswick Point in Delta, near the west end of River Road,
included a SWAMP SPARROW, 2N OWLS, and a WESTERN MEADOWLARK. Nearby, an
AMERICAN KESTREL was at the base of the Roberts Bank jetty.



A SNOW BUNTING appeared in a schoolyard at Brackendale, north of Squamish,
quite an unusual locality for this species.





Sightings for Saturday, November 13th



Two SNOW BUNTINGS were seen along the south side of the Tsawwassen ferry
jetty in Delta.





Sightings for Friday, November 12th



At Terra Nova Park, at the NW corner of Lulu Island in Richmond, the WESTERN
SCRUB-JAY was still being seen.



In Bellingham, WA, the TROPICAL KINGBIRD was still being seen along Whatcom
Creek just downstream from State Street, for the 13th consecutive day. This
bird is very sedentary.



The PHILADELPHIA VIREO in Chilliwack was seen again, in a cottonwood stand
just west of Island 22 Park.





Sightings for Thursday, November 11th



Outside our area, in the Okanagan Valley, an immature LITTLE BLUE HERON was
found and photographed at the mouth of Powers Creek in West Kelowna. Also in
the Okanagan, the male NORTHERN PARULA was present in the campground at
Inkaneep Provincial Park for the 5th day in a row.



Also outside our area but nearby, A PHILADELPHIA VIREO was reportedly found
at Island 22 Park in Chilliwack, and the NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD was still
there.



In Delta, the wintering WILLET and two SNOW BUNTINGS were seen along the
Tsawwassen ferry jetty.







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