This is Wayne Weber with Nature Vancouver's Rare Bird Alert for Wednesday,
December 15th, 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,
and for

at least 4 WESTERN SCRUB-JAYS in Vancouver, including 2 birds present for
weeks around Strathcona Park, plus another present for weeks at Terra Nova
Park in Richmond (NW corner of Lulu Island).





Sightings for Wednesday, December 15th



The NORTHERN HAWK-OWL was seen on Westham Island, Delta, near the bridge,
but later on about 2 km away at the sharp bend on Westham Island Road, where
it has usually been.



The Christmas Bird Count at Pemberton, on Highway 99 north of Whistler,
featured reports of an AMERICAN TREE SPARROW, 3 NORTHERN PYGMY-OWLS, and 20
EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES.





Sightings for Tuesday, December 14th



The YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT was less conspicuous, but still being seen near the
Canadian Wildlife Service offices at the Alaksen National Wildlife Area.
Please note that this area is open only from 7:30 AM to 4 PM on weekdays.





Sightings for Monday, December 13th



The NORTHERN HAWK OWL was still conspicuous along Westham Island Road in
Delta, and 2 NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWLS and 2 BARRED OWLS were seen nearby at
the Reifel Bird Sanctuary and Alaksen NWA.





Sightings for Sunday, December 12th



A NORTHERN GOSHAWK was still at Terra Nova Park in Richmond, as was the
WESTERN SCRUB-JAY which has been there for more than a month.



A TOWNSEND'S WARBLER, rare in winter, was coming to a suet feeder on
Coventry Crescent in Port Coquitlam.



In Chilliwack, many birds including an immature GYRFALCON, an AMERICAN TREE
SPARROW, 25 WESTERN MEADOWLARKS, 20 SAVANNAH SPARRROWS, and 50 AMERICAN
PIPITS, were seen along Sumas Central Road.



In the Sumas Prairie area of Abbotsford, a flock of about 100 EURASIAN
COLLARED-DOVES and a HARLAN'S (RED-TAILED) HAWK were seen.





Sightings for Saturday, December 11th



An EARED GREBE and a WESTERN GULL were at the White Rock pier in White Rock.





Sightings for Friday, December 10th



The NORTHERN HAWK OWL was easily seen and photographed along Westham Island
Road in Delta, and the YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT was still nearby at the Alaksen
National Wildlife Area.



An AMERICAN DIPPER and a NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL were seen near Noon's Creek in
Port Moody.





Sightings for Thursday, December 9th



The NORTHERN HAWK OWL and YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT remained at their locations
in Delta. A NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL and a NORTHERN GOSHAWK were at the Reifel
Bird Sanctuary, and a BOHEMIAN WAXWING nearby at the Alaksen National
Wildlife Area.





Sightings for Wednesday, December 8th



Notable birds along 33A Avenue and 34th Street in West Delta included a
SWAMP SPARROW, 7 LINCOLN'S SPARROWS, and 4 WESTERN MEADOWLARKS. Four
EURASIAN WIGEON and a EURASIAN x AMERICAM WIGEON were seen near the Westham
Island bridge.



A total of 136 EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES were seen at 5 different localities
in Delta, with the biggest flock (77) on 112th Street north of Highway 10.





Sightings for Tuesday, December 7th



The NORTHERN HAWK OWL and YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT were still at their usual
locations. East of Vancouver, an AMERICAN TREE SPARROW was seen along Sumas
Central Road in Chilliwack, and the regular GYRFALCON near Campbell Road and
Marion Road in Abbotsford.



High counts of 300 BRANDT'S CORMORANTS and 100 BONAPARTE'S GULLS were seen
off Jericho Park in Vancouver, and a BLACK OYSTERCATCHER was on the beach.





Sightings for Monday, December 6th



The NORTHERN HAWK OWL was still being viewed by many along Westham Island
Road in Delta, and the YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT was still present nearby at the
CWS offices in the Alaksen NWA. Also seen close by at the Reifel Bird
Sanctuary were a single BOHEMIAN WAXWING and a BARN OWL.



An adult WESTERN GULL was with many other gulls at Trout Lake in Vancouver.
A flock of 50 SURFBIRDS was at Whyte Island in Whytecliff (West Vancouver),
and an out-of-place MUTE SWAN was at nearby Eagle Harbour.





Sightings for Sunday, December 5th



An immature GYRFALCON and 7 WESTERN MEADOWLARKS were seen along 40th Avenue
west of 140th Street in southern Surrey.



At the Reifel Bird Sanctuary in Delta, 11 SANDHILL CRANES were still
present.





Sightings for Saturday, December 4th



In Vancouver, two WESTERN SCRUB-JAYS were still being seen in the Strathcona
Park area. Another one popped up in the Musqueam area, near 51st Avenue at
Salish Place, and remarkably, a fourth one was reported from the vicinity of
Cambridge and Slocan Streets in the NE part of the city.



Three EARED GREBES were seen off the White Rock pier in White Rock, a
regular spot for this rare species.



Two AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS were seen and photographed at Iona Island in
Richmond, near the base of the North Jetty.



In the area just north of Boundary Bay in Delta, the GYRFALCON was seen
again along 104th and 112th Streets, and an ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, 13
WESTERN MEADOWLARKS, and 5 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE were seen at various
localities.





Sightings for Friday, December 3rd



The NORTHERN HAWK-OWL was present all day near the bend on Westham Island
Road in Delta, BC. At the nearby Alaksen NWA, the YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, a
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, and 2 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS were seen.



An adult GYRFALCION was seen at the foot of 96th Street on Boundary Bay in
Delta, and a PRAIRIE FALCON nearby on 88th Street.



A LONG-BILLED CURLEW and a TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE were reported from Blackie
Spit in Surrey.



In the Sumas Prairie area of Abbotsford, another GYRFALCON and 16 SAVANNAH
SPARROWS were seen near McDermott and Campbell Roads, and a large group of
56 EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES near Wells Liner Road at Bowman Road.





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









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