This is Wayne Weber with Nature Vancouver's Rare Bird Alert for Thursday,
May 13th, 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 RUFF (REEVE) at Iona Island on May 11; a CLAY-COLOURED
SPARROW at the banding station on the Port Coquitlam side of Colony Farm
Regional Park from April 27 through May 4; and a WESTERN SCRUB-JAY in and
near the 21900 block of the Lougheed Highway in Maple Ridge, which has been
present for 11 months.

OUT-OF-TOWN RARE BIRD ALERT for a RED-THROATED PIPIT in the vicinity of
Island View Road north of Victoria from May 9 to 11. For further updates on
this bird, check the Victoria Rare Bird Alert.



Sightings for Thursday, May 13th

Four BLACK SWIFTS, the first of the year, were seen above Burnaby Mountain
in Burnaby.

A WESTERN KINGBIRD, the first of the year, was discovered in Pitt Meadows
along Koerner Road just east of Rannie Road.

The first WILSON'S PHALAROPE of the spring was seen at Iona Island in
Richmond, along with a BAIRD'S SANDPIPER.


Sightings for Wednesday, May 12th

The TUNDRA SWAN was still present near the Westham Island bridge in Delta.


Sightings for Tuesday, May 11th

A female RUFF (REEVE) was seen and photographed at Iona Island in Richmond,
for a very rare spring sighting. Also there was a BAIRD'S SANDPIPER, the
first of the spring, and 2 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS.

The WESTERN SCRUB-JAY, present for at least 11 months in Maple Ridge, was
seen near the intersection of Carshill Street and Cliff Avenue.

A late TUNDRA SWAN was seen with MUTE SWANS near the Westham Island bridge
in Delta.


A very late pair of REDHEADS were at Serpentine Fen WMA in Surrey.


Sightings for Monday, May 10th

Two BULLOCK'S ORIOLES and two WARBLING VIREOS were noted on Westham Island
in Delta.

An OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER, the first of the year, was singing in Redwood
Park in Surrey.


Sightings for Sunday, May 9th

Another CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD was reported from the 2100 block of Bowser in
North Vancouver.

The PECTORAL SANDPIPER was still at the Reifel Bird Sanctuary in Delta, as
was an AMERICAN BITTERN.


Sightings for Saturday, May 8th

A VESPER SPARROW along the west side of Colony Farm Park in Coquitlam was a
rare sighting, and the second of the spring.

A BULLOCK'S ORIOLE at Serpentine Fen in Surrey was the first of the spring.
Also there were several BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAKS.

A MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD was seen near the west end of Burnaby Lake in Burnaby.

Iona Island in Richmond produced some good birds, including the first
SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER of the spring, a CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD, the first BANK
SWALLOW of the spring, 3 MARBLED GODWITS, and 130 CASPIAN TERNS.

Another CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD was seen in Vancouver near 30th Avenue and
Fraser Street.

Twelve COMMON TERNS, the first of the spring, and a late RED-THROATED LOON
were off the White Rock pier in White Rock.

The first SWAINSON'S THRUSH of the year was finally reported from Sunnyside
Woods in Surrey.

Noteworthy birds at the Reifel Bird Sanctuary in Delta included the first
PECTORAL SANDPIPER of the year, a SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER, 16 GREATER
WHITE-FRONTED GEESE, 2000 late SNOW GEESE, a MARBLED GODWIT, and 6
BLUE-WINGED TEAL. A BANK SWALLOW at the nearby Alaksen NWA tied the Iona
bird for first of the year.

Four WHIMBRELS, 6 PURPLE MARTINS, and 20 SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS were
observed at Blackie Spit in Surrey.


Sightings for Friday, May 7th

A YELLOW WARBLER along Westham Island Road in Delta was the first of the
year, and a late TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE was also seen nearby.


Sightings for Thursday, May 6th

A BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK in the Walnut Grove area of Langley was the first of
the year.

A female MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD along 27B Avenue in Delta near 41B Street was a
rare spring migrant.


Sightings for Wednesday, May 5th

A VESPER SPARROW on Whyte Island at Whytecliff in West Vancouver was a very
rare spring migrant.

A WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE at the Maplewood Conservation Area in North Vancouver
was the first of the year, and a LONG-BILLED CURLEW there was also
noteworthy.


Sightings for Tuesday, May 4th

Another NASHVILLE WARBLER appeared on the campus of Trinity Western
University in Langley.

At least 500 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE were seen flying north over Pitt
Meadows.


No sightings reported for Monday, May 3rd


Sightings for Sunday, May 2nd

Another NASHVILLE WARBLER was seem in the 2100 block of Bowser in North
Vancouver.

A LAPLAND LONGSPUR at Brunswick Point in Delta was getting late.


Sightings for Saturday, May 1st

Three NASHVILLE WARBLERS on Burnaby Mountain in Burnaby, and one more at
Colony Farm in Port Coquitlam, were noteworthy for this rare migrant.

A VAUX'S SWIFT near the Seymour River in North Vancouver was the first
reported for the year.


Sightings for Friday, April 30th

A LAPLAND LONGSPUR at Terry Hughes Park in New Westminster was at a very
unusual locality.

A CHIPPING SPARROW was noted at Colony Farm in Port Coquitlam.


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.




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