Subject: [Tweeters] Vancouver, BC RBA for May 26, 2010
Date: May 27 14:33:37 2010
From: Wayne Weber - contopus at telus.net


This is Wayne Weber with Nature Vancouver's Rare Bird Alert for Wednesday,
May 26th, 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 an ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER, photographed on May 26th at
Colony Farm Park in Coquitlam, and a WESTERN SCRUB-JAY in and near the 21900
block of the Lougheed Highway in Maple Ridge, which has been present now for
11 months.

OUT-OF-TOWN RARE BIRD ALERT for an ACORN WOODPECKER, only the third record
for BC, present in Princeton at 156 Tulameen Trail from May 24 to 26. For
further updates on this bird, check the BCINTBIRD e-mail group, accessible
online at http://www.birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/BCNT.html .



Sightings for Wednesday, May 26th

An ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER, a casual or near-casual species in Vancouver,
was seen and photographed at Colony Farm Park in Coquitlam.


Sightings for Tuesday, May 25th

A WESTERN KINGBIRD was seen on 33A Avenue in West Delta, and the late TUNDRA
SWAN was still present in Canoe Pass near the Westham Island Bridge.

Noteworthy sightings at Iona Island in Richmond included a WILSON'S
PHALAROPE, 10 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, 8 late CACKLING GEESE, and 3 BANK
SWALLOWS. Nearby, a WESTERN KINGBIRD was perched on the Vancouver Airport
fence along Ferguson Road on Sea Island, and 4 PARASITIC JAEGERS were seen
from the Iona Island south jetty.


Sightings for Monday, May 24th

The WESTERN SCRUB-JAY was seen again in the 21900 block of the Lougheed
Highway of Maple Ridge, and is being seen there more frequently now.

A RED-NECKED PHALAROPE, the first of the spring, was photographed at the
Iona Island sewage ponds in Richmond.

Two WESTERN KINGBIRDS were seen along DeBoville Slough in Port Coquitlam.

Another LAZULI BUNTING turned up, this one at a feeder near 34th Avenue and
Pine Crescent in Vancouver.


Sightings for Sunday, May 23rd

An AMERICAN REDSTART, the first of the spring, was noted at the Grant
Narrows nature dyke at Pitt Lake. Also in the area were an EASTERN KINGBIRD,
two GRAY CATBIRDS, and a SANDHILL CRANE.

Two PARASITIC JAEGERS, the first of the year, were photographed from the
Iona Island south jetty in Richmond.

Ten PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, 6 YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS, and 8 late CACKLING
GEESE were at the Iona Island sewage ponds in Richmond.

An EASTERN KINGBIRD was photographed in the 800 block of Sinclair Street in
Vancouver.


No sightings reported for Saturday, May 22nd


Sightings for Friday, May 21st

A DUSKY FLYCATCHER and a LAZULI BUNTING were banded at the Colony Farm
banding station in Port Coquitlam.

An EASTERN KINGBIRD, the first of the year, and 4 BULLOCK'S ORIOLES were
seen at Grant Narrows at the south end of Pitt Lake.


Sightings for Thursday, May 20th

Two SANDHILL CRANES were at Piper Spit on Burnaby Lake in Burnaby, a very
unusual location.

A LAZULI BUNTING appeared in the 4800 block of 36th Avenue in Delta.


Sightings for Wednesday, May 19th

The GREEN HERON was still at the Maplewood Conservation Area in North
Vancouver, as were large numbers of migrants including about 100 WILSON'S
WARBLERS, 15 WESTERN WOOD-PEWEES, and an OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER. Nearby, an
early RED-EYED VIREO was heard singing along the Dollarton Highway.

Five RED KNOTS were seen at high tide at Brunswick Point in Delta, as were 2
COMMON TERNS, more than 200 CASPIAN TERNS, and 30 late SNOW GEESE. The late
TUNDRA SWAN was still at the nearby Westham Island Bridge.


Sightings for Tuesday, May 18th

A GREEN HERON turned up at the Maplewood Conservation Area in North
Vancouver.


Sightings for Monday, May 17th

The WESTERN SCRUB-JAY, present for at least 11 months, was seen again in the
21900 block of the Lougheed Highway in Maple Ridge.

The VESPER SPARROW was still at the Iona Island sewage ponds in Richmond,
and also there was a SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER. Nearby on Iona Island were 4
YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS and 4 PURPLE MARTINS.

At Point Roberts, WA, the PACIFIC LOON flock had increased to more than 800
birds.

Four MUTE SWANS and the late TUNDRA SWAN were still near the Westham Island
bridge in Delta.

The first LAZULI BUNTING of the spring was reported from the east (Port
Coquitlam) side of Colony Farm Park.


Sightings for Sunday, May 16th

The first GRAY CATBIRD of the year was reported from the Grant Narrows area
at the south end of Pitt Lake, as were 2 BULLOCK'S ORIOLES, a MUTE SWAN, and
7 CEDAR WAXWINGS, possibly the first of the spring migration.

The VESPER SPARROW was still at the Iona Island sewage ponds in Richmond.

Three OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHERS were seen, one at Pacific Spirit Park in
Vancouver, and two at different locations in South Surrey.

A large flock of 330 PACIFIC LOONS was seen off Lighthouse Marine Park at
Point Roberts, WA.


Sightings for Saturday, May 15th

Two RED KNOTS near the foot of 96th Street on Boundary Bay in Delta were the
first of the spring. Also here were a SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER and many other
shorebirds including 50 SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS and 300 BLACK-BELLIED
PLOVERS.

A VESPER SPARROW, the third of the spring, was reported from the Iona Island
sewage ponds in Richmond.


Sightings for Friday, May 14th

A SANDHILL CRANE circling over the vicinity of 34th Avenue and Pine Crescent
in Vancouver was unusual.

Two WILSON'S PHALAROPES, an AMERICAN BITTERN, and 12 BLUE-WINGED TEAL were
reported from the Reifel Bird Sanctuary in Delta.

A LONG-BILLED CURLEW near the foot of 112th Street on Mud Bay in Delta was a
rare migrant,


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.




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