This is Wayne Weber with Nature Vancouver's Rare Bird Alert for Monday,
January 31st, 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, present
daily since December 2nd; an ACORN WOODPECKER at a filbert orchard on Fore
Road just west of Highway 11 in Matsqui (Abbotsford), present since December
27th, but often elusive; a NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD at 5744 River Road in Delta,
just east of Ladner; and 2 WESTERN SCRUB-JAYS at Strathcona Park in
Vancouver, plus another one in Maple Ridge on Cliff Avenue, and one at Terra
Nova Park in Richmond.





Sightings for Monday, January 31st



At Blackie Spit in Surrey, the wintering LONG-BILLED CURLEW and 5 MARBLED
GODWITS were still present.



The NORTHERN HAWK OWL was seen as usual near the 90-degree bend on Westham
Island Road, and an adult NORTHERN GOSHAWK was photographed at the Reifel
Bird Sanctuary in Delta.



One BARN SWALLOW was still at the Beach Grove Lagoon in Delta, where 2 were
seen on the 29th.



The Boundary Bay GYRFALCON was seen today on 112th Street in Delta, near the
railway crossing.



The adult HARRIS'S SPARROW was still at the end of Lakemount Road along the
Sumas River in Abbotsford.





Sightings for Sunday, January 30th



The ACORN WOODPECKER was well observed at and near the filbert orchard on
Fore Road in Matsqui (Abbotsford), just west of Highway 11.



Another EURASIAN GREEN-WINGED TEAL was found at the Beach Grove lagoon in
Delta (east foot of 12th Avenue).



A RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER was noted at the Maplewood Conservation Area in
North Vancouver.





Sightings for Saturday, January 29th



The ACORN WOODPECKER on Fore Road in Matsqui was reported for the first time
in more than a week. It has been there since December 27th.



More BARN SWALLOWS were reported-- two at the Beach Grove lagoon, at the
east foot of 12th Avenue on Boundary Bay in Delta.



The 6 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE and 25 CACKLING GEESE were still with the
swans near John Oliver Park on Highway 10 in Delta.





Sightings for Friday, January 28th



At Ambleside Park in West Vancouver, 6 BONAPARTE'S GULLS and 2 BARN
SWALLOWS, both highly unusual in January, were seen offshore.



In Delta, 7 WESTERN MEADOWLARKS were near the foot of 72nd Street, and the
NORTHERN HAWK OWL was still on Westham Island.





Sightings for Thursday, January 27th



Five BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS were seen near the entrance to the Maplewood
Conservation Area in North Vancouver.



The adult GYRFALCON was seen again at the foot of 96th Street in Delta.

Nearby, 6 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE and at least 20 CACKLING GEESE were
with 500 TRUMPETER SWANS in a field south of Highway 10 and east of 112th
Street. The NORTHERN HAWK OWL was still on Westham Island Road, and 2
NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWLS and an AMERICAN BITTERN were at the Reifel Bird
Sanctuary.



In the Chilliwack area, a first-year GLAUCOUS GULL was near Maguire Road at
Banford, and a HARLAN'S RED-TAILED HAWK was along Prairie Central Road near
Gibsons Road.



Two YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS were still at the Iona Island sewage ponds in
Richmond.





Sightings for Wednesday, January 26th



The NORTHERN HAWK OWL was still being seen at the bend on Westham Island
Road in Delta, and a NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL was at the Reifel Bird Sanctuary.
Nearby, a EURASIAN GREEN-WINGED TEAL was at the Westham Island bridge.



Just east of Ladner, the NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD was still at 5744 River Road
in Delta. West of Ladner, 11 WESTERN MEADOWLARKS were seen along 33A Avenue
east of 34th Street.



The WESTERN SCRUB-JAY in Maple Ridge was noted again near Cliff Avenue and
Carshill Street, close to where it has been since June 2009.



A TOWNSEND'S WARBLER was seen near the Nature House at Burnaby Lake in
Burnaby.



In the Abbotsford area east of Vancouver, the adult HARRIS'S SPARROW was
still with other sparrows near the end of Lakemount Drive. In Sumas Prairie,
2 GYRFALCONS were still present, the immature at McDermott and Campbell
Roads, and the adult at Bowman and Wells Line Roads. Also of interest were
75 EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES near McDermott and Wells Line Roads, and 12
TUNDRA SWANS with TRUMPETER SWANS near No. 3 Road and Tolmie Road.





Sightings for Tuesday, January 25th



The long-staying WESTERN SCRUB-JAY at Terra Nova Park in Richmond was seen
and photographed.



A RHINOCEROS AUKLET at Klootchman Park in West Vancouver was a rare winter
sighting.





Sightings for Sunday, January 23rd



The NORTHERN HAWK OWL was still being seen near the 90-degree bend on
Westham Island Road in Delta, as was one NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL at the Reifel
Bird Sanctuary.



At least 6 SHORT-EARED OWLS were seen at and near the foot of 72nd Street in
Delta, and nearby were 9 EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES.



Three RHINOCEROS AUKLETS were seen with 2 COMMON MURRES off Acadia Beach at
Point Grey in Vancouver.





Sightings for Saturday, January 22nd



In Vancouver, the 2 WESTERN SCRUB-JAYS were still near the community gardens
in Strathcona Park.



In Delta, 2 NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWLS and a VIRGINIA RAIL were at the Reifel
Bird Sanctuary, and the NORTHERN HAWK OWL was along the Westham Island Road.



At Iona Island in Richmond were an adult WESTERN GULL, 5 WESTERN
MEADOWLARKS, a SHORT-EARED OWL, and an AMERICAN BITTERN.





Sightings for Friday, January 21st



Three GRAY-CROWNED ROSY-FINCHES were seen in Harrison Hot Springs, near the
boat launch parking area on the lake. Apparently they have been there for
several weeks.



At Iona Island in Richmond were an adult WESTERN GULL, 2 WESTERN
MEADOWLARKS, and 2 YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS.





Sightings for Wednesday, January 19th



A single WESTERN SCRUB-JAY was seen again at Strathcona Park in Vancouver.





Sightings for Tuesday, January 18th



Twelve BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS were still feeding on berries along 184th Street
just north of 8th Avenue in Surrey, where they have been since January 2nd.



Fifty BROWN-HEADED COWBIRDS, a large number, were seen in a blackbird flock
along Mud Bay Road in Surrey.





Sightings for Monday, January 17th



The ACORN WOODPECKER was reported again from the filbert orchard along Fore
Road in Matsqui, just west of Highway 11.



In Delta, the NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD was still at 5744 River Road, and the
HARRIS'S SPARROW near 5421 96th Street. At the Reifel Bird Sanctuary were 9
SANDHILL CRANES.



In Vancouver, the two WESTERN SCRUB-JAYS were still present near the
community gardens in Strathcona Park, along Hawks Avenue.



A NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL was found in the Caulfield area of West Vancouver,
temporarily trapped under a glass deck, but was release apparently with no
harm.





Sightings for Sunday, January 16th



The ACORN WOODPECKER was seen again in Matsqui, and the TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE
in Vancouver's Queen Elizabeth Park.





Sightings for Saturday, January 15th



The ACORN WOODPECKER was seen well along Fore Road just west of Highway 11
in Matsqui.



The NORTHERN HAWK OWL was still at the bend on Westham Island Road in Delta.



The WESTERN SCRUB-JAY in Maple Ridge, present now for 19 months, was seen
again near the intersection of Cliff Avenue and Cliff Place.



Fifteen BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS were seen in the Caulfield area of West
Vancouver.



The TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE was still present near the lawn bowling pitch in
Queen Elizabeth Park, Vancouver.



At Iona Island in Richmond were 6 YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS, an AMERICAN
BITTERN, and 2 VIRGINIA RAILS, and a SHORT-EARED OWL was nearby on Sea
Island.



An adult HARRIS'S SPARROW was found near the end of Lakemount Road in
Abbotsford. In the nearby Sumas Prairie area of Abbotsford, a GYRFALCON was
seen along Bowman Road, and 12 SAVANNAH SPARROWS on Campbell Road near
McDermott Road.





Sightings for Thursday, January 13th



The LONG-BILLED CURLEW and 5 MARBLED GODWITS were seen again on the east
side of Blackie Spit in Surrey.



A WHITE-THROATED SPARROW was found in Richmond near the intersection of Finn
Road and Garden City Road.



A SORA, very unusual in winter, was photographed at the Great Blue Heron
Reserve along the Vedder River in Chilliwack.





Sightings for Wednesday, January 12th



A male TOWNSEND'S WARBLER, rare in winter, was observed on Montgomery Street
in Coquitlam.



Twelve BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS were seen again along 184th Street in Surrey, just
north of 8th Avenue.





Sightings for Tuesday, January 11th



The ACORN WOODPECKER was still being seen along Fore Road just north of
Matsqui Village in Abbotsford.



The NORTHERN HAWK OWL was still along Westham Island Road in Delta, and
nearby were 6 WESTERN MEADOWLARKS and 4 EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES. Also, the
NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD was seen again at 5744 River Road in Delta. Two more
WESTERN MEADOWLARKS were seen along 33A Avenue east of 34th Street in Delta.






Sightings for Monday, January 10th



The SNOW BUNTING was still on the south side of the Tsawwassen ferry jetty,
as

was the TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE in Queen Elizabeth Park, Vancouver.



Two GLAUCOUS GULLS were seen with other gulls roosting on Cultus Lake, south
of Chilliwack.





Sightings for Sunday, January 9th



In Delta, the NORTHERN HAWK OWL on Westham Island Road, the NORTHERN
MOCKINGBIRD at 5744 River Road, and the HARRIS'S SPARROW at 5421 96th Street
were all still present.



A TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE was found in shrubs at the lawn bowling pitch in
Queen Elizabeth Park, Vancouver.



Two EARED GREBES were seen near the White Rock pier in White Rock, a usual
location.



An immature GYRFALCON was near Marion and Campbell Roads in Sumas Prairie
Abbotsford), and nearby, the GOLDEN EAGLE was still along Wells Line Road,
and two HARLAN'S RED-TAILED HAWKS were seen along Dixon Road. In Chilliwack,
a flock of 30 WESTERN MEADOWLARKS was at Central Sumas Road and Evans Road.



In Squamish, a SWAMP SPARROW was reported on the monthly Squamish Estuary
bird count.





Sightings for Saturday, January 8th



The ACORN WOODPECKER was seen again by numerous observers at the filbert
orchard on Fore Road in Matsqui, just west of Highway 11.



The NORTHERN HAWK OWL was still being seen on Westham Island Road in Delta
(on the way to the Reifel Bird Sanctuary), as was the HARRIS'S SPARROW on
96th Street north of Highway 10. Along the south side of the Tsawwassen
ferry jetty in Delta were 9 BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS, the wintering WILLET, a
SNOW BUNTING in the beach logs, and offshore was an EARED GREBE. Four MUTE
SWANS were at the east end of the Westham Island bridge.



At Iona Island in Richmond were a SNOW BUNTING, two VIRGINIA RAILS, and an
AMERICAN BITTERN.





Several BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS were still in the vicinity of 8th Avenue and 184th
Street in Surrey.



Along Banford Road east of Chilliwack were two HORNED LARKS and "many"
AMERICAN PIPITS.







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