Subject: [Tweeters] Vancouver, BC RBA for March 11, 2012
Date: Mar 13 16:19:04 2012
From: Wayne Weber - contopus at telus.net


This is Wayne Weber with Nature Vancouver's Rare Bird Alert for Sunday,
March 11th, 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.





This winter is a major SNOWY OWL flight year, with recent reports of up to
30 birds near the foot of 72nd Street on Boundary Bay, plus 5 or 6 more in
the Brunswick Point area of Delta. Birders and photographers are asked to
observe SNOWY OWLS from a respectful distance, and to make every effort not
to flush or frighten off the owls. At least some of these owls are expected
to remain until the end of March.





RARE BIRD ALERT for SNOWY OWLS at numerous localities, especially along
Boundary Bay and at Brunswick Point in Delta.



Out-of-town RARE BIRD ALERT for LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL in the Okanagan
Valley. At least two LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS, one adult and one
second-year, have been seen in the last few weeks on Okanagan Lake between
Penticton and Okanagan Landing, with the most recent report on March 6th at
Rotary Park in Penticton.





Sightings for Sunday, March 11th



The SAY'S PHOEBE was seen again at the Maplewood Conservation Area in North
Vancouver, as was a wintering SPOTTED SANDPIPER.



A NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD was reported from the intersection of 4th Avenue and
Victoria Street in Squamish, where it has been present for several weeks.



At the Reifel Bird Sanctuary in Delta were 2 BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS, 3
SANDHILL CRANES, and at least 40 swallows, all of which appeared to be
VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS. Nearby were 5 MUTE SWANS near the Canoe Pass bridge
onto Westham Island (on the way to Reifel), plus at least 40 male EURASIAN
WIGEON in a small wigeon flock at Deltaport Way and 41B Street.





Sightings for Saturday, March 10th



A SAY'S PHOEBE was seen and photographed at the Maplewood Conservation Area
in North Vancouver, and an adult NORTHERN GOSHAWK was also there.



Three TURKEY VULTURES were reported along 72nd Street in Delta, south of
Highway 10.





Sightings for Thursday, March 8th



In Richmond, 4 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE were still at Terra Nova Park
where they have been for several weeks.



The drake EURASIAN GREEN-WINGED TEAL was still at Piper Road on Burnaby Lake
in Burnaby, as were 9 VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS and 16 TREE SWALLOWS.



A flock of 15 RED CROSSBILLS was seen in North Vancouver along Mt. Seymour
Parkway near the intersection with Berkley Road.





Sightings for Wednesday, March 7th



There were 19 SNOWY OWLS still present near the foot of 72nd Street on
Boundary Bay in Delta. At the Alaksen National Wildlife Area, also in
Delta, were 15 VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS and one BARN SWALLOW.





Sightings for Tuesday, March 6th



A drake EURASIAN GREEN-WINGED TEAL, as well as an intergrade EURASIAN x
AMERICAN GREEN-WINGED TEAL, was photographed near the foot of Piper Road on
the north side of Burnaby Lake in Burnaby.





Sightings for Sunday, March 4th



A YELLOW-BILLED LOON was reported from Oliver's Landing near the mouth of
Furry Creek, south of Britannia Beach on Highway 99.



The two HORNED LARKS were still present near the metal sculpture in Garry
Point Park in the Steveston area of Richmond.



A CLAY-COLOURED SPARROW was still coming to a feeder in the 1900 block of
Fulton in West Vancouver, where it has been present regularly since
December.





Sightings for Saturday, March 3rd



An immature NORTHERN GOSHAWK was seen in the northeastern part of Queen
Elizabeth Park, Vancouver





Sightings for Friday, March 2nd



On the southeast corner of Deltaport Way and 41B Street in Delta, at least
37 male EURASIAN WIGEON were seen in a relatively small flock of AMERICAN
WIGEON.



At Blaine, WA, at least 300 PACIFIC LOONS could be seen from the end of the
fishing pier on Marine Drive. This large flock of loons has been noted by a
number of observers over the previous 2-3 weeks.





Sightings for Thursday, March 1st



In Delta, an immature GYRFALCON was seen and photographed along Deltaport
Way.



Thirty COMMON REDPOLLS were seen at Brydon Lagoon in Langley, and 3 more at
the nearby Hi-Knoll Park in Surrey.



A WHITE-THROATED SPARROW was seen at 6905 Bradner Road in Abbotsford.





Sightings for Monday, February 27th



Two SANDHILL CRANES were seen along 224th Street in Maple Ridge, a month
earlier than the species normally arrives in this area.





Sightings for Sunday, February 26th



A VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW, the first report of the year, was seen flying over
the ponds at Iona Island in Richmond. At Terra Nova Park, also in Richmond,
two TUNDRA SWANS were seen and photographed.



Two NORTHERN GOSHAWKS and a GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE were noted at Queen
Elizabeth Park in Vancouver.



A blue-phase SNOW GOOSE, very rare in the area, was seen with 700 white SNOW
GEESE on Westham Island in Delta. At the nearby Reifel Bird Sanctuary were 4
adult BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS near the refuge entrance and 3 SANDHILL
CRANES. Also in Delta was a group of 26 male EURASIAN WIGEON in a flock of
no more than 300 AMERICAN WIGEON just south of Deltaport Way and 41B Street,
and two SHORT-EARED OWLS hunting over fields in the same area.





Sightings for Saturday, February 25th



A flock of 14 COMMON REDPOLLS were seen in birches along the Lulu Island
west dyke south of Westminster Highway in Richmond.







For a summary of extremely rare bird sightings throughout British Columbia,
check "British Columbia Bird Alert" by Russell Cannings at
<http://bcbirdalert.blogspot.com> http://bcbirdalert.blogspot.com .





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>
http://www.naturevancouver.ca/Birding_Birding_Sites





If you have any questions about birds or birding in the Vancouver area,
please call Wayne Weber at 604-597-7201, Larry Cowan at 604-465-1402, or
Viveka Ohman at 604-531-3401.



Thank you for calling the Vancouver Rare Bird Alert, and good birding.





Wayne C. Weber

Delta, BC

<mailto:contopus at telus.net> contopus at telus.net