Nature Vancouver

This is Wayne Weber with Nature Vancouver's Rare Bird Alert for Monday, February 22nd, sponsored in part by Wild Birds Unlimited, with stores in Vancouver and North Vancouver. The RBA telephone number is (604) 737-3074. We regret the delay since the last update, which resulted from some technical problems. 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. We wish to extend our warmest welcome to any birders from other countries or other Canadian provinces who are visiting Vancouver for the Winter Olympics. RARE BIRD ALERT for a WESTERN SCRUB-JAY in the 21900 block of the Lougheed Highway in Maple Ridge, present for at least 8 months; and a GREAT GRAY OWL, present since December, at Campbell Valley Regional Park in Langley. Birders and photographers are requested to stay at least 10 to 20 metres away from Great Gray Owls, and not harass them. Sightings for Monday, February 22nd The long-staying WESTERN SCRUB-JAY was seen again in Maple Ridge near the intersection of Cliff Avenue and Cliff Place, close to where it has been seen repeatedly since June 2009. Another early TURKEY VULTURE was seen over the Vancouver Aquarium in Vancouver's Stanley Park. Five TREE SWALLOWS were seen briefly at the Alaksen National Wildlife Area in Delta, and the NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL was seen again at the nearby Reifel Bird Sanctuary. Four more TREE SWALLOWS were seen at the rowing complex on Burnaby Lake in Burnaby, as were 7 GREATER YELLOWLEGS. Sightings for Sunday, February 21st The LONG-BILLED CURLEW was seen again on the east side of Blackie Spit in Surrey, but the MARBLED GODWITS which have accompanied it all winter could not be found. Sightings for Saturday, February 20th A flock of 43 MOURNING DOVES was seen near Ladner Harbour Park in Delta, and 3 SHORT-EARED OWLS were at Iona Beach Park in Richmond. Sightings for Friday, February 19th Two GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE were reported from Como Lake Park in Coquitlam. The GYRFALCON was seen again in Delta along Deltaport Way near Arthur Drive, but is being seen less predictably in the last couple of weeks. Four SAVANNAH SPARROWS and a LINCOLN'S SPARROW, both rare in winter, were seen along 28B Avenue near 41B Street in Delta with other sparrows, near where they were seen earlier. Sightings for Thursday, February 18th A TURKEY VULTURE seen in Surrey at King George Highway and 60th Avenue was the first of the spring and exceptionally early. A male EURASIAN GREEN-WINGED TEAL was reported near the Westham Island bridge in Delta. A SPOTTED SANDPIPER, rare in winter, was seen near the mouth of the Capilano River at Ambleside Park in West Vancouver. Sightings for Wednesday, February 17th Four early BARN SWALLOWS were seen over the Iona Island ponds in Richmond, and a WESTERN GULL was at nearby Iona Beach Park. Three TREE SWALLOWS at the Alaksen Natl. Wildlife Area in Delta (next door to Reifel) were the first of the spring. Sightings for Tuesday, February 16th The NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL was seen again at the Reifel Bird Sanctuary in Delta. Sightings for Monday, February 15th Two REDHEADS were at Surrey Lake on 152nd Street in Surrey, and an adult WESTERN GULL was at the White Rock pier in White Rock. The female REDHEAD was still at the Reifel Bird Sanctuary in Delta. Four AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS and a SHORT-EARED OWL were at Iona Beach Regional Park in Richmond. An AMERICAN KESTREL was near 41B Street and 33A Avenue in Delta. There were no sightings reported from February 11th through 14th Sightings for Wednesday, February 10th A BARN SWALLOW was seen at the Reifel Bird Sanctuary in Delta, and 9 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE were seen along the entrance road to the refuge. Nearby, a GYRFALCON was seen again along Deltaport Way in Delta. Sightings for Tuesday, February 9th The GREAT GRAY OWL was seen again in Langley's Campbell Valley Park, along the horse trail just west of the 16th Avenue parking area. Four AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS were seen again at Iona Beach Regional Park in Richmond, near the base of the Iona South Jetty. A NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL was reported from the Reifel Bird Sanctuary in Delta. Eight PIGEON GUILLEMOTS and about 150 BRANT were seen offshore from Lighthouse Marine Park in Point Roberts, WA. A REDHEAD was reported from Surrey Lake on 152nd Street in Surrey. A NORTHERN SHRIKE was on the Boundary Bay dyke near the foot of 64th Street in Delta. Sightings for Monday, February 8th A TOWNSEND'S WARBLER was at Charleson Park, a small park on False Creek in Vancouver. Sightings for Sunday, February 7th Five AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS were at Iona Beach Regional Park in Richmond. A WILLET, 2 BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS, and 3 EARED GREBES were seen along the Tsawwassen ferry jetty in Delta. The female REDHEAD was still at the Reifel Bird Sanctuary in Delta, and an AMERICAN KESTREL was nearby along 33A Avenue near 41B Street. Sightings for Saturday, February 6th Four AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS were seen again near the restrooms at Iona Beach Regional Park. A RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER, rare in the lowlands, was in Delta near Enderby and Whitcomb. Sightings for Friday, February 5th The WESTERN SCRUB-JAY was seen again in the 21900 block of the Lougheed Highway in Maple Ridge, but it is being seen much less often than last year. The GREAT GRAY OWL was seen and photographed again in Campbell Valley Park in Langley. Ten SANDHILL CRANES, the female REDHEAD, and 2 BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS were reported from the Reifel Bird Sanctuary in Delta. A BOHEMIAN WAXWING and 30 CEDAR WAXWINGS were eating holly berries along Main Mall at the University of BC, Vancouver. A LONG-BILLED CURLEW and 2 MARBLED GODWITS were still present on the east side of Blackie Spit in Surrey. Five EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES were along 96th Street in Delta, a regular spot for this species for the last 2-3 years. Sightings at Iona Island Regional Park in Richmond included 2 AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS, a NORTHERN SHRIKE, a WESTERN MEADOWLARK, and 8 RING-NECKED DUCKS in the outer pond. Sightings for Thursday, February 4th A BOHEMIAN WAXWING was with 50 CEDAR WAXWINGS along the entrance road to the Alaksen National Wildlife Area in Delta. Sightings for Wednesday, February 3rd The WHITE-THROATED SPARROW was seen again at the bridge at the west end of Lost Lagoon in Stanley Park, Vancouver. Two GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE were near the foot of Piper Road at Burnaby Lake in Burnaby. At the Reifel Bird Sanctuary in Delta were an AMERICAN BITTERN, 4 SANDHILL CRANES, and 2 BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS. Nearby, 5 EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES were along Tamboline Road on Westham Island, and 2 MUTE SWANS were near the Westham Island bridge. Sightings for Tuesday, February 2nd Six BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS were seen in Vancouver's Stanley Park, south of the Second Beach pool. Sightings for Monday, February 1st A TOWNSEND'S WARBLER, rare in winter, was reported from Bowen Island. The GOLDEN EAGLE in Delta was seen again along Highway 10 near 112th Street. The wintering WILLET and 9 BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS were seen on the Tsawwassen ferry jetty in Delta. Nearby, 900 BRANT were in the Beach Grove area of Boundary Bay. Ten SANDHILL CRANES were still at the Reifel Bird Sanctuary in Delta. 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@telus.net