[obol] Vancouver, BC RBA for September 1, 2007

[Wayne Weber]

This is Wayne Weber with the Vancouver Natural History Society's Rare
Bird Alert for Saturday, September 1st, sponsored in part by Wild Birds
Unlimited, with stores in Vancouver and North Vancouver. This update
was recorded at 11 AM on September 2nd. The RBA telephone number is
(604) 737-3074.


RARE BIRD ALERT for RUFF, EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE, LONG-TAILED JAEGER, 
BROWN PELICAN, TENNESSEE WARBLER, and MAGNOLIA WARBLER.


Sightings for Saturday, September 1

One pair of observers tallied 30 species of shorebirds in the Vancouver area. Among the species tallied were 2 juvenile RUFFS, one male and one female, at the pond on Highway 17 north of 34B Avenue in Delta; a SOLITARY SANDPIPER, 2 STILT SANDPIPERS, and the first SHARP-TAILED SANDPIPER of the fall at this same pond; a WANDERING TATTLER and 40 SURFBIRDS at the tip of the Iona I. south jetty in Richmond, with 6 more SURFBIRDS at the Tsawwassen ferry terminal in Delta; a LONG-BILLED CURLEW and 2 MARBLED GODWITS at Blackie Spit in Surrey, with another godwit on the Boundary Bay shoreline in Delta near 80th Street; 5 RED KNOTS and 2 AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVERS along the Boundary Bay shoreline between 80th and 104th Streets; the WILLET near the base of the Tsawwassen jetty; and 9 RED-NECKED PHALAROPES at the golf course pond near the foot of 72nd Street in Delta.

Other observers saw a BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER at the Highway 17 pond in Delta.

A HORNED LARK, the first of the fall, was at the foot of 96th Street in Delta.

Two EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES were seen on 34th Street just south of River Road in Delta, near where they were being seen last fall.

At Maplewood Conservation Area in North Vancouver, the monthly count produced a juvenile FRANKLIN’S GULL on the mudflats, 3 BAIRD’S SANDPIPERS, 30 RED CROSSBILLS, and 4 RED-EYED VIREOS which consisted of 2 adults and 2 young birds.

Eight BLACK SWIFTS were reported from Whistler, north of Vancouver on Highway 99. 
 

Sightings for Friday, August 31

Two juvenile RUFFS, one male and one female, were found at the pond on the west side of Highway 17 in Delta, north of the 34B Avenue overpass. 

An adult PACIFIC GOLDEN-PLOVER, a juvenile AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER, a MARBLED GODWIT, and 6 RED KNOTS were seen on the Boundary Bay shoreline between 88th and 96th Streets, among at least 2700 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS. Nearby, 11 RED-NECKED PHALAROPES were in the golf course pond on 72nd Street.

A STILT SANDPIPER was seen at the Beach Grove Lagoon, at the east foot of 12th Avenue on Boundary Bay in Delta.

In out-of-town sightings, a GREEN HERON and 2 NORTHERN WATERTHRUSHES were reported near the float plane dock on Green Lake in Whistler.


Sightings for Thursday, August 30

The now-you-see-it, now-you-don’t TENNESSEE WARBLER was spotted again near the west pond at the Maplewood Conservation Area in North Vancouver.

At Deer Lake in Burnaby were 4 HUTTON’S VIREOS and an impressive concentration of 64 PURPLE MARTINS.


Sightings for Wednesday, August 29

A BROWN PELICAN was seen briefly in Semiahmoo Bay from a point just west of the White Rock pier in White Rock.

A NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH was seen at the Maplewood Conservation Area.

Five COMMON NIGHTHAWKS were seen on Carshill Street in Maple Ridge.

At the Tsawwassen ferry terminal, 12 BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS were seen, and 8 RED-NECKED PHALAROPES were present just offshore. A PARASITIC JAEGER was seen much farther offshore in Georgia Strait from the ferry.


Sightings for Tuesday, August 28

A MAGNOLIA WARBLER was seen and photographed near the tennis courts in Belcarra, north of Port Moody, but could not be relocated.

An adult LONG-TAILED JAEGER was seen from the ferry offshore from Brunswick Point in Delta. Another jaeger, believed to be a POMARINE JAEGER, was also seen from the same ferry near the coal port in Delta.

A SOLITARY SANDPIPER was seen at the Beach Grove lagoon in Delta.

A LONG-BILLED CURLEW was spotted on the Boundary Bay shoreline near the foot of 72nd Street.

At the Reifel Bird Sanctuary, an EARED GREBE was seen.


Sightings for Monday, August 27

The TENNESSEE WARBLER, perhaps the same one present since mid-July, was seen again near the west pond at the Maplewood Conservation Area in North Vancouver.

Four EASTERN KINGBIRDS, including an adult and 3 young fledglings, were seen at the Willband Ponds in Abbotsford.

A late LAZULI BUNTING and 5 EASTERN KINGBIRDS were at Colony Farm Park in Coquitlam.

At the Iona Island sewage ponds in Richmond were 10 RED-NECKED PHALAROPES, 6 BAIRD’S SANDPIPERS, 4 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS, and 2 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS.

At the Tsawwassen ferry terminal in Delta, a SURFBIRD and several BLACK TURNSTONES were seen on the rocks. Offshore, a small flock of RED-NECKED PHALAROPES was seen from the ferry off the coal port, and a PARASITIC JAEGER off the Fraser River mouth. 


Sightings for Sunday, August 26

A dark-phase POMARINE JAEGER was seen from the beach at Iona Island. Also here were 5 BANK SWALLOWS, 2 late N. ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWS, and a LONG-BILLED CURLEW. Along Ferguson Road on nearby Sea Island were 70 BLACK SWIFTS, an AMERICAN KESTREL, and another BANK SWALLOW.

At Blackie Spit in Surrey were another LONG-BILLED CURLEW and at least 2 COMMON TERNS.

Eight RED-NECKED PHALAROPES were at the Iona I. sewage ponds in Richmond.


Sightings for Saturday, August 25

A BROWN PELICAN was seen flying south past the tip of the Iona Island south jetty, and an out-of-season RED-THROATED LOON was also seen nearby.

At the Reifel Bird Sanctuary in Delta, an AMERICAN REDSTART was seen in a flock of 6 species of warblers.

A EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE was seen in the Beach Grove area of Delta between 4th and 6th Avenues. Nearby, 3 RED KNOTS and a juvenile AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER were seen near the foot of 96th Street on Boundary Bay.

At the Tsawwassen ferry terminal were 2 SURFBIRDS and 30 HARLEQUIN DUCKS.

The LONG-BILLED CURLEW and a MARBLED GODWIT were at Blackie Spit in Surrey.

At Lighthouse Marine Park in Point Roberts, Washington were 100 COMMON MURRES, 12 RHINOCEROS AUKLETS, a HEERMANN’S GULL, and 3 BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS.

At Colony Farm Park in Coquitlam were a SORA, 4 EASTERN KINGBIRDS, and at least 200 BAND-TAILED PIGEONS which were feeding on elderberries.


Sightings for Friday, August 24

An unseasonable GRAY-CROWNED ROSY-FINCH was reported from the summit of Mount Seymour in North Vancouver.

At Cecil Green Park near the University of BC, a female AMERICAN REDSTART and a bird believed to be a female ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK, both very rare locally, were seen. Also here were 4 RED CROSSBILLS and many migrants including 30 WESTERN TANAGERS, 20 YELLOW WARBLERS, and 10 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS.

At and near the foot of 96th Street on Boundary Bay in Delta were a BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER, 2 RED KNOTS, 2 STILT SANDPIPERS, a WILSON’S PHALAROPE, and a MARBLED GODWIT.

A RUDDY TURNSTONE was seen on the south side of the Tsawwassen ferry jetty in Delta.

At the Maplewood Conservation Area in North Vancouver were a BARRED OWL, a juvenile FRANKLIN’S GULL, and several RED CROSSBILLS.

 
Sightings for Thursday, August 23

A BROWN PELICAN was seen at the Tsawwassen ferry terminal in Delta, as were two WANDERING TATTLERS, 4 BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS, and 17 HARLEQUIN DUCKS.

A TENNESSEE WARBLER was found near the west pond at the Maplewood Conservation Area in North Vancouver.

The FRANKLIN’S GULL was seen again just east of the Sea-bus terminal in North Vancouver.


Sightings for Wednesday, August 22

In Delta, at and near the foot of 96th Street on Boundary Bay, were 2 RED KNOTS, a RED-NECKED PHALAROPE, a WILSON’S PHALAROPE, and 2 STILT SANDPIPERS, along with large numbers of other shorebirds, plus 2 YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS.

Several STILT SANDPIPERS and a PURPLE MARTIN were reported from Iona Island in Richmond.

A juvenile FRANKLIN’S GULL was reported on the North Vancouver waterfront just east of the Sea-bus terminal.

Noteworthy birds from the Reifel Bird Sanctuary included 9 STILT SANDPIPERS, a MARBLED GODWIT, 2 BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS, 2 GREEN HERONS, a WILSON’S PHALAROPE, and a EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE near the parking area.

Outside the Vancouver area, a FORSTER’S TERN was carefully studied at Alta Lake in Whistler.


Sightings for Tuesday, August 21

At the Maplewood Conservation Area in North Vancouver were a TURKEY VULTURE, a CHIPPING SPARROW, and several BAIRD’S and SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS.

Two STILT SANDPIPERS were at the Beach Grove lagoon in Delta, at the east foot of 12th Avenue on Boundary Bay. Twelve BAIRD’S SANDPIPERS were reported from the foot of 96th Street.


Sightings for Monday, August 20

At and near the foot of 96th Street on Boundary Bay in Delta were a BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER, a PACIFIC GOLDEN-PLOVER, 2 RED KNOTS, 20 DUNLIN, and 40 BAIRD’S SANDPIPERS. At nearby 72nd Street, two RED-NECKED PHALAROPES were in the golf course pond.

Two STILT SANDPIPERS and 2 WILSON’S PHALAROPES were at the pond off Highway 17 just north of 34B Avenue, and a MARBLED GODWIT and 12 STILT SANDPIPERS were at the Reifel Bird Sanctuary in Delta. At the nearby Tsawwassen ferry terminal were 30 BLACK TURNSTONES and 5 BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS, with the usual WILLET near the base of the jetty.

At Iona Island were 2 PECTORAL, 16 BAIRD’S, 30 SEMIPALMATED, and 9 STILT SANDPIPERS in the sewage ponds, plus 2 WILSON’S PHALAROPES.

The long-staying LONG-BILLED CURLEW was still at Blackie Spit in Surrey.

At the Maplewood Conservation Area in North Vancouver were a juvenile FRANKLIN’S GULL and a RED-EYED VIREO.


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. 

For further information about birding in the Vancouver area, log onto the Vancouver Natural History Society's website at http://naturevancouver.ca


Wayne C. Weber
Delta, BC  
contopus at telus.net