Victoria Rare Bird Alert Transcript

RBA - 250-704-2555
* British Columbia
* Greater Victoria and Southern Vancouver Is.
* May 13, 2012
* BCVI120513
-Transcript

This is Steven Roias with the Victoria Natural History Society's Bird Alert for Sunday, May 13, 10:00 PM update. To report sightings of interest, please call 250-704-2555 and leave your name, message and phone number. To summon those who can confirm a rare bird, please call Barbara Begg at 250-656-5296 or Rick Schortinghuis at 250-885-2454.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

-On Thursday, May 10th the Garry Oak Ecosystems Recovery Team (GOERT) released two pairs of WESTERN BLUEBIRD in a Cowichan Valley meadow hoping for successful nesting. For further information on this event please see the article on the Times Colonist at "http://www.timescolonist.com/travel/nest+yours+bluebirds+back/6605085/story.html". The heading is called "My nest or yours? The bluebirds are back". For further details, check out "goert.ca" or contact directly at bluebird@goert.ca or phone 250-383-5449. GOERT would like us to keep an eye out for banded WESTERN BLUEBIRD and to report any sightings.

-Good numbers of shorebird still at the local flats.

-MALLARD and CANADA GOOSE hatchlings begin across many nearby locales!

-Flycatchers and Warblers are in full force and are reported everywhere, especially around powerline corridors and deciduous forest patches!

RARE BIRD ALERTS:

Sunday, May 13:

-A SNOW BUNTING was seen at 12:20 PM on the outermost rocks of Clover Point. It was last seen this evening and was identified as a possible female.

-A pair of BLACK-NECKED STILT are still present at Maber Flats, 2 of them were seen mating on Saturday, April 28. Four were first reported Wednesday, April 25 at 10:00 am.

-Two WILSON'S PHALAROPE continue at Panama Flats this morning, they are in the flooded quadrant near the front of the metal building by Carey Rd. They were first reported yesterday Saturday, May 12.

Saturday, May 12:

-There were three SANDHILL CRANE in the field at the end of Swanwick Rd in Metchosin, as of 5:05 PM.

-Two SWAINSON'S HAWK (one dark phase adult and one light phase adult) were seen at the Victoria International Airport from the pullout just before the terminal if coming from the highway. The birds have been frequenting the fields in the vicinity of the Purolator and Viking Air buildings. As of 11:25 AM, the light phase bird disappeared to the south, and the dark bird was still present over the runways.

Friday, May 11:

-A RUDDY TURNSTONE was on an island between Chatham and Discovery Islands off Oak Bay.

-A female PACIFIC GOLDEN-PLOVER was seen at Tower Point in Metchosin at 3:30 PM. It was first seen on Thursday, May 10 in the evening.

Thursday, May 10:

-A WESTERN KINGBIRD was at Maber Flats around 11:00 AM. It was hawking from a fence-line post for perhaps 5minutes and then flew directly overhead.

-A pair of SANDHILL CRANE was seen and photographed at McAdam Park soccer field in Duncan.

Tuesday, May 08:

-A female MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD was at the Victoria Golf Course around 7:30 PM while looking for the WHIMBREL and MARBLED GODWIT.

-A SOLITARY SANDPIPER was at Tuesday Pond (Swan Lake) at 8:00 AM.

-There was a pair of REDHEAD at Swan Lake, they were last seen this evening.

-There was a MARBLED GODWIT with 2 WHIMBREL at the Victoria Golf Course (McMicking Point) this morning. The MARBLED GODWIT could not be relocated later in the day but there were 3 WHIMBREL in the evening.

Other Birds of Interest:

AMERICAN PIPIT, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK, BLUE-WINGED TEAL, BRANT, CACKLING GOOSE, CASPIAN TERN, CINNAMON TEAL, DUNLIN, GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, GREATER YELLOWLEGS, LESSER YELLOWLEG, LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, MARBLED MURRELET, NORTHERN HARRIER, OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER, RED CROSSBILL, RING-NECKED PHEASANT, PACIFIC LOON, PEREGRINE FALCON, PURPLE MARTIN, SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, SOOTY GROUSE, SORA, SPOTTED SANDPIPER, SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, SWAINSON'S THRUSH, VAUX'S SWIFT, WANDERING TATTLER, WARBLING VIREO, WESTERN GREBE, WESTERN TANAGER, WHIMBREL.

Sunday, May 13:

-Evening highlights from Clover Point include a PACIFIC LOON, a WESTERN GREBE, six BRANT and three pairs of MARBLED MURRLET.
-Up to four AMERICAN PIPIT and 2 CINNAMON TEAL were seen at Panama Flats.
-Three BLUE-WINGED TEAL were at Maber Flats.

Saturday, May 12:

-At Selkirk Waters around 4:00 PM (gorge waterway), 5 nest boxes were occupied by PURPLE MARTIN while 10 PURPLE MARTIN were seen in total.
-A pEREGRINE FALCON flushed several birds at Panama Flats. Also there, were both LESSER YELLOWLEG and GREATER YELLOWLEG, a single DUNLIN in breeding plumage, 25 DOWITCHER, most believed to be LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, a few SHORT-BILLED DOWICTHER, a single CACKLING GOOSE and at least 25 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE.

Friday, May 11:

-A WESTERN TANAGER was singing at the 4000 block of Prospect Lake Road.
-An OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER, WARBLING VIREO and RED CROSSBILL were seen on Mt. Tolmie.
-At Hastings Flats, a SPOTTED SANDPIPER was seen and a crowing RING-NECKED PHEASANT was present.
-At Panama Flats were 24 DOWITCHER, 22 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE and a pair of BLUE-WINGED TEAL. An evening trip to Panama Flats yielded a pair of BLUE-WINGED TEAL, a male CINNAMON TEAL,20 DOWITCHERS and a single GREATER YELLOWLEGS.
-Six WHIMBREL and two CASPIAN TERN were seen at noon from Tower Point in Metchosin.
-Shorebird highlights from a morning trip to islands off Oak bay between Chatham and Discovery Islands include a WANDERING TATTLER, six BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, one SEMIPALMATED PLOVER and 4 DUNLIN.

Thursday, May 10:

-Highlights from Panama Flats include 15 DOWITCHER, Of these, one called, which was a LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, 24 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE and a single CACKLING GOOSE along the south end. Also there in the evening were 24 DOWITCHER, many believed to be LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, 15-20 VAUX'S SWIFT and a SPOTTED SANDPIPER.
-A drake CINNAMON TEAL was at Maber Flats in the late morning.

Wednesday, May 09:

-Three WHIMBREL continue at the Victoria Golf Course (McMicking Point) this evening.
-A single CACKLING GOOSE has been visiting the shoreline along Kingham Place (Portage Inlet) for several days now. It is likely a sick individual as described by the reporter.
-First-of-the-year SWAINSON'S THRUSH was seen in Sooke.
-There were 2 singing BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK down by Langford Lake mid afternoon.
-At Rithet's Bog were 6 Short-billed Dowitchers and 4 Long-billed Dowitchers.
-There were 15 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE at Panama Flats today, along with a mixed flock of 21 DOWITCHER, at least 2 of which were LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER.

Tuesday, May 08:

-Forty VAUX'S SWIFT were seen from Hampton Park (Tillicum Rd and Burnside Rd W.)
-Shorebird highlights from Whiffin Spit include 2 WHIMBREL, 4 SEMIPALMATED PLOVER and a BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER.
-Two pair of BLUE-WINGED TEAL were on Mystic Pond (Cadboro Bay) in the afternoon.

Monday, May 07:

-At Swan Lake a SPOTTED SANDPIPER was seen at Tuesday Pond. Also at Swan Lake, a soaring NORTHERN HARRIER and a singing BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK were present.

Sunday, May 06:

-Twelve CASPIAN TERN were seen at Sidney Spit.
-There was a SOOTY GROUSE hooting near the top of Lone Tree Hill this afternoon.
-Three calling SORA where heard at Maber Flats, one of which was briefly seen.

Thanks!

Steven Roias
Victoria, BC