Birders,

Today I birded the South Okanagan Valley, in BC. I left my house at 4:30 AM
and headed S. in the darkness. I had an excellent day, although the morning
was much more productive than the afternoon. Here are some highlites: (*
means sighting of interest).

GHOW - As I drove S. along Hwy 97, a GHOW was perched on a telephone pole N.
of Summerland.

White Lake area

Song Sparrow 12
Pine Siskin 5
Mallard
Northern Flicker
Dark-eyed Junco 5
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Red-breasted Nuthatch 15
Red Crossbill 20
American Wigeon 2
Am. Robin 50
House Finch
Red-tailed Hawk 3
California Quail 30
Say's Phoebe 2
Pileated Woodpecker 1
Mountain Chickadee 5
Mourning Dove 1
Ring-necked Dove 7
Spotted Towhee 8
Western Meadowlark 40
Canada Goose 2
Am. Crow
Ring-necked Pheasant 8
Black-billed Magpie 6
Mountain Bluebird 8
Killdeer 2
*Red-naped Sapsucker 6
Am. Goldfinch 1
Tree Swallow 1
*WESTERN SCREECH OWL - 1 responded to my Pygmy Owl toot at the cattleguard,
S. of White Lk, near a high cliff.
White-breasted Nuthatch 1
European Starling 10
Western Bluebird 6
Common Raven
Common Redpoll 1
*Horned Lark 17
Brewer's Blackbird 12
*Vesper Sparrow 3
*Gray Partridge 3
Black-capped Chickadee 5
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 10
*Rough-legged Hawk 1
Violet-green Swallow 2
Canyon Wren 1
Ruffed Grouse 2 drumming
*BLUE GROUSE - I heard a call in the pre-dawn darkness at White Lk Rd and
Saddlehorn Dr. At first I thought Blue Grouse, then I thought Long-eared
Owl. I stuck with Long-eared Owl! Amazingly, I've never heard a Long-eared
Owl calling before. I've also never heard an interior Blue Grouse call
either! When I got to White Lk itself, I heard numerous single "hoots"
(similar to Flammulated Owl call) in the sagebrush. I knew then that the
birds were grouse! After learning this new call, guess how many Blue Grouse
I ended up with today at various locations.....16!

Camp McKinney Road

*Long-billed Curlew 2 on the sage flats
Red-naped Sapsucker 1
*Williamson's Sapsucker - 1 heard drumming at km 12 (famous WHWO spot) now
affectionately known as "Woody's Landing", according to a sign posted on a
tree.
Townsend's Solitaire 1
White-breasted Nuthatch 1 at km 12.

*Northern Shoveler - 1 male at Deadmans Lake.

Haynes Point Park

Gadwall 2
Green-winged Teal 10
Northern Pintail 10
Common Loon 3
Marsh Wren 5
*Yellow-rumped Warbler 1 male
Belted Kingfisher 2
Northern Shoveler 1 male
Say's Phoebe 1

Richter Pass area

-- pond, 9.4 km W. of Hwy 97 jctn.

Northern Shoveler 2
Bufflehead 1 female
Mallard 8
Yellow-headed Blackbird 1
Song Sparrow 1
Green-winged Teal 25
American Wigeon 2
Northern Pintail 6

-- pond 10 km W. of Hwy 97 jctn.

Ring-necked Duck 20
Am. Coot 10
Red-naped Sapsucker 1
Northern Shoveler 2
Redhead 20
Tree Swallow 1
Mallard 10
Green-winged Teal 1

Blue Lake

Blue Grouse - 2 calling in sagebrush.
Am. Wigeon 30
Bufflehead 4
Barrow's Goldeneye 2
Northern Pintail 100
Lesser Scaup 50
Mallard 800
Common Goldeneye 2
Western Meadowlark 5
Redhead 100

Elkink Ranch

Chukar 1 calling
Blue Grouse 1 calling in sagebrush

Richter Lake

*Eurasian Wigeon 2 (male and presumed female)
Mallard 400
Redhead 10
Am. Wigeon 10
*Wood Duck 1 male
Ring-necked Duck 10
Green-winged Teal 7
Am. Coot 80
Canada Goose 10
Yellow-headed Blackbird 4
W. Meadowlark 6
Marsh Wren 4
Rock Dove
Blue Grouse 1 calling in sagebrush
Violet-green Swallow 8
Northern Pintail 15
Barrow's Goldeneye 2
Tundra Swan 3 ad.
Red-winged Blackbird
Pygmy Nuthatch 2
Killdeer
Bald Eagle 1 imm.
Red-tailed Hawk 1 ad.

Chopaka

Western Meadowlark 20
Northern Harrier 1 migrating at high altitude
Western Bluebird 2
Mountain Bluebird 15
Am. Robin 30
Raven 8
Yellow-rumped Warbler 1
Am. Kestrel 1
*Northern Rough-winged Swallow 1
*Gray Partridge 2
*Vesper Sparrow 5
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1
Dark-eyed Junco 10
Flicker 4

Pond at Old Richter Pass Rd and Krueger Mtn Rd

Canvasback 2
Scaup sp 40
Bufflehead
Barrow's Goldeneye
Spotted Towhee 2
Say's Phoebe 2
Killdeer
Redhead 10
Am. Wigoen 15
Common Goldeneye
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Red-winged Blackbird
B-C Chickadee

Kilpoola

Downy Woodpecker 1
Hairy Woodpecker 2
*Three-toed Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 2
Common Redpoll 10
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 3
*Sandhill Crane 1 or more heard overhead
Blue Grouse 1 calling

Osprey - 1 flying over Hwy 97, N. of Osoyoos.

Road 22 area

*Savannah Sparrow 1 singing (early)
Am. Wigeon 300
Tree Swallow 20
Am. Coot 100
Turkey Vulture 3
Canyon Wren 2
N. Rough-winged Swallow 1
Osprey 2
Herring Gull 50
Cooper's Hawk 1
Golden Eagle 1
Northern Harrier 2
California Gull 15

Vaseux Cliffs

*White-throated Swift 5
Canyon Wren 1
Say's Phoebe 1

Virginia Rail - 1 heard, with 2 Marsh Wrens along boardwalk at Vaseux Lake.


Days species total -- 100!

That's all,

Chris Charlesworth
Kelowna, BC, Canada



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