This is the Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Rare Bird Alert
(250)491-7738.


Sightings for Tuesday, August 6th - Wed AM update.

The featured birds include:

DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT (Vaseux)
SEMIPALMATED PLOVER (Kelowna)

Other birds mentioned:

Swainson's Hawk
Merlin
Baird's Sandpiper
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Hooded Merganser
Long-billed Dowitcher
GREAT EGRET
Least Sandpiper
Pectoral Sandpiper
Lesser Yellowlegs
Greater Yellowlegs
Spotted Sandpiper
Mew Gull
Spruce Grouse
Peregrine Falcon
White-winged Crossbill
Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch
Ruffed Grouse
Blue Grouse
American Dipper
Solitary Sandpiper
Glaucous-winged Gull
American Avocet


Sightings for August 6th

A DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT has been present in the marsh area N. of Vaseux
Lake for some time now (LN).

In Kelowna, a juv. SEMIPALMATED PLOVER was seen at Thomson-Brook Pond on
Gordon Drive, S. of Mission Ck (CC). Also there was a LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER
(CC).

Shorebird highlites at Robert Lake, in Kelowna, included 3 BAIRD'S and 70
SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS. An imm. HOODED MERGANSER was also there (CC).

A female MERLIN was along K.L.O Rd at Como Road in Kelowna (CC) and an ad.
SWAINSON'S HAWK was along Old Vernon Road, .5 km W. of Morrison Road (CC).


Sightings for August 5th

The first BAIRD'S SANDPIPERS of the fall migration were at Robert Lake in
Kelowna (CC). There were at least three present. Other shorebirds seen there
included 3 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, 15 SEMIPALMATED and 3 LEAST SANDPIPERS, 1
LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, 2 WILSON'S PHALAROPES, 12 LESSER and 5 GREATER
YELLOWLEGS, many KILLDEER and SPOTTED SANDPIPERS (CC).

East of the Okanagan, a GREAT EGRET was reported on a pond at the Kettle
Valley Golf Course, which is found about 10 km E. of Rock Creek (JB)


Sightings for July 22nd

At Robert Lake in Kelowna, an adult MEW GULL, the first July record for the
valley, was observed (CC).

On July 20th, the following shorebirds were reported at Robert Lake: 2
AMERICAN AVOCETS, 10 LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS, 3 GREATER & 1 LESSER
YELLOWLEGS, 1 SOLITARY SANDPIPER, 6 LEAST SANDPIPERS, 2 WILSON'S PHALAROPE
and many KILLDEER and SPOTTED SANDPIPERS (HV).

A pair of GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS had two chicks on Jim Grant Island in Lake
Country (HV).

A female SPRUCE GROUSE was seen on the Hedley-Nickleplate FSR, which is just
past the Apex Resort, W. of Penticton (LN). The bird was seen 450 m along
the road with 5 chicks on July 19th.

A bird thought to be a PEREGRINE FALCON was seen in Kelowna at the
intersection of Gordon and Cameron (BC).

Along the road to the Vista Pass, near Vernon 2 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS were
seen near km 14. Three GRAY-CROWNED ROSY-FINCHES were observed at the height
of land on the pass, known as the pinnacle, which is at approx. 2050 m
elevation. Other noteworthy sightings along this route included a RUFFED
GROUSE, a female BLUE GROUSE and an AMERICAN DIPPER at Pinnacle Lake (ScH).


Observers: CC - Chris Charlesworth; HV - Hank Vanderpol; BC - Bill Cutfield;
LN - Laure Neish; Scott Hobson; RT - Ryan Tomlinson; Jeff Bates.


If you have any questions about Okanagan Valley birding, contact Chris
Charlesworth, in Kelowna at (250)-718-0335, Dick Cannings in Penticton at
(250) 496-4019, or Phil Gehlen in Vernon at (250) 542-8053.

This update has been sponsored by the TUMBLEWEED NATURE STORE at 67 Front
Street in Penticton.

Thanks for calling the bird alert and happy birding.

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