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

Sightings for Thursday, December 5th - 11:00 PM update

Featured birds include:

HARRIS' SPARROW (Kelowna)
GYRFALCON (Kelowna)

Other birds mentioned:

Rough-legged Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel
Merlin
Great Horned Owl
MEW GULL
PACIFIC LOON
Redhead
Pileated Woodpecker
Gray Jay
Varied Thrush
Western Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Northern Pygmy Owl
Thayer's Gull
SWAMP SPARROW
GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE
BLUE JAY
Lewis' Woodpecker
Trumpeter Swan
Spotted Towhee
Tundra Swan
Greater Scaup
Ruddy Duck
Canvasback
Ring-necked Duck
Ruddy Duck


Sightings for December 5th

An immature HARRIS' SPARROW was discovered in the Ellison area of Kelowna,
at 2580 Lakha Road (GW). One was at the same location last winter as well.
Also in the Ellison area were 10 RED-TAILED HAWKS, 2 ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS, a
MERLIN and an AMERICAN KESTREL (GW,m.ob).

The GYRFALCON and a MERLIN were again reported at the Marshall's Feedlot,
along the W. side of Hwy 97, S. of McCurdy Road in Kelowna (GW,m.ob).

Along Mission Ck, in Kelowna, between Casorso Road and Gordon Drive, on the
N. side of the creek, was a GREAT HORNED OWL (RM).


Sightings for December 4th

At the Maude Roxby Bird Sanctuary in Kelowna, a second year MEW GULL and an
adult THAYER'S GULL were seen (BC).

The GYRFALCON and a MERLIN were reported at the Marshall's
Feedlot(CC,TF,BD).

On Kelowna's Westside, a NORTHERN PYGMY OWL made a visit at 2700 Lakeridge
Road (EF).

A PACIFIC LOON was reported on Woods Lake, in Lake Country, earlier this
week (AS).

In the sunshine, E. of Penticton, a GRAY JAY, a VARIED THRUSH and a PILEATED
WOODPECKER, which was calling and drumming, were reported along Carmi Road
(LN).

Near Summerland, a WESTERN GREBE and a RED-NECKED GREBE were with a large
raft of REDHEADS off the Pyramid Park (LN).


Sighitngs for December 1st

A SWAMP SPARROW was discovered in the weeds and wetlands at the N. end of
Swan Lake in Vernon (CS). A possible SWAMP SPARROW was also heard, on Nov
30th, at Robert Lk (CC).

Three adult TRUMPETER SWANS were with 13 TUNDRA SWANS at the Head of the
Lake and two female RUDDY DUCKS were on McKay's Reservoir on the Vernon
Commonage (CS).

The adult winter HARRIS' SPARROW continues at the Bishop Bird Sanctuary, on
Coldstream Ck Road, near Vernon (MC).

The LEWIS' WOODPECKER has returned to winter along May St, in Summerland,
near Powell Beach Park (LRo). 24 CANVASBACKS and 5 RING-NECKED DUCKS were
seen on Okanagan Lake, from Lakeshore Drive, in Summerland and at Sun-oka
Provincial Park, also in Summerland, an estimated 1500-2000 REDHEADS and a
few GREATER SCAUP were present (LRo).

On Nov 30th, the male GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE was again at the Cooper Road, Hwy
97 intersection in Kelowna (CC,RM) and an adult THAYER'S GULL was at the
Kelowna Landfill (CC,RM).

An adult male SPOTTED TOWHEE was at 397 Herbert Heights Road, in the Poplar
Point area of Kelowna (GW,CC,m.ob) and the BLUE JAY continues on Kelowna's
Westside at 2700 Lakeridge Road (EF).


Observers: CC - Chris Charlesworth; MC - Mary Collins; LRo - Laurie
Rockwell; CS - Chris Siddle; RM - Richard Mooney; GW - Gwynneth Wilson; EF -
Elke Fischer; BC - Bill Cutfield; TF - Trevor Forder; LN - Laure Neish; BD -
Brenda Darchuk; AS - Andy Stepniewski.


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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