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

Sightings for Tuesday, December 17th - 6:00 PM update

** RARE BIRD ALERT continues for LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL (Vernon)
RARE BIRD for YELLOW-BILLED LOON (Penticton)


Featured birds include:


Other birds mentioned:

PACIFIC LOON
MEW GULL
GYRFALCON
PEREGRINE FALCON
ROCK WREN
RUSTY BLACKBIRD
SAVANNAH SPARROW
LINCOLN'S SPARROW
HARRIS' SPARROW
Western Bluebird
Boreal Chickadee
Pine Grosbeak
EURASIAN WIGEON
WHITE-WINGED SCOTER
GLAUCOUS GULL
SWAMP SPARROW
GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Northern Goshawk
Blue Grouse
Ruffed Grouse
Virginia Rail
Wilson's Snipe


Sightings for December 17th

The first winter LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was again at the mouth of Vernon
Ck in the Okanagan Landing area of Vernon (MF). The bird was seen again
between 8 and 9 AM, loafing on the sandbar with hundreds of other gulls.

In Penticton, an imm. YELLOW-BILLED LOON was discovered on the 15th (JB) and
was seen again on the 16th (DCa). The bird was on Skaha Lake right where the
Okanagan River Channel empties into Skaha Lake.


Sightings for December 15th

Both the Vernon and Penticton CBCs were held today, under mostly sunny
skies. Vernon tallied an unofficial 97 species while Penticton tallied 92

Vernon's best bird was the first year LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, which was
relocated at the mouth of Vernon Ck in Okanagan Landing (CC,PG,CG,RT,m.ob).
The bird, which was first discovered on Dec 8, has been seen both times
before 9 AM. This appears to be the first provincial CBC record for this
species. Other interesting gulls seen at the same location included a 2nd yr
MEW GULL and an adult THAYER'S GULL (CC,MF,m.ob).

Other highlites included a ROCK WREN, seen along the railroad tracks, S. of
Kickwillie Loop Road in Vernon (GD) and a PACIFIC LOON far off in the
distance on the lake at Okanagan Landing (PG).

In the commonage area, a BARRED OWL was observed in a backyard, and at the
Bishop Bird Sanct in Coldstream the ad. winter HARRIS' SPARROW was again
seen (MC). Also in Coldstream, the Coldstream Ranch produced a RUSTY
BLACKBIRD (JQ).

In Summerland, a PEREGRINE FALCON was seen flying over Cartwright Mtn at
2:00 PM (LRock), and on Dec 12, an imm. female GYRFALCON was observed
devouring a MALLARD near Illahie Camp in Trout Ck (BD).

Two interesting sparrow species were tallied on the Penticton count,
LINCOLN'S SPARROW (AB) and SAVANNAH SPARROW (DB).

Over 100 WESTERN BLUEBIRDS were counted within Penticton and on Reservoir
Road, E. of Penticton, 6 BOREAL CHICKADEES and 2 PINE GROSBEAKS were at km
11 (DCa).

In Kelowna, a MEW GULL was seen along Cameron Avenue, which represents a
count week record for their CBC (BC) and a HARRIS' SPARROW was found at 3390
East Kelowna Road (SB).


Sightings for December 14th

The Kelowna Christmas Bird Count was held today, and the final tally, 91,
was slightly lower than the average count. Here are the highlites of the
count.

The male GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE, made his second CBC appearance at the Orchard
Park Mall in front of the Bay in Kelowna (DC).

On Gordon Drive, in Kelowna, a male EURASIAN WIGEON was on Thomson-Brook
Pond (BT).

Possibly a first for a Kelowna CBC, a female type WHITE-WINGED SCOTER was on
Belgo Pond on Walburn Road, in Kelowna's Rutland area (CC,RY,WA).

At the Kelowna Landfill, an adult GLAUCOUS GULL was seen (MF,LB).

Along Lakha Road, in Ellison, the imm. HARRIS' SPARROW was again seen
(CS,TF) and the SWAMP SPARROW was again heard at Robert Lake (MF,LB).

RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS were seen along Mission Ck near Casorso Road (DeB),
and near East Kelowna Road (CC,JT,PH), and on Manhattan Point (GW,EF,LR,KA).

The Chichester Bird Sanctuary produced a VIRGINIA RAIL and a WILSON'S SNIPE
(CC,WA,RY).

Ten WESTERN BLUEBIRDS were in Rutland at Walburn Road and Garner Road
(CC,RY,WA). Ten more WESTERN BLUEBIRDS were also at the Cedar Ck Winery on
Lakeshore (DW,RT).

A hike up the MacDougall Creek Trail produced a NORTHERN GOSHAWK, 2 BLUE
GROUSE and 5 RUFFED GROUSE (DB).



Observers: TF - Trevor Forder; DB - Doug Brown; DC - Don Cecile; CC - Chris
Charlesworth; DW - Don Wilson; BT - Brenda Thompson; RT - Ryan Tomlinson; RY
- Robin Yellowlees; WA - Wilf Akerlund; GW - Gwynneth Wilson; LR - Lesley
Robertson; EF - Elke Fischer; KA - Karen Arkinstall; CS - Chris Siddle; LB -
Lisa Brown; MF - Mike Force; JT - Judy Toms; PH - Paddy Hann; JQ - John
Quirk; PG - Phil Gehlen; CG - Calvin Gehlen; BD - Blake Dixon; LRock -
Laurie Rockwell; MC - Mary Collins; GD - Gary Davidson; BC - Bill Cutfield;
SB - Sylvia Blackburn; AB - Andy Bezener; DCa - Dick Cannings; JB - Jim
Bryan.


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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