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

Sightings for Thursday, December 19th - 9:30 PM update


Featured birds include:

SWAMP SPARROW (Lake Country)
PACIFIC LOON (Lake Country)

Other birds mentioned:

Trumpeter Swan
Northern Shrike
Northern Pygmy Owl
"Harlan's" Red-tailed Hawk
Northern Harrier
Western Grebe
Lesser Scaup
ROCK WREN
LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL
YELLOW-BILLED LOON


The Vaseux Lake CBC takes place this Saturday, December 21st. Call Dick
Cannings at (250) 496-4019 for more information.

Sightings for December 19th

While scouting areas for Lake Country's first CBC to be held on Dec 29th, an
observer discovered a SWAMP SPARROW in a tiny cattail marsh at the SE corner
of Wood Lake (CC). From the power plant at Oyama Rd and Woodsdale Road, walk
N. along the tracks. The sparrow was in the cattail marsh on the left, just
before the lake. Also here was an imm. NORTHERN SHRIKE (CC).

Seen from the railroad tracks at the extreme NE corner of Wood Lake was an
adult PACIFIC LOON and two WESTERN GREBES (CC). Three LESSER SCAUP were seen
from the boat launch off Clement Road, at the S. end of Wood Lake (CC).

A NORTHERN PYGMY OWL was reported at Middle Bench Road and East Hill Road in
Lake Country (CC).

In Kelowna's Ellison area, an adult "HARLAN'S" race RED-TAILED HAWK was
being harassed by a typical RED-TAILED HAWK and a NORTHERN HARRIER (CC).

An adult TRUMPETER SWAN was with 18 TUNDRA SWANS at Rotary Beach in Kelowna
(RM).


Sightings for December 18th

The first winter LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was again seen at the mouth of
Vernon Ck in the Okanagan Landing area of Vernon (CS). The bird was seen in
the morning between 8 and 9 AM.

Also in Vernon, the ROCK WREN, found on the CBC on Dec 14, was again located
along the railroad tracks, just S. of Kickwillie Loop Road (CS).


Sightings for December 17th

In Vernon, the first winter LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was again seen at the
mouth of Vernon Ck in the Okanagan Landing area (MF).

A YELLOW-BILLED LOON, discovered on Dec 15 (JB) in Penticton, was again
reported on the 16th (DCa). It is on Skaha Lake right where the Okanagan
River Channel empties into the lake.



Observers: CC - Chris Charlesworth; MF - Mike Force; DCa - Dick Cannings; JB
- Jim Bryan; CS - Chris Siddle; RM - Richard Mooney.


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.

_________________________________________________________________
Add photos to your e-mail with MSN 8. Get 3 months FREE*.
http://join.msn.com/?page=features/featuredemail&xAPID=42&PS=47575&PI=7324&DI=7474&SU=
http://www.hotmail.msn.com/cgi-bin/getmsg&HL=1216hotmailtaglines_addphotos_3mf