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

Sightings for Wednesday, July 3 - midnight update


Rare Bird alert for out of valley CHESTNUT-COLLARED LONGSPUR (Wells Gray
Park)

The featured birds include:

THREE-TOED WOODPECKER (Kelowna)
WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL (Kelowna)


Other birds mentioned:

Golden Eagle
Swainson's Hawk
Brown Creeper
Pine Grosbeak
Veery
Northern Saw-whet Owl
American Redstart
Least Flycatcher
Red-naped Sapsucker
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Nashville Warbler
MacGillivray's Warbler
Cassin's Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Western Tanager
Winter Wren
Canyon Wren
PURPLE MARTIN
Gray Flycatcher
Lewis' Woodpecker
White-throated Swift


Sightings for July 3

A breeding plumage male CHESTNUT-COLLARED LONGSPUR was discovered on July 1
and was seen again on the 2nd and 3rd near Wells Gray Park (CR). To reach
the bird follow Hwy 5 N. from Kamloops to Clearwater and turn towards Wells
Gray Park on Clearwater Valley Road. Follow this road for about 25 km until
you see large signs on the right advertising the Nakiska Ranch. Turn on this
road (Trout Ck Road) and proceed .9 km, putting you in the middle of a
hayfield. The longspur seems to prefer the uncut field on the left hand side
of the road, but will also perch on fenceposts and telephone wires in the
area.

Various interesting species were reported along McCulloch Road, near Kelowna
over the past week. Km 0 for this route is traditionally at the bridge over
K.L.O Ck. At km 5, a bird thought possibly to be a GRAY FLYCATCHER was heard
(HV). In the high elevation forest near McCulloch Lake, two male THREE-TOED
WOODPECKERS, 2 PINE GROSBEAKS, and 2 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS were observed
(HV). From between km 3-5, 2 ad. GOLDEN EAGLES, 2 SWAINSON'S HAWKS and a
WHITE-THROATED SWIFT were seen over Layercake Mountain (CC). A VEERY was at
km 3.2 along Hydraulic Ck and a BROWN CREEPER was seen at km 15.2 (CC).


Sightings for June 27

Nesting NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWLS were found along the Gilliard Creek FSR, off
Chute Lake Road in Kelowna (GW). From where the Gilliard FSR meets the old
Kettle Valley Railway tracks, turn left and walk 100 M. along the tracks.
You will see two large aspens on the left. In one of these trees, a juv.
Saw-whet was seen, while also in the same tree was a RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER
NEST. Other birds noted along the Gilliard CK FSR were YELLOW-RUMPED,
NASHVILLE, ORANGE-CROWNED and MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLERS, CASSIN'S, WARBLING
and RED-EYED VIREOS, WESTERN TANAGER and WINTER WREN (GW).

E. of the Okanagan Valley, along Blythe-Rhone Road, off Hwy 33, N. of
Westbridge, 4 singing male AMERICAN REDSTARTS and a singing LEAST FLYCATCHER
were found (CC,TF).

On June 24th, a flock of 23 AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS were at the N. end of
Vaseux Lake (CD).


Sightings for June 23rd

A bird thought to be a PURPLE MARTIN was reported at the intersection of
Gordon Dr and K.L.O Road in Kelowna (HV). It was seen and heard, and
described well, while in flight at that location.

LEAST FLYCATCHERS continue to invade the Okanagan Valley. Two singing males
were along the Twin Lakes Road, in aspen groves 1-2 km W. of the White Lake
Road turnoff (CC).

Two GRAY FLYCATCHERS were heard on the Macintyre Ck Road, which runs E. from
Vaseux Lake (CC). At the Vaseux Cliffs were a CANYON WREN, a LEWIS'
WOODPECKER, 5 WHITE-THROATED SWIFTS and a very active WESTERN RATTLESNAKE
(CC).


Observers: GW - Gwynneth Wilson; CC - Chris Charlesworth; TF - Trevor
Forder; CD - Chris Dale; HV - Hank Vanderpol; CR - Clara Ritcey.


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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