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


Sightings for Sunday, July 7th - 11:00 PM update.


The featured birds include:

LARK SPARROW (Winfield)


Other birds mentioned:

Purple Finch
Alder Flycatcher
Least Flycatcher
American Redstart
Long-billed Dowitcher
Greater Yellowlegs
Least Sandpiper
CHESTNUT-COLLARED LONGSPUR
Harlequin Duck
Williamson's Sapsucker
Boreal Chickadee
Lewis' Woodpecker
Canyon Wren
Fox Sparrow
Brown Creeper
Chukar
Three-toed Woodpecker
White-winged Crossbill
Golden Eagle
Swainson's Hawk
Pine Grosbeak
Veery


Sightings for July 7th

E. of Winfield, on the Beaver Lake Road grasslands, two LARK SPARROWS were
found near bluebird box # 22 (TF). This species is very rare in the Okanagan
N. of Penticton.

The first southbound shorebirds of the season were reported yesterday at
Robert Lake in Kelowna. These included a GREATER YELLOWLEGS, a LONG-BILLED
DOWITCHER and 3 LEAST SANDPIPERS (BC).

An extensive search for the CHESTNUT-COLLARED LONGSPUR near Wells Gray Park
was unsuccessful on July 5th, however a few other species of interest were
found along Clearwater Valley Road, N. of Clearwater in the Thomson River
Valley. These were numerous AMERICAN REDSTARTS, 3 PURPLE FINCHES, a LEAST
FLYCATCHER and an ALDER FLYCATCHER (CC,RT).


Sightings for July 4th

The breeding male CHESTNUT-COLLARED LONGSPUR, first discovered on July 1st,
was again seen near Wells Gray Park (RTo). 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.

A male WILLIAMSON'S SAPSUCKER was seen at km 15 on the Venner Meadows Road,
E. of Okanagan Falls (DC,RC,CC,PL,CW,m.ob).

Near Rabbitt Lake, between km 20-25 on the Shuttleworth Ck FSR, E. of
Okanagan Falls, two BOREAL CHICKADEES, 3 FOX SPARROWS and a BROWN CREEPER
were in the spruce forest (CC,PL,CW,m.ob).

A male HARLEQUIN DUCK was found on the Okanagan River off the campground at
Okanagan Falls (CW,PL,CC,m.ob). The bird was feeding actively in the rapid
waters.

A CHUKAR was observed calling from the Vaseux Cliffs, while numerous LEWIS'
WOODPECKERS, 4 CANYON WRENS and many other birds were in the same general
area (RC,DC,CC,PL,CW,m.ob).

Along the Twin Lakes Road, about 2 km W. of its intersection with the White
Lake Road, a LEAST FLYCATCHER was seen in a grove of aspens (CC,PL,CW,m.ob).


Sightings for July 3

The CHESTNUT-COLLARED LONGSPUR, seen on the 1st and 2nd of July was again
seen near Wells Gray Park (RH,m.ob).

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).



Observers: GW - Gwynneth Wilson; CC - Chris Charlesworth; TF - Trevor
Forder; HV - Hank Vanderpol; CR - Clara Ritcey; PL - Paul Lehman; CW - Chris
Woods; RC - Russel Cannings; DC - Dick Cannings; RTo - Rick Toochin; BC -
Bill Cutfield.


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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