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


Sightings for Tuesday, July 9th - Wednesday AM update.


The featured birds include:

RUSTY BLACKBIRD (Dee Lk)
CASPIAN TERN (Vaseux Lk)
BARRED OWL (Kelowna)


Other birds mentioned:


Brown Creeper
Three-toed Woodpecker
Boreal Chickadee
Rock Wren
Grasshopper Sparrow
Pacific-slope Flycatcher
Least Flycatcher
Long-billed Dowitcher
Hooded Merganser
Semipalmated Sandpiper
American Avocet
Lark Sparrow
Purple Finch
Alder Flycatcher
American Redstart
Long-billed Dowitcher
Greater Yellowlegs
Least Sandpiper
CHESTNUT-COLLARED LONGSPUR
Harlequin Duck
Williamson's Sapsucker
Lewis' Woodpecker
Canyon Wren
Fox Sparrow



Sightings for July 9th

A RUSTY BLACKBIRD was briefly seen at Dee Lake Road, on the plateau E. of
Winfield (CC,RT). From Winfield, travel approx. 15 up the Beaver Lake Road,
turn left onto Dee Lake Road just before the Beaver Lake Lodge, and continue
11.7 km to the lake. Also here were three PINE GROSBEAKS (CC,RT).

Also along Dee Lake Road, 2.2 km from its intersection with Beaver Lake
Road, was a female THREE-TOED WOODPECKER, a BOREAL CHICKADEE and a BROWN
CREEPER (CC,RT). Another THREE-TOED WOODPECKER was at Lost Lake, 7.5 km from
Beaver Lake Road (CC,RT).

At Alki Lake in Kelowna, a ROCK WREN was heard singing on the cliffs near
the NE. corner of the lake, while up to 4 AMERICAN AVOCETS were on the lake
itself (CC,RT).

Shorebirds at Robert Lake in Kelowna, included 4 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS, 10
LEAST SANDPIPERS, and both GREATER & LESSER YELLOWLEGS (CC,RT,MF).

Along Mission Ck, upstream from Casorso Road in Kelowna, a LEAST FLYCATCHER
was singing (CC,RT).

At Goose Lake, in Vernon, a GRASSHOPPER SPARROW was heard singing in the
grasslands and a PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER was heard along the BX Creek Trail
(CC,RT).

Rose's Pond on the Vernon Commonage had a single ad. LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER
and two HOODED MERGANSERS (CC,RT).

On July 8th, a CASPIAN TERN was observed at Vaseux Lake in the South
Okanagan (DoW).

A BARRED OWL was observed in Okanagan Mountain Park, near Kelowna, on July 7
(SH). It was seen along the Goodes Basin Trail.


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).



Observers: CC - Chris Charlesworth; TF - Trevor Forder; HV - Hank Vanderpol;
PL - Paul Lehman; CW - Chris Woods; RC - Russel Cannings; DC - Dick
Cannings; RTo - Rick Toochin; BC - Bill Cutfield; SH - Steven Hornstein; DoW
- Doreen Wierenga.


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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