July 9th, Ryan Tomlinson and I birded the Kelowna and Vernon areas in BCs
Okanagan Valley. We set out to see how many species we could get in a
semi-relaxed style big day. Our morning began at 5:30 AM on Beaver Lake
Road, where birds are still singing enthusiastically. Then we drove to
Vernon on Dee Lake Road, a logging road that goes through some fine upper
elevation spruce forest. From there we birded at a couple Vernon locales
before returning to Kelowna. The day finished at around 5:00 PM.

Beaver Lake Road

Lazuli Bunting 10
Vesper Sparrow 21
Western Meadowlark 10
American Kestrel 1
Song Sparrow 2
European Starling 36
Brown-headed Cowbird 2
Northern Flicker 6
Say's Phoebe 1
Eastern Kingbird 2
Western Kingbird 2
California Quail 4
Cedar Waxwing 5
Bullock's Oriole 6
Tree Swallow 6
Western Wood Pewee 3
American Goldfinch 2
House Finch 3
Pine Siskin 3
American Robin 8
Western Bluebird 4
Chipping Sparrow 1
Barn Swallow 3
Willow Flycatcher 1
Black-billed Magpie 2
Savannah Sparrow 1
Killdeer 1
Downy Woodpecker 2
Warbling Vireo 5
Swainson's Thrush 2
House Wren 3
Spotted Towhee 4
Gray Catbird 1
Calliope Hummingbird 2
MacGillivray's Warbler 3
Dusky Flycatcher 2
Pygmy Nuthatch 1
Nashville Warbler 2
Black-capped Chickadee 9
Orange-crowned Warbler 2
Red-naped Sapsucker 2
Hammond's Flycatcher 3
Red-breasted Nuthatch 6
Mountain Chickadee 8
Western Tanager 1
Cassin's Vireo 2
Yellow-rumped Warbler 2
Common Raven 1

Dee Lake Road

Golden-crowned Kinglet 10
Yellow-rumped Warbler 15
Winter Wren 4
Song Sparrow 5
Cedar Waxwing 2
American Robin 4
*Boreal Chickadee 1 at km 2.2
Hermit Thrush 5
Brown Creeper 1 at km 2.2
Northern Flicker 1
Wilson's Warbler 1 male at km 2.2
*Three-toed Woodpecker 2 (1 female at km 2.2 and 1 female at Lost Lk)
Swainson's Thrush 13
Townsend's Warbler 10
Dark-eyed Junco 11
Steller's Jay 2
Common Raven 1
Mallard 5
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 11
Lincoln's Sparrow 4
Common Loon 2
Northern Waterthrush 2
Spotted Sandpiper 4
Olive-sided Flycatcher 1
Hairy Woodpecker 2
Killdeer 4
Black-capped Chickadee 8
Red-breasted Nuthatch 6
Pine Grosbeak 4 (3 at Dee Lake)
Varied Thrush 1 at Dee Lake
*Rusty Blackbird 1 at Dee Lake
Gray Jay 6
Barn Swallow 10
Brown-headed Cowbird 3
Osprey 5 at Doreen Lake
Red-naped Sapsucker 2
Pine Siskin 4
Dusky Flycatcher 2
Calliope Hummingbird 2
Mountain Chickadee 5
Orange-crowned Warbler 2
Warbling Vireo 5
Mountain Bluebird 1 calling male
Cassin's Vireo 2
Turkey Vulture 1
Townsend's Solitaire 2
MacGillivray's Warbler 2
Red Crossbill 5
Hammond's Flycatcher 1
Lazuli Bunting 2
American robin 1

BX Creek Trail in Vernon

*Pacific-slope Flycatcher 1 singing
Western Tanager 1
Mourning Dove 1
Lazuli Bunting 1
Chipping Sparrow 3
American Robin 1
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Pygmy Nuthatch 1
Black-capped Chickadee 3
Black-billed Magpie 1
Hammond's Flycatcher 1

Wildwood Road (Silver Star Mtn in Vernon)

Black-headed Grosbeak 1
MacGillivray's Warbler 1
Cassin's Vireo 2
Western Tanager 2
Western Wood Pewee 1

Goose Lake Road (Vernon)

Grasshopper Sparrow 1 answered tape
Turkey Vulture 1
Bullock's Oriole 1
Bank Swallow 1
Clay-colored Sparrow 1
Violet-green Swallow 3

Vernon Commonage

Clay-colored Sparrow 2
Swainson's Hawk 3
N. Rough-winged Swallow 1
Song Sparrow 1
Western Kingbird 1
Tree Swallow 1
Common Raven 5
Bullock's Oriole 1
Long-billed Dowitcher 1 on Rose's Pond
Killdeer 5
Lesser Scaup 5
Bufflehead 1 female
Turkey Vulture 1
Barrow's Goldeneye 2
American Wigeon 5 (female with 5 new chicks)
Lesser Yellowlegs 2
Ruddy Duck 2
Hooded Merganser 2 on Rose's Pond
Pied-billed Grebe 3 (ad. and two chicks)

Robert Lake (Kelowna)

Blue-winged Teal 5
Redhead 10
Green-winged Teal 5
Mallard 80
Gadwall 5
Spotted Sandpiper 10
Wilson's Phalarope 4
Lesser Yellowlegs 2
Least Sandpiper 10
*Semipalmated Sandpiper 2
Greater Yellowlegs 2
Killdeer 15
Yellow-headed Blackbird 10
Brewer's Blackbird 1
House Sparrow 1
Savannah Sparrow 1
Violet-green Swallow 2
Bank Swallow 500
Am. Robin 1
Cedar Waxwing 1
Pine Siskin 1
Red-winged Blackbird 1
Western Wood Pewee 1
House Finch 1

Alki Lake (Kelowna)

*Rock Wren 1 singing from cliff face. First record at location!
Killdeer 10
American Avocet 4
California Gull 1 ad.
Herring Gull 10
Ring-billed Gull 10
Common Yellowthroat 1
Common Raven 4
Violet-green Swallow 15
Am. Crow 2
Cinnammon Teal 1 male

5 Eared Grebes were on Bubna Slough along Glenmore Road

Mission Ck upstream from Casorso Road

*Least Flycatcher 1
Red-eyed Vireo 1
Yellow Warbler 10
Common Merganser 4
Pileated Woodpecker 1
Ring-necked Pheasant 1
Downy Woodpecker 4
Western Wood Pewee 4
Willow Flycatcher 1
Gray Catbird 10
Cedar Waxwing 15
Great Blue Heron 1
Am. Robin 5
Mourning Dove 2
Spotted Sandpiper 1
Northern Waterthrush 1

1 White-throated Swift was seen flying over Dilworth Cliffs in Kelowna! Last
species added for the day.

Total species count = 130

That's all for now,

Chris Charlesworth
Kelowna, BC, Canada
c_charlesworth23 at hotmail.com





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