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

Sightings for Sunday, October 6th - 10:45 PM update

The featured birds include:

GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE (Salmon Arm)
PEREGRINE FALCON (Salmon Arm)
AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER (Salmon Arm)
BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER (Salmon Arm)
FRANKLIN'S GULL (Salmon Arm)
MEW GULL (Osoyoos)
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW (Oliver)
PROTHONOTARY WARBLER (Ladner)


Other birds mentioned:

Glaucous-winged Gull
Virginia Rail
Gray Partridge
Lapland Longspur
Golden Eagle
Rough-legged Hawk
SURF SCOTER
Sandhill Crane
Bonaparte's Gull
Red-necked Grebe
Horned Grebe
Pied-billed Grebe
Merlin
PACIFIC LOON
SANDERLING
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Brewer's Blackbird
Pectoral Sandpiper
Common Loon
Townsend's Solitaire


Sightings for October 6th

The Salmon Arm foreshore continues to be the birding hotspot in the region.
Included in today's sightings from Salmon Arm are two GREATER WHITE-FRONTED
GEESE, an adult PEREGRINE FALCON, a BLACK-BELLIED and two juv. AMERICAN
GOLDEN-PLOVERS and 2 FRANKLIN'S GULLS (DC).

Four GOLDEN EAGLES and the first ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK of the fall were reported
at the Black Mountain "hawkwatch" in Kelowna (DC). These birds can be
viewed, although distantly, from the intersection of Treetop Road and
Swainson Road.

A WHITE-THROATED SPARROW and 2 VIRGINIA RAILS were along River Road, S. of
Vaseux Lake and at Road 22, N. of Osoyoos, there were 5 LAPLAND LONGSPURS
(DC).

At Osoyoos Lake was an adult MEW GULL and an adult GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL
(DC).

On October 4th, 13 GRAY PARTRIDGE and 40 LAPLAND LONGSPURS were seen in the
White Lake area (LN).

On the Lower Mainland, the province's second PROTHONOTARY WARBLER, a first
fall male, was present at the Reifel Refuge in Ladner on October 5-6
(RT,MM,m.ob). Call the Vancouver RBA at (604) 737-3074 for updates.


Sightings for October 2nd

Four SURF SCOTERS were on Okanagan Lake, in Penticton (LN). The birds were
moving around so a check of all locations between the Sicamous and the
Penticton Yacht Club is worthwhile. Also in the area were 3 BONAPARTE'S
GULLS (LN). RED-NECKED, HORNED, PIED-BILLED and WESTERN GREBES were reported
from the Sicamous in Penticton on Sept 29 (LRo), while W. of Penticton, up
to 350 SANDHILL CRANES were seen high overhead at Macs Lake (LRo).

In Kelowna, a MERLIN was along Mission Creek between K.L.O Road and Mission
Creek Park (CC).


Sightings for September 29th

A PACIFIC LOON was reported on Okanagan Lake, in Kelowna, from a lake access
on Bluebird Road, off Lakeshore Road on Sept 27 (HV).

Up to ninety COMMON LOONS are on Okanagan Lake, near Kelowna, off Okanagan
Mountain Park (LL,SK,HV). These birds annually congregate in this area to
feed on Kokanee. Watch also for possible Pacific and Yellow-billed Loons,
which often occur as well. The best viewing location is from Lakeshore Road,
in Okanagan Mtn Park, where the road turns to gravel. Also in Okanagan Mtn
Park were two TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRES (LL,SK).

A female YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD and 500 BREWER'S BLACKBIRD were at the
Marshall's Feedlot on Hwy 97, in Kelowna, S. of McCurdy Road (LL,SK).

Two SANDERLINGS were at the mouth of Power's Ck, in Gellatly Bay (Westbank)
on the 24th and 25th of Sept (BC,LR). Also there were 2 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS
and an imm. MEW GULL (LR).


Observers: CC - Chris Charlesworth; HV - Hank Vanderpol; SK - Sandra Kinsey;
LL - Laird Law; BC - Bill Cutfield; LRo - Laurie Rockwell; LN - Laure Neish;
MM - Mitch Meredith; RT - Rick Toochin; DC - Don Cecile.


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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