Subject: Okanagan Valley (BC) Rare Bird Alert - Oct 13th update
Date: Oct 13 22:24:11 2002
From: Chris Charlesworth - c_charlesworth23 at hotmail.com


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

Sightings for Sunday, October 13th - 10:30 PM update

** RARE BIRD ALERT continues for PARASITIC JAEGER (Kelowna)

The featured birds include:

SNOW BUNTING (Vernon)

Other birds mentioned:

PACIFIC LOON
Ruddy Duck
Rock Wren
Canyon Wren
Virginia Rail
Northern Shoveler
American Dipper
Common Goldeneye
Barrow's Goldeneye
SURF SCOTER
WHITE-WINGED SCOTER
FRANKLIN'S GULL
MEW GULL
Lapland Longspur
Pectoral Sandpiper
Wilson's Warbler


Sightings for October 13

The immature PARASITIC JAEGER was relocated along Okanagan Lake, in Kelowna,
as it chased gulls at City Park (CG). This bird was first seen at the Maude
Roxby Bird Sanctuary on October 10.

In Vernon, a SNOW BUNTING was found in Kekuli Provincial Park (TF). The bird
was along the Grassland Trail which parallels Hwy 97.


Sightings for October 12

In Penticton, an adult basic plumage PACIFIC LOON was found on Okanagan
Lake, at the SS Sicamous (LRo). Thirteen NORTHERN SHOVELERS were seen at the
Penticton Marina, on Okanagan Lake (LRo).

Two RUDDY DUCKS were at Green Lake, S. of Okanagan Falls, and at Mahoney
Lake was a ROCK WREN (LRo). A single CANYON WREN was reported at the Vaseux
Cliffs (LRo).

At Hack's Pond on River Road, N. of Oliver, was a VIRGINIA RAIL, while at
the Okanagan Falls Campground, AMERICAN DIPPER, COMMON GOLDENEYE and
BARROW'S GOLDENEYE were seen (LRo).


Sightings for October 10th

An imm. intermediate morph PARASITIC JAEGER was observed by many birders, as
it harassed gulls at Mud Bay and the Maude Roxby Bird Sanctuary at the foot
of Francis Ave in Kelowna (CC,GW,m.ob). A birder who returned to Maude Roxby
in the afternoon saw a bird fitting the description of a second winter
ICELAND GULL (LR). Confirmation is requested on this gull.

In Westbank, a winter plumage FRANKLIN'S GULL was on the sandbar at the
mouth of Power's Ck, beside the yacht club on Gellatly Bay (EF). A PECTORAL
SANDPIPER was seen on the same sandbar on Oct 9 (EF).

The ad. MEW GULL continues in the MacDonald's parking lot at the
intersection of Hollywood Road and Hwy 33 in Rutland (CC).

Two SURF SCOTERS remain at the SS Sicamous in Penticton (LN), where on the
9th, there were briefly up to 5 SURF SCOTERS and a single WHITE-WINGED
SCOTER (GW,LR).

A rather tardy WILSON'S WARBLER was along River Road, N. of Oliver (LN) and
heard overhead at the Rotary Marshes, in Kelowna, on the 10th, was a LAPLAND
LONGSPUR (CC).


Observers: CC - Chris Charlesworth; LN - Laure Neish; LR - Lesley Robertson;
GW - Gwynneth Wilson; EF - Elke Fischer; LRo - Laurie Rockwell; TF - Trevor
Forder; CG - Calvin Gehlen.


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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