Subject: Okanagan Valley (BC) Rare Bird Alert - April 1 update
Date: Apr 1 20:03:42 2003
From: Chris Charlesworth - c_charlesworth23 at hotmail.com


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

Sightings for Tuesday, April 1st - 8:00 PM update

Featured birds include:

PACIFIC LOON (Kelowna)
EURASIAN WIGEON (Kelowna)


Other birds mentioned:

Wood Duck
American Wigeon
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Turkey Vulture
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Northern Shoveler
Prairie Falcon
Cliff Swallow
AMERICAN TREE SPARROW
Blue Grouse
Spotted Towhee
Long-billed Curlew
Barn Swallow
Snow Bunting
Mew Gull
Barred Owl
Northern Saw-whet Owl
DUNLIN


Sightings for April 1

A male EURASIAN WIGEON was with a large flock of AMERICAN WIGEON at Munson's
Pond in Kelowna (CC,BC). Two TURKEY VULTURES were sunning themselves on
fence posts near Munson's Pond as well (CC,BC).

Seen on Okanagan Lake, from the Maude Roxby Bird Sanctuary, in Kelowna, was
a PACIFIC LOON. Also at Maude Roxby was a YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER (CC).

A singing male RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET was along Mission Ck, in Kelowna,
upstream from K.L.O Road (CC) and 6 NORTHERN SHOVELER were at Robert Lake,
near Kelowna (CC).

A pair of WOOD DUCKS were in Kelowna's North End, at Sutherland Park (BC).


Sightings for March 30

A PRAIRIE FALCON was seen at Robert Lake, in Kelowna (RT). In the fields N.
of Robert Lake were two LONG-BILLED CURLEWS and an AMERICAN TREE SPARROW
(RT).

A male BLUE GROUSE was heard "hooting" along Commonage Road, near Vernon
(CS).

A very early CLIFF SWALLOW was with other assorted swallows at the Head of
the Lake, near Vernon (DC).

Near Rose's Pond on the Vernon Commonage, a SPOTTED TOWHEE was reported
(JM).


Sightings for March 29

Four SNOW BUNTINGS were along the Venner Meadows Road, E. of Okanagan Falls,
at km 20 (BW). At the intersection of the Venner Meadows Rd and Shuttleworth
Ck Rd, on the 28th, there was a BARRED OWL and a NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL (BW).
Another NORTHERN SAW-WHET was at km 26.5 on Venner Meadows Rd (BW).

In Vernon, a 3rd year MEW GULL was at the Head of the Lake (DC,CS). This
bird showed characteristics of the "Kamchatka" race from Russia and more
opinions are requested. Also at Head of the Lake, the three DUNLIN (DC)
continue and the first BARN SWALLOW of the spring was reported (CS).

Along Lansdowne Road, in Armstrong, four LONG-BILLED CURLEWS were in the
fields, and 2 TURKEY VULTURES were along Otter Lk Rd, at Larkin Cross Road,
N. of Vernon (CS).

On March 28 a CANYON WREN was heard at the cliffs along Westside Road, at
Bear Lake Road on Kelowna's Westside (CC).


Observers - CC - Chris Charlesworth; CS - Chris Siddle; DC - Don Cecile; BW
- Bill Wilson; RT - Ryan Tomlinson; JM - James McGregor; BC Bill Cutfield.


If you have any questions about Okanagan Valley birding, contact Chris
Charlesworth (250) 718-0335, Dick Cannings at (250) 496-4019, or Phil Gehlen
(250) 542-8053.


This update has been sponsored by the TUMBLEWEED NATURE STORE at 67 Front
St. in Penticton.

Chris Charlesworth
Avocet Tours
725 Richards Road
Kelowna, BC, Canada
V1X 2X5
www.avocettours.com
c_charlesworth at avocettours.com

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