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

Sightings for Tuesday, April 29th - 9:00 PM update

The Featured Birds Include:

GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE (Kelowna)

Other birds mentioned:

Swainson's Hawk
Western Kingbird
Bank Swallow
Spotted Sandpiper
American White Pelican
Long-billed Dowitcher
Gray Flycatcher
Lazuli Bunting
HARRIS' SPARROW
Thayer's Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Bonaparte's Gull
Bonaparte's Gull
Cassin's Vireo
Solitary Sandpiper
Semipalmated Sandpiper
American Avocet
Greater Yellowlegs
Hermit Thrush
Chipping Sparrow
Western Grebe
Least Sandpiper
Vaux's Swift
Eared Grebe
Orange-crowned Warbler
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Sora
Virginia Rail


Sightings for April 29

Present in its fourth consecutive year, the male GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE
continues to be seen at Scandia Golf & Games on Hwy 97 N. in KElowna
(CC,NH).

The first WESTERN KINGBIRD of the year was seen along Booth Road, off
Anderson Road, in Kelowna's Ellison area (CC,NH).

Other first of the year sightings included a BANK SWALLOW, a SPOTTED
SANDPIPER and a SWAINSON'S HAWK at Robert Lake, in Kelowna (CC,NH).


Sightings for April 28

In a late report for April 27, up to eleven AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS were on
Okanagan Lake, on the N. side of the Fintry delta (AN).

In Vernon, the HARRIS' SPARROW that spent the winter at the Bishop Bird
Sanctuary, on Coldstream Ck Road, continues to be seen. The bird is now
almost in full breeding plumage (MC).

The first CASSIN'S VIREO of the spring was reported S. of Kelowna, in
Okanagan Mountain Park (CC,MF).

In Kelowna, Robert Lake had two LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS (LRo) and the Maude
Roxby Bird Sanctuary had two THAYER'S GULLS, a BONAPARTE'S GULL, and three
GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS (CC,MF).

An early LAZULI BUNTING was seen in Summerland, at Canyon View Road and the
Kettle Valley Railway (LR).

Behind the Summerland Research Station, 5 arrival GRAY FLYCATCHERS were seen
and heard at the ecological reserve (LR).


Sightings for April 27

A major push of migrants were noted today throughout the valley, with
significant numbers of RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS and YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS
"dripping" from trees (CC,MF). At the Chichester Bird Sanctuary, in Kelowna,
two ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS were seen also (CC).

In Westbank, a single AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN was seen near Pebble Beach
Park, on Whitmore Rd, in the Gellatly area (MF).

At Rotary Trails Park, across from the Gellatly Yacht Club, on Gellatly
Road, in Westbank, the first VAUX'S SWIFT, HERMIT THRUSH and CHIPPING
SPARROW were reported (MF).

At Robert Lake, in Kelowna, the first LEAST and SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS as
well as three GREATER YELLOWLEGS and two AMERICAN AVOCETS were noted(CC).

Both VIRGINIA RAILS and SORAS are being heard consistently at night, at the
Fascieux Ck Marsh on Casorso Road in Kelowna (JL).

An EARED GREBE was on Bubna Slough, the southernmost of the Glenmore Ponds,
encountered about 2 km N. of the Kelowna dump on Glenmore Road (CC).

In Oliver, the first SOLITARY SANDPIPER of the spring was reported (BL).

A WESTERN GREBE was seen north of Kelowna on Duck Lake (JM).


Observers: CC - Chris Charlesworth; BL - Barry Lancaster; RT - Ryan
Tomlinson; JL - Judy Latta; MF - Mike Force; JM - James McGregor; LR -
Laurie Rockwell; LRo - Lesley Robertson; AN - Aaron Nelson; MC - Mary
Collins; NH - Nathan Hentze.


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
St, in Penticton.

CHRIS CHARLESWORTH
AVOCET TOURS
725 RICHARDS ROAD
KELOWNA, BC
V1X 2X5 CANADA
WWW.AVOCETTOURS.COM

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