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


Sightings for Wednesday, December 10 - 9:00 PM update.

**RARE BIRD ALERT for LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL (Vernon)

The Featured Birds Include:

GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE (Kelowna)

Other birds mentioned include:

Three-toed Woodpecker
Winter Wren
American Dipper
Rough-legged Hawk
ICELAND GULL
GYRFALCON
GREAT GRAY OWL
Eared Grebe
Northern Shrike
Common Redpoll
Western Grebe
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Killdeer
Prairie Falcon
SNOW BUNTING
Mew Gull
Thayer's Gull
Western Meadowlark

-- Christmas Bird Counts

Vernon & Penticton
Contact for Vernon - Phil Gehlen (250) 542-8053
Contact for Penticton - Dick Cannings (250) 496-4019


Sightings for December 10

In Vernon, a third year LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was discovered in the large
gull roost at the mouth of Vernon Creek in the Okanagan Landing area (DC).

In Kelowna, six GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE were reported along the Kelowna
waterfront, at both the Maude Roxby Bird Sanctuary and Rotary Marsh (HV).

A WINTER WREN was noted along Fascieux Creek in Kelowna, near Casorso Road
(JL).

Three AMERICAN DIPPERS were counted along Mission Creek in Kelowna, between
Gordon Road and Casorso Road (HV).

Along Gordon Road, just S. of Casorso Road, was a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK (HV).

At the McCulloch Cross Country Ski area, SE. of Kelowna, 3 THREE-TOED
WOODPECKERS were seen foraging in the woods near the main cabin (DW). In an
interesting mammal sighting, 4 LYNX were noted by observers while skiing the
trails (DW,m.ob).


Sightings for December 7

The GYRFALCON was again seen at the Marshall's Feedlot along the W. side of
Hwy 97, at McCurdy Road in Kelowna (HV).

GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE were noted at various locations around Kelowna.
Two were off Rotary Beach with CANADA GEESE, and single birds were noted at
Maude Roxby (HV) and in a field along Benvoulin Road at Laurence Road
(CC,RM).

On Dec 6, the adult ICELAND GULL was again seen with large numbers of gulls
at the Mouth of Vernon Creek in the Okanagan Landing area of Vernon
(CC,CS,DW,RM). A late YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER was in the trees along the creek
at the same location (CC,CS,RM,DW) and 8 WESTERN GREBES were counted
offshore also (CC,RM,DW,CS). Along the shore at the Mouth of Vernon Creek
was a single KILLDEER (CC,CS,RM,DW).

A small flock of COMMON REDPOLLS flew over the tree farm on Bench Row Road
on Dec 6 (CC,CS,RM,DW), while a single bird was heard overhead at
Thompson-Brook Pond on Gordon Road in Kelowna (CC,RM). Also at
Thompson-Brook Pond was an adult NORTHERN SHRIKE (CC,RM).

In Kelowna, the EARED GREBE continues on Okanagan Lake at Sutherland Park
(HV).

In a late report for November 30, a GREAT GRAY OWL was seen at the McCulloch
Cross Country Ski Trails near Kelowna (fide DW). Also on the 30th, a GREAT
GRAY OWL was seen W. of Penticton near the Nickleplate Cross Country Ski
Trails (fide LR).


Sightings for November 30

A PRAIRIE FALCON was found, in Kelowna, at the golf range along Old Vernon
Road in the Ellison area (CC,RT,RM). The bird was perched on the poles
supporting the netting for the driving range.

Also in the Ellison area, 2 ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS were noted, one at the N. end
of the airport on Old Vernon Rd and another along Old Vernon Rd at Lindley
Road (CC,RT,RM). Also at Old Vernon and Lindley Road were 9 WESTERN
MEADOWLARKS (CC,RT,RM).

At the Rotary Marshes, in downtown Kelowna, a single SNOW BUNTING was
detected while flying overhead, and was then seen (CC,RT,RM).

Sutherland Park, in Kelowna's North End, had an EARED GREBE, an adult MEW
GULL and an adult THAYER'S GULL (CC,RT,RM).


----------------------------------------------------------


Observer Initials: CC - Chris Charlesworth; RT - Ryan Tomlinson; CS - Chris
Siddle; RM - Richard Mooney; DW - Don Wilson; HV - Hank Vanderpol; LR -
Laurie Rockwell; DC - Don Cecile; JL - Judy Latta;

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.


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

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