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

Sightings for Tuesday, February 11th - 8:00 PM update

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

Featured birds include:

HARRIS' SPARROW (Kelowna)
AMERICAN TREE SPARROW (Kelowna)

Other birds mentioned:

Mallard
Western Meadowlark
Wood Duck
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE
Golden Eagle
Bald Eagle
Western Bluebird
RED-BREASTED MERGANSER
GREAT GRAY OWL
RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted form)
Tundra Swan
American Dipper
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored form)
Three-toed Woodpecker


Sightings for Feb 11

The first winter LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was again present at the mouth of
Vernon Ck, in the Okanagan Landing area of Vernon on Feb 10 (DC).

A HARRIS' SPARROW was discovered on Kelowna's Westside, in the bushes at the
Sunnyside entrance to Kalamoir Park (EF).

The female WOOD DUCK was seen with MALLARDS at the Fascieux Ck Wetlands on
Casorso Road in Kelowna (CC).

On the 10th, 5 AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS were in the weedy field behind
Thomson-Brook Pond, S. of Mission Ck, on Gordon Drive in Kelowna (CC,DW).

Three WESTERN MEADOWLARKS were at the traditional wintering location in a
horse pasture along Old Vernon Road, at Lindley Road in Kelowna's Ellison
area on the 9th (TF).


Sightings for Feb 9

In Vernon, the first winter LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was relocated at the
mouth of Vernon Creek at approx. 8 AM (DC).

On Feb 8, 4 GOLDEN EAGLES and 7 BALD EAGLES were along Hwy 3 in the
Similkameen Valley, S. of Cawston (CC,m.ob).

Two WESTERN BLUEBIRDS were at the Haynes Lease Ecological Reserve, near Road
22, N. of Osoyoos (CC,m.ob).

At 4 PM on Friday, Feb 7th, 2 GREATER-WHITE FRONTED GEESE were in a field
near Robert Lake in Kelowna (LR,m.ob). The birds were in the field,
surrounded by a white wooden fence, on the W. side of Valley Road, just
before Robert Lake.


Sightings for Feb 6

On Okanagan Lake, seen from Stewart's Vineyard, N. of Sunnyside in Westbank,
the male RED-BREASTED MERGANSER was again reported. At the same location was
a "YELLOW-SHAFTED" FLICKER (GW,m.ob)

At the Maude Roxby Bird Sanctuary, 15 TUNDRA SWANS were seen in Mud Bay
(BC).

Along Mission Ck, upstream from Casorso Road, in Kelowna, a single
RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET foraged with BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES and 2 AMERICAN
DIPPERS fed in the cold waters (CC).

Reported on Feb 5, the GREAT GRAY OWL was seen at the McCulloch Nordic Cross
Country Ski Trails, S. of Kelowna. The bird was seen along the Log Cabin
Trail, near the first intersection with the Jackrabbit Trail (BT,JT,DW). A
THREE-TOED WOODPECKER was observed along the Chickadee Loop (DW,JL).

A "SLATE-COLORED" JUNCO was reported at Mill Ck Regional Park, in the
Ellison area of Kelowna on Feb 4 (ST).


Observers - BC - Bill Cutfield; CC - Chris Charlesworth; BT - Bitten
Tisdale; JT - Jim Tisdale; DW - Don Wilson; JL - Judy Latta; ST - Scott
Thompson; LR - Lesley Robertson; DC - Don Cecile; GW - Gwynneth Wilson; Elke
Fischer;

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.

Thanks for calling the bird alert and happy birding.

TRANSCRIBED BY:

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

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