Subject: Okanagan Valley (BC) Rare Bird Alert - Jan 3 update
Date: Jan 3 19:15:03 2003
From: Chris Charlesworth - c_charlesworth23 at hotmail.com


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

Sightings for Friday, January 3rd - 7:00 PM update.

Featured birds include:

GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE (Osoyoos)
LONG-TAILED DUCK (Osoyoos)
RED-BREASTED MERGANSER (Osoyoos)
WHITE-TAILED PTARMIGAN (Penticton)
PRAIRIE FALCON (Osoyoos)
HARRIS' SPARROW (Kelowna)
LINCOLN'S SPARROW (Kelowna)
SWAMP SPARROW (Lk Country, Vaseux & Osoyoos)


Other birds mentioned:

Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Virginia Rail
Canyon Wren
Golden Eagle
Redhead
Canvasback
Greater Scaup
GLAUCOUS GULL
GREAT GRAY OWL
AMERICAN TREE SPARROW
Mew Gull
Northern Pintail
GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE


Sightings for January 3rd

In the South Okanagan, a PRAIRIE FALCON was seen along Black Sage Road, at
306th Ave (CC,CS,HB) and probably the same bird was also seen at Willow
Beach on the N. shore of Osoyoos Lake (DB).

Two SWAMP SPARROWS were found N. of Vaseux Lake, at the banding station
site. Also here was a RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET and a VIRGINIA RAIL (CC,CS,HB).
Another SWAMP SPARROW was S. of Road 22, along the E. dyke on the north side
of the cattle pasture (CC,CS,HB).

The female LONG-TAILED DUCK was seen on Osoyoos Lake, on the N. side of
Haynes Point, as was a female RED-BREASTED MERGANSER (CC,CS,HB).

At the south end of Lakeshore Drive in Osoyoos, a GREATER WHITE-FRONTED
GOOSE was with a large flock of CANADA GEESE (DB).

Along the lower reaches of Irrigation Ck Road, E. of Vaseux Lake, a GOLDEN
EAGLE and 5 CANYON WRENS were tallied (CC,CS,HB).


Sightings for January 2nd

While cross country skiing on trails W. of Penticton, near Apex Mountain, a
few lucky observers found a WHITE-TAILED PTARMIGAN (HB,ED).

Along Lakha Road, at its intersection with Latta Road in Kelowna's Ellison
area, the imm. HARRIS' SPARROW was again seen (CC,CS). Also along Lakha
Road, about 50 m. S. of Lipkovitz Road, a LINCOLN'S SPARROW was discovered
(CC,CS).

A SWAMP SPARROW, discovered on the Lake Country CBC on Dec 29 was again
present along the railroad tracks on the E. side of Wood Lake (CC,CS). From
the foot of Crawford Road walk S. about 500 meters along the tracks and
watch for a small marsh on the W. side of the tracks. Two were present here
on the 29th.

A large raft of ducks numbering approximately 1200 birds was seen off
Manhattan Point in Kelowna. The flock consisted of about 700 REDHEADS, 200
GREATER SCAUP, 50 CANVASBACKS and other mixed waterfowl (HV).


Sightings for January 1st

E. of Kelowna, a GREAT GRAY OWL was found at the McCulloch Cross Country Ski
Trails on December 30th (DWi,LW). The bird was seen at 2 in the afternoon
along the Hawk Hill Trail. The ski area can be accessed on McCulloch Road
off Hwy 33, about 50 km E. of Kelowna.

At the Chichester Bird Sanctuary, in Kelowna, a female NORTHERN PINTAIL was
reported on New Years Day (BC) and 4 AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS and 1 SWAMP
SPARROW were in the weedy fields behind Thomson-Brook Pond on Gordon Road in
Kelowna (CC).

The male GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE put in an appearance at the Orchard Park Mall
in Kelowna, making this the 4th consecutive year birders could count him on
their year lists (CC).

On December 31st an adult GLAUCOUS GULL and a first year MEW GULL were at
the Maude Roxby Bird Sanctuary in Kelowna (CC,CS,MF).

Also on the 31st, the LONG-TAILED DUCK was again reported at the Osoyoos
Sewage Lagoons (DB).


Observers: CC - Chris Charlesworth; DB - Doug Brown; CS - Chris Siddle; BC -
Bill Cutfield; MF - Mike Force; RG -Rick Gee; HV - Hank Vanderpol; - Doreen
Wierenga; LW - Lou Wierenga; HB - Heather Bryan; ED - Eva Durance.


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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