Subject: Okanagan Valley (BC) Rare Bird Alert - Jan 8 update
Date: Jan 8 19:59:22 2003
From: Chris Charlesworth - c_charlesworth23 at hotmail.com


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

Sightings for Wednesday, January 8th - 8:00 PM update.

Featured birds include:

SNOW GOOSE (Kelowna)
SNOW BUNTING (Penticton)
AMERICAN TREE SPARROW (Osoyoos)
GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE (Kelowna)

Other birds mentioned:

Eurasian Collared-Dove
RED-BREASTED MERGANSER
Gray Partridge
Canada Goose
Northern Pygmy-Owl
HARRIS' SPARROW
SWAMP SPARROW
Northern Shrike
Marsh Wren
Three-toed Woodpecker
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE
LONG-TAILED DUCK
RED-BREASTED MERGANSER
PRAIRIE FALCON
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Virginia Rail
Canyon Wren


Sightings for January 8th

In Kelowna, the male GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE was again seen at the intersection
of Cooper Rd and Hwy 97 (HV).

In the South Okanagan, 2 RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS were on Osoyoos Lake, at
Haynes Point, a GOLDEN EAGLE was in the Richter Pass, W. of Osoyoos at the
Elkink Ranch and along Meadowlark Lane, 3 AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS were seen
(JL,DT). Along White Lake Road were 11 GRAY PARTRIDGE and a NORTHERN
PYGMY-OWL (JL,DT).

At the Cawston location in the Similkameen Valley, large numbers of EURASIAN
COLLARED-DOVES, whose origin is still in debate, were present (JL,DT).

A SNOW GOOSE was discovered with CANADA GEESE in a field on the E. side of
Robert Lake in Kelowna, on Jan 7 (HV). The bird was seen flying over
Guishachan Village on the 6th and 7th, presumably to a night roost on
Okanagan Lake (BC).

On Sat. Jan 4th, 25 SNOW BUNTINGS were seen E. of Penticton at the
Nickleplate Cross Country Ski area (TE).


Sightings for January 5th

In Kelowna, the SWAMP SPARROW, a MARSH WREN and an immature NORTHERN SHRIKE
were seen in the weedy fields behind Thomson-Brook Pond on Gordon Road (HV).

The immature HARRIS' SPARROW continues to be seen at Munson's Pond in
Kelowna (HV).

The Princeton CBC, held on the 4th, tallied unnoficially 50 species,
including a THREE-TOED WOODPECKER at August Lake (LRo,ED).


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).



Observers: CC - Chris Charlesworth; DB - Doug Brown; CS - Chris Siddle; HV -
Hank Vanderpol; HB - Heather Bryan; ED - Eva Durance; LRo - Laurie Rockwell;
BC - Bill Cutfield; JL - John Luce; DT - Danny Tyson; TE - Tom Ethier.


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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