Subject: Okanagan Valley (BC) Rare Bird Alert - Jan 26 update
Date: Jan 26 20:38:53 2003
From: Chris Charlesworth - c_charlesworth23 at hotmail.com


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

Sightings for Sunday, January 26th - 8:30 PM update.

Featured birds include:

GYRFALCON (Kelowna)
WILSON'S SNIPE (Vernon)
GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE (Kelowna)

Other birds mentioned:

Boreal Chickadee
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Pine Grosbeak
Varied Thrush
Evening Grosbeak
Three-toed Woodpecker
Northern Pygmy-Owl
Barred Owl
GREAT GRAY OWL
White-breasted Nuthatch
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Pygmy Nuthatch
Red Crossbill
Northern Shoveler
Gray Partridge
Lewis' Woodpecker


Sightings for January 26

At Robert Lake, in Kelowna, an adult gray-phase GYRFALCON was seen perched
on a fence post (GW,RT).

The male GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE was seen at the MacDonald's restaurant near
the Hwy 97 / Cooper Road intersection in Kelowna on the 26th (CC), and at
the Orchard Park Mall on the 25 (CS).

A WILSON'S SNIPE (formerly Common Snipe) was in a ditch along Bailey Road,
on the Vernon Commonage, 50-100 meters uphill from Hwy 97 on the 25th (CS)


Sightings for January 19th

In the Rutland area of Kelowna, a GYRFALCON was seen in flight over the
Chichester Bird Sanctuary, and was later relocated at the Marshall's Feedlot
on Hwy 97, S. of McCurdy Road (CC,CoC)

At the Maude Roxby Bird Sanctuary in downtown Kelowna, an adult TRUMPETER
SWAN was with 14 TUNDRA SWANS and at the Woodhaven Nature Conservancy in the
Mission area of Kelowna, were 4 VARIED THRUSHES and 2 WINTER WRENS (CC,CoC).

At Big White Village, a BOREAL CHICKADEE and a pair of PINE GROSBEAKS were
seen at a feeder and along Philpott Road, in Joe Rich, E. of Kelowna, 2
CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEES, 13 EVENING GROSBEAKS and a THREE-TOED WOODPECKER
were seen (TF).


Sightings for January 18th

East of Okanagan Falls, at km 13.5 on the Venner Meadows Road, off the
Shuttleworth Ck Road, a BARRED OWL was seen at noon, while two hours later a
GREAT GRAY OWL was at the same location (DB).

The Lewis' Woodpecker was again on a wooden telephone pole at Powell Beach
Park in Summerland's Trout Ck (CC,CS,SS).

On the 17th, 10 GRAY PARTRIDGE were in the small grove of coniferous trees
on Allan Brooks Way on the Vernon Commonage (HV).

Twelve NORTHERN SHOVELERS were at the North Arm of Okanagan Lake, near Kin
Beach, in Vernon (HV).

Along Westside Road, between Kelowna and Vernon, four NORTHERN PYGMY-OWLS
were tallied and in Fintry Provincial Park, 2 VARIED THRUSHES, 50 RED
CROSSBILLS and all three nuthatch species, including 2 WHITE-BREASTED
NUTHATCHES were seen (HV).

The male GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE was again at Cooper Road and Hwy 97 in
Kelowna, perched atop the Burger King sign (CC).


Observers: CC - Chris Charlesworth; GW - Gwynneth Wilson; HV - Hank
Vanderpol; DB - Doug Brown; SS - Sonja Siddle; TF - Trevor Forder; CoC
-Connor Charlesworth; RT - Ryan Tomlinson.


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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