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

Sightings for Monday, January 27th - 8:30 PM update.

Featured birds include:

BARN SWALLOW (Osoyoos)

Other birds mentioned:

GYRFALCON
Wilson's Snipe
GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE
Boreal Chickadee
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Pine Grosbeak
Varied Thrush
Evening Grosbeak
Three-toed Woodpecker


Sightings for January 27th

An unseasonable BARN SWALLOW was seen along the Okanagan River at Road 22,
N. of Osoyoos (DB). This appears to be the first winter record for the
Okanagan, and possibly for the interior of BC.


Sightings for January 26th

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).


Observers: CC - Chris Charlesworth; GW - Gwynneth Wilson; DB - Doug Brown;
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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