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


Sightings for Wednesday, July 2 - 9 PM update


The Featured Birds Include:

GREAT GRAY OWL (Oliver)
YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT (Kelowna)
GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE (Kelowna)
WHITE-HEADED WOODPECKER (Oliver)

Other birds mentioned:

Least Flycatcher
Three-toed Woodpecker
Barred Owl
Boreal Chickadee
Black-backed Woodpecker
Williamson's Sapsucker
American Avocet
Flammulated Owl
Long-eared Owl
White-throated Swift
White-breasted Nuthatch


Sightings for July 1

In a late report, a GREAT GRAY OWL was seen along Camp McKinney Road, E. of
Oliver on the 28th (NH,JF). The bird was seen along the road at approx. km
14, just beyond the Shrike Hill Road turnoff.

On the 29th, in a spruce bog at km 7 on the Bata Forest Service Road,
accessed off Farmer's Drive, in the Ellison area of Kelowna, was a BOREAL
CHICKADEE, a THREE-TOED WOODPECKER and a BARRED OWL (TF).

The YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT was again seen on Bailey Road, on the Vernon
Commonage, on July 1 (CC,KB). Bailey Road is located about 10 minutes S. of
Vernon on Hwy 97. From the hwy, turn W. on Bailey and procede about 700
meters to an area where aspens flank both sides of the road. The chat can be
heard on the brushy hillside to the W. Also at this location was a singing
LEAST FLYCATCHER (CC,KB).

The male GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE was heard at Scandia Golf and Games in N.
Kelowna on the 1st (CC,KB).

A WHITE-HEADED WOODPECKER was seen along Camp McKinney Road, between km
10-11 in early June, but unfortunately the report was late (DrC). The bird
may still be in the area, however, since one was in that area for over a
month in 2001.


Sightings for June 23

BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS were again reported from the intersection of the
Venner Meadows Road and the Browning Ck Road, E. of Okanagan Falls
(CC,AV,DC,m.ob). Also here was a male WILLIAMSON'S SAPSUCKER
(CC,AV,DC,m.ob).

A single AMERICAN AVOCET was at Robert Lake, in Kelowna (MB).


Sightings for June 22

Perfect conditions for owling produced 2 LONG-EARED OWLS, 2 BARRED OWLS and
a FLAMMULATED OWL on the Bald Range, on Kelowna's Westside (CC,AV,DC,m.ob).
Take the Bear Lake Road from Westside Road, and travel approx 11 km. Just
after a switch back take the road that branches off to the right. Stay right
at the intersection encountered soon thereafter. Continue on to a clearing,
with an outhouse, and travel another 500 meters to find the location for the
owls.

In Kelowna, the GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE was seen at Scandia Golf and Games, on
Hwy 97 (AV,DC,m.ob).

A WHITE-THROATED SWIFT was seen along Bailey Road, on the Vernon Commonage
(CC,CE,m.ob). Also on the Commonage, 2 WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCHES were just
W. of Thomson Lake, on Commonage Road (CC,CE,m.ob).

--------------------------

Observer Initials: CC - Chris Charlesworth; AV - Arnoud van den Berg; DC -
David Cottridge; CE - Candis Eikerman; KB - Kenneth Burden; TF - Trevor
Forder; JF - Jamie Fenneman; NH Nathan Hentze; MB - Margaret Bryan; DrC -
Drew Campbell.


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
St. in Penticton.


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

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