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


Sightings for Thursday, July 24 - 9:00 PM update

The Featured Birds Include:

SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER (Lumby)
SOLITARY SANDPIPER (Lumby)
PECTORAL SANDPIPER (Lumby)

Other birds mentioned:

Lesser Yellowlegs
Greater Yellowlegs
Least Sandpiper
Killdeer
Wilson's Phalarope
Long-billed Dowitcher
CLARK'S GREBE
WHITE-WINGED SCOTER
Bonaparte's Gull
Rock Wren
Wilson's Snipe
Spotted Sandpiper
Golden Eagle
Eared Grebe
Blue Grouse


Sightings for July 24

The recent hot weather has no doubt contributed to slow birding this month.
Shorebirding areas are few and far between, since most of the best ponds and
lakes have dried up. Rawlings Lake, E. of Lumby, continues to have a few
shorebirds. Present today were 2 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS, 2 SOLITARY
SANDPIPERS, 6 LEAST SANDPIPERS, a PECTORAL SANDPIPER, 2 GREATER YELLOWLEGS,
3 LESSER YELLOWLEGS, 2 WILSON'S PHALAROPES, numerous KILLDEER and a
LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER (CC,CS,BC).


Sightings for July 20

In Salmon Arm, an adult CLARK'S GREBE was seen off Christmas Island
(CC,CoC). The bird was paired with a WESTERN GREBE and the couple had one
chick. Also seen from Christmas Island was an adult BONAPARTE'S GULL
(CC,CoC).

Shorebirds seen on the pond from the dog park at the foot of Narcisse Rd in
Salmon Arm included 7 LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS, a LESSER YELLOWLEGS, a LEAST
SANDPIPER, 4 WILSON'S SNIPE and numerous KILLDEER (CC,CoC).

An adult male WHITE-WINGED SCOTER heading into eclipse plumage was on Rose's
Pond on the Vernon Commonage (CC,CoC).

Two adult ROCK WRENS with 3 fledglings were seen along the Old Okanagan Hwy,
S. of Vernon (CC,CoC).


Sightings for July 14

The first southbound shorebirds have begun to appear. Two LEAST SANDPIPERS
were at the S. end of Mahoney Lake, on Green Lake Road, W. of Okanagan Falls
on July 11 (LN). Habitat at Mahoney Lake appears to be ideal for shorebirds
so birders should check the area.

Rawlings Lake, E. of Lumby, also has excellent shorebird habitat. Three
LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS, a GREATER YELLOWLEGS and a number of LEAST
SANDPIPERS were there on the 14th (CC). A very healthy population of EARED
GREBES can also be seen at Rawlings Lake. An estimated 500 were seen today.

On the W. side of Lumby, a juvenile GOLDEN EAGLE was seen soaring along Hwy
6 (CC).

A BLUE GROUSE with 2 chicks was seen at km 9 on Beaver Lake Road, E. of
Winfield on July 13 (TF) and another female with 3 chicks was at the Cosen's
Bay end of Kalamalka Provincial Park, near Vernon on the 14 (CC).


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

Observer Initials: CC - Chris Charlesworth; LN - Laure Neish; TF - Trevor
Forder; CoC - Connor Charlesworth; BC - Bill Cutfield; CS - Chris Siddle.


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.COM

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