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

Sightings for Friday, March 21st - 9:00 PM update

Featured birds include:

EARED GREBE (Kelowna)
RUDDY DUCK (Westbank)
SNOW BUNTING (Penticton)

Other birds mentioned:

Lesser Scaup
Cassin's Finch
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Western Screech-Owl
Canyon Wren
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Tree Swallow
Mountain Bluebird
Golden Eagle
Say's Phoebe


Sightings for March 21

A single SNOW BUNTING was at the intersection of Carmi Rd and Beaverdell
Road, E. of Penticton (LN).

On the 20th, a breeding plumage EARED GREBE was on Okanagan Lake, in
Kelowna, at Sutherland Park (GW). Another spring arrival, a RUDDY DUCK was
at Goldie's Pond, next to the Rose Valley Elementary School in Westbank
(GW,m.ob).

A pair of LESSER SCAUP were on Mahoney Lake, along Green Lake Road, W. of Ok
Falls and a pair of CASSIN'S FINCHES were near the Boy Scout Camp along the
Fairview - White Lk Road, W. of Ok Falls (LN) on the 20th.


Sightings for March 19

A male YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD was found in the marshes near Robert Lake, in
Kelowna (RT). Also in the Robert Lake area were up to 4 GREATER
WHITE-FRONTED GEESE (RT).

A WESTERN SCREECH-OWL was heard along McCulloch Road, near Kelowna, on the
evening of the 18th (CC). The bird was at the first bridge encountered after
the road turns gravel. This bridge crosses K.L.O Ck. A trail heads upstream
from McCulloch Rd at K.L.O Ck, passing by large cliffs where a CANYON WREN
was heard last week (JM).

In the South Okanagan, 2 CASSIN'S FINCHES were at Max Lake on Penticton's
West Bench (LN).


Sightings for March 17

TREE SWALLOWS were seen at various locations, including White Lake Road,
near OK Falls, the Vaseux Cliffs and at the bridge on Road 22, N. of Osoyoos
(CC,CS,RT).

Along the White Lake Road, 6 MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS were counted (CC,CS,RT).
SAY'S PHOEBES and GOLDEN EAGLES were noted in good numbers by a group of
birders who tallied 15 phoebes and 6 eagles, at such locations as the Vaseux
Cliffs, White Lake Road, Nighthawk Road, in the Similkameen Valley and the
Nine Mile Ck Road, near Cawston in the Similkameen (CS,CC,RT).

Three EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES were along Coulthard Road in Cawston, in the
Similkameen Valley (CC,CS,RT).



Observers - CC - Chris Charlesworth; TF - Trevor Forder; RT -Ryan Tomlinson;
CS - Chris Siddle; LN - Laure Neish; JM - Joyce Mervyn; GW - Gwynneth
Wilson.

If you have any questions about Okanagan Valley birding, contact Chris
Charlesworth (250) 718-0335, Dick Cannings at (250) 496-4019, or Phil Gehlen
(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, Canada
V1X 2X5
www.avocettours.com
c_charlesworth at avocettours.com

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