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

Sightings for Saturday, March 29th - 9:00 PM update

Featured birds include:

LONG-BILLED CURLEW (Armstrong)
BARN SWALLOW (Vernon)
SNOW BUNTING (Ok Falls)

Other birds mentioned:

Mew Gull
Barred Owl
Northern Saw-whet Owl
DUNLIN
Turkey Vulture
Canyon Wren
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE
EURASIAN WIGEON
GYRFALCON
Boreal Owl
Williamson's Sapsucker
Boreal Chickadee
Pine Grosbeak
Gray Jay
Northern Pygmy-Owl
Canada Goose
American Wigeon


Sightings for March 29

Four SNOW BUNTINGS were along the Venner Meadows Road, E. of Okanagan Falls,
at km 20 (BW). At the intersection of the Venner Meadows Rd and Shuttleworth
Ck Rd, on the 28th, there was a BARRED OWL and a NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL (BW).
Another NORTHERN SAW-WHET was at km 26.5 on Venner Meadows Rd (BW).

In Vernon, a 3rd year MEW GULL was at the Head of the Lake (DC,CS). This
bird showed characteristics of the "Kamchatka" race from Russia and more
opinions are requested. Also at Head of the Lake, the three DUNLIN (DC)
continue and the first BARN SWALLOW of the spring was reported (CS).

Along Lansdowne Road, in Armstrong, four LONG-BILLED CURLEWS were in the
fields, and 2 TURKEY VULTURES were along Otter Lk Rd, at Larkin Cross Road
(CS).

On March 28 a CANYON WREN was heard at the cliffs along Westside Road, at
Bear Lake Road on Kelowna's Westside (CC).


Sightings for March 26

At the Head of the Lake, near Vernon, were 3 DUNLIN, a male EURASIAN WIGEON
and a SNOW BUNTING (HV). The bunting was feeding on sandbars, as were the
three Dunlin, seen from the beach at the trailer park.

On the Vernon Commonage a flock of 70 SNOW BUNTINGS were seen in flight,
over the Predator Ridge Golf Course (CC). On a pond at Predator Ridge was a
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE (CC).

The first TURKEY VULTURE of the spring was reported near Penticton on March
25 (LN).


Sightings for March 23

A pair of adult GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE were on a small pond on the E.
side of Hwy 97, S. of Oliver at Road # 20 (EF,CC,m.ob). The birds were
feeding in a field near the pond with CANADA GEESE and AMERICAN WIGEON.

Eight SNOW BUNTINGS were seen along Irrigation Ck Road, E. of Vaseux Lake
(LN).

An owling trip on the Shuttleworth Ck Road, E. of Ok Falls, produced a
BOREAL OWL and 2 NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWLS (CC,m.ob). The Boreal was at the
traditional location at km 23. A daylight excursion into this area produced
3 BOREAL CHICKADEES, a NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL and numerous GRAY JAYS and PINE
GROSBEAKS (CC,m.ob). Three male WILLIAMSON'S SAPSUCKERS were drumming along
the Venner Meadows Road between km 14-15 (CC,HV,m.ob). The Venner Meadows
Road heads S. off the Shuttleworth Ck Rd at km 13.

In Kelowna, the gray-morph GYRFALCON, seen earlier this winter, was again
seen at the Marshall's Feedlot, on the W. side of Hwy 97, S. of McCurdy Rd
(CS).

Two EURASIAN WIGEON were in Vernon at the Head of the Lake, where 3 DUNLIN
were also seen (DC).



Observers - CC - Chris Charlesworth; CS - Chris Siddle; LN - Laure Neish; HV
- Hank Vanderpol; EF - Elke Fischer; DC - Don Cecile; BW - Bill 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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