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

Sightings for Sunday, March 30th - 11:00 PM update

Featured birds include:

PRAIRIE FALCON (Kelowna)
CLIFF SWALLOW (Vernon)
AMERICAN TREE SPARROW (Kelowna)

Other birds mentioned:

Blue Grouse
Spotted Towhee
Long-billed Curlew
Barn Swallow
Snow Bunting
Mew Gull
Barred Owl
Northern Saw-whet Owl
DUNLIN
Turkey Vulture
Canyon Wren
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE


Sightings for March 30

A PRAIRIE FALCON was seen at Robert Lake, in Kelowna (RT). In the fields N.
of Robert Lake were two LONG-BILLED CURLEWS and an AMERICAN TREE SPARROW
(RT).

A male BLUE GROUSE was heard "hooting" along Wildwood Road, off Silver Star
Road, E. of Vernon (CS).

A very early CLIFF SWALLOW was with other assorted swallows at the Head of
the Lake, near Vernon (DC).

Near Rose's Pond on the Vernon Commonage, a SPOTTED TOWHEE was reported
(JM).


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,
N. of Vernon (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).

Observers - CC - Chris Charlesworth; CS - Chris Siddle; LN - Laure Neish; HV
- Hank Vanderpol; DC - Don Cecile; BW - Bill Wilson; RT - Ryan Tomlinson; JM
- James McGregor.

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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