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

Sightings for Saturday, May 3 - 7:45 PM update

The Featured Birds Include:

CLARK'S GREBE (Salmon Arm)
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE (Salmon Arm)
BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD (Kelowna)
SANDHILL CRANE (Penticton)
GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE (Kelowna)

Other birds mentioned:

Warbling Vireo
Wilson's Warbler
Hammond's Flycatcher
Dusky Flycatcher
Orange-crowned Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Rufous Hummingbird
Vaux's Swift
Bonaparte's Gull
American White Pelican
LONG-TAILED DUCK
Spruce Grouse
BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER
Williamson's Sapsucker
Lewis' Woodpecker
Canyon Wren
White-throated Swift
Blue-winged Teal
Long-billed Curlew
Swainson's Hawk
Western Kingbird
Bank Swallow
Spotted Sandpiper


Sightings for May 3

Seen from the viewing platform near Christmas Island on the Salmon Arm
Foreshore was a CLARK'S GREBE and a GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE (DC).

A male BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD was reported from Holiday Park on the N.
shore of Duck Lake, in Kelowna (JM).

Flying N. in the late afternoon over the N. end of Penticton were 11
SANDHILL CRANES (CC,MF,RT).

Two BONAPARTE'S GULLS, an adult and a first year, were seen from the viewing
platform at Vaseux Lake (CC,MF,RT).

Large numbers of migrants were noted along the Okanagan River Channel, S. of
Ok Falls Campground. Migrant flocks included 11 HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHERS, 5
DUSKY FLYCATCHERS, a male RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD, 32 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS, 18
NASHVILLE WARBLERS, 5 WILSON'S WARBLERS, 5 YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS, 2
WARBLING VIREOS and 64 RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS (CC,MF,RT).

A heavy movement of VAUX'S SWIFTS was noted throughout the valley today,
with over 100 noted in the Okanagan Falls region alone (CC,MF,RT). Some were
also at Gellatly Bay in Westbank (EF).

The male GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE was again at Scandia Golf and Games along Hwy
97 N. in Kelowna (CC).


Sightings for April 30

A flock of 17 AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS were watched as they busily fed on
Okanagan Lake off the S. end of Peachland in the early morning (CC,MF,RT).

A female BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER was found along the Venner Meadows Road, E.
of Okanagan Falls, at km 14. Also there was a male WILLIAMSON'S SAPSUCKER
(CC,MF,RT,NH). Along the Shuttleworth Ck Road, at km 21.5 a female SPRUCE
GROUSE was seen on the side of the road (CC,MF,RT,NH).

The female LONG-TAILED DUCK, which has been present for almost six months,
continues at the Osoyoos Sewage Ponds, near the Osoyoos Golf Course (DB).

At the Vaseux Lake Cliffs were 4 CANYON WRENS, 20 or more WHITE-THROATED
SWIFTS and a LEWIS' WOODPECKER (CC,MF,RT).

Two BLUE-WINGED TEAL were noted at Belgo Pond, on Walburn Road, in Rutland
(PL).

In a late report for the 29th, two LONG-BILLED CURLEWS were seen in the
fields along Road 22, N. of Osoyoos (JL).


Sightings for April 29

The first WESTERN KINGBIRD of the year was seen along Booth Road, off
Anderson Road, in Kelowna's Ellison area (CC,NH).

Other first of the year sightings included a BANK SWALLOW, a SPOTTED
SANDPIPER and a SWAINSON'S HAWK at Robert Lake, in Kelowna (CC,NH).


Observers: CC - Chris Charlesworth; RT - Ryan Tomlinson; JL - Judy Latta; MF
- Mike Force; NH - Nathan Hentze; DB - Doug Brown; PL - Pam Laing; EF - Elke
Fischer; JM - James McGregor; DC - Don Cecile.


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

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