Birders,

Here's a report on the 18th annual Okanagan Big Day Challenge, which
takes place each May in the Okanagan Valley of southern British
Columbia and adjacent areas. Dick Cannings of Naramata, BC (near
Penticton) is the long-time organizer and chief proponent. There are
usually between 6 and 12 Big Day teams taking part (7 teams this
year), with an aggregate total of about 200 species-- pretty good for
an inland area.

Wayne C. Weber
Delta, BC
contopus at telus.net


----- Original Message -----
From: Dick Cannings <dickcannings at shaw.ca>
To: bcintbird <bcintbird at yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, May 20, 2003 9:12 PM
Subject: [bcintbird] Okanagan Big Day Challenge report


The Blizzard Challenge

The 2003 Okanagan Big Day Challenge was another great day for birding,
despite Arctic weather at high elevations and continuing mechanical
problems for one of the teams. The aggregate total of 194 species was
perhaps a little below recent averages, but still respectable
considering the weather birders had to deal with--the dawn chorus in
the subalpine was basically nonexistent, replaced by howling winds and
blowing snow. Seven teams took part; four in the full-day driving
category, one bicycling team, one walking team and one Little Big Day
team (4 a.m. to noon). The Blizzard Blazers (Gary Davidson, Chris
Charlesworth, Dean Nicholson) took the Flammulated Owl Award for
highest species total with 163 species. The Loose Nuts (Dick Cannings,
Russell Cannings, Carlo Giovanella and Ryan Tomlinson) got the
Kootenay Kup for second highest total with 156. The Star Trekkers
(Roger and Andrew Foxall) had 153 species.

The Loose Nuts were plagued by a two-flat-tire incident in the narrow
canyon section of Irrigation Creek Road. Fortunately the Blizzard
Blazers were coming down the hill at the same time; finding that they
couldn't get through, they gallantly offered to drive Carlo Giovanella
back to Okanagan Falls to get his truck so that he could use one of
his spare tires to get Dick's car back on the road again. Thanks
Blazers!

Trevor Forder took the Walking award for finding 94 species on foot
around Kelowna, while Eva Durance and Mary Doherty took the Cycling
award with 120 species in the south Okanagan. Phil Gehlen's team from
Vernon won the Lydia Bishop Trophy for the best Little Big Day with
118 species.

The Garry Lawrence Memorial trophy for best bird of the day went to
the Loose Nuts for their sighting of an Arctic Tern at Swan Lake, only
the second record of this species for the valley. At the other end of
the spectrum, the Snow Buntings (Laurie Rockwell, Glenda Ross, Phil
Heal and Sasha Lees) were awarded the Sour Grapes award for missing
the entire vireo family.

I'd like to thank all the participants for making this such a fun
event and for raising funds for the Vaseux Lake Bird Observatory
through the Baillie Birdathon. See you next year!

Dick Cannings
Naramata, B.C.
dickcannings at shaw.ca