Subject: Okanagan Valley (BC) Rare Bird Alert - May 26 update
Date: May 26 21:33:41 2003
From: Chris Charlesworth - c_charlesworth23 at hotmail.com
This is the Okanagan Valley (British Columbia) Rare Bird Alert (250)
491-7738.
Sightings for Monday, May 26 - 9:30 PM update
The Featured Birds Include:
SAGE THRASHER (Ok Falls)
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW (Oliver & Osoyoos)
Other birds mentioned:
Yellow-breasted Chat
Black-chinned Hummingbird
Three-toed Woodpecker
NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD
White-winged Scoter
Least Flycatcher
Black Tern
GREAT EGRET
CASPIAN TERN
GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE
Boreal Chickadee
Pacific-slope Flycatcher
Brown Creeper
Fox Sparrow
Pine Grosbeak
Veery
Swainson's Thrush
Canyon Wren
Black-headed Grosbeak
American Avocet
Sightings for May 26th
At White Lake, near Okanagan Falls, a SAGE THRASHER was discovered this
afternoon (GW,m.ob). It was on the W. side of the road, 1.3 km S. of the
White Lk Rd / Twin Lakes Road intersection.
Along River Road, N. of Oliver, a WHITE-THROATED SPARROW, YELLOW-BREASTED
CHAT and a BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD were reported (JO).
Another WHITE-THROATED SPARROW was seen on the 25th N. of Osoyoos. It was on
the west side of Black Sage Road, a short distance S. of Road 22 (JF).
Along the Big White Rd, E. of Kelowna, 3 THREE-TOED WOODPECKERS were found
(CC,BD,WD). Take Hwy 33 E. from Kelowna to the Big White Rd turnoff. After a
short distance you will cross a cattleguard. The birds were excavating nest
holes on the right hand side of the road, right where it takes a sharp
hairpin turn.
Sightings for May 25th
N. of Osoyoos, a NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD was discovered on the W. side of Black
Sage Road, 100 meters N. of Meadowlark Road (RC,DC,MH). The bird was singing
in the patch of wild sagebrush habitat, near the Burrowing Owl Information
Kiosk.
A singing LEAST FLYCATCHER was in the woods on the E. side of the river
channel at the bridge on Road 22 (DC,RC,MH).
In Vernon, two WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS were on Swan Lake at Meadowlark Lane
(CS). Three BLACK TERNS were at Rose's Pond, on the Vernon Commonage (CS).
Sightings for May 24th
The GREAT EGRET continues to be seen at Acland Pond in Kelowna (CC,m.ob).
>From Hwy 97, in the N. end of the city turn E. on Edwards Road. Make a left
on Acland Road and look for a pond behind mounds of dirt to the east.
At Scandia Golf and Games, along Hwy 97, in N. Kelowna, the male
GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE was reported (CC,RT,CoC).
At Vaseux Lake there was a CASPIAN TERN (LN,DT).
Birding in the upper elevation forest along Big White Road, E. of Kelowna,
was productive. A male THREE-TOED WOODPECKER was excavating a nest hole
approx. 150 M. beyond the first cattleguard (CC,RT). Other interesting birds
found along the Big White Road included numerous HERMIT and SWAINSON'S
THRUSHES, 10 BOREAL CHICKADEES, 6 FOX SPARROWS, a PINE GROSBEAK, and 2 BROWN
CREEPERS (CC,RT).
A CANYON WREN was heard singing on Layercake Mtn, on McCulloch Road, near
Kelowna (CC,RT). Also along McCulloch Road, 2 PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHERS and
a VEERY were where the road intersects Hydraulic Creek (CC,RT).
Two AMERICAN AVOCETS were at Robert Lake in Kelowna (CC).
In Westbank, a male BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK was singing in the riparian woods
along Elk Road (CC,RT,CoC).
Observers: CC - Chris Charlesworth; CS - Chris Siddle; DC - Dick Cannings;
RC - Russell Cannings; RT - Ryan Tomlinson; LN - Laure Neish; DoC - Don
Cecile; CoC - Connor Charlesworth; DT - Danny Tyson; MH - Margaret Holm; JO
- Jason Osterhold; GW - Gwynneth Wilson; JF - Jamie Fenneman.
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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