This is the Okanagan Valley (BC) Rare Bird Alert (250-491-7738), sponsored
by The Land Conservancy of BC.


Sightings for Tuesday, April 6 - 9:30 PM update

Featured birds include:

EURASIAN WIGEON (Kelowna)
GREAT GRAY OWL (Kelowna)
ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD (OK Falls)
SNOW BUNTING (Kelowna)

Other birds mentioned include:

Western Kingbird
Orange-crowned Warbler
Savannah Sparrow
California Quail
Calliope Hummingbird
Northern Goshawk
Rufous Hummingbird
SNOW GOOSE
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE
American Avocet
Boreal Owl
Black-backed Woodpecker
Sandhill Crane
Long-billed Curlew
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Williamson's Sapsucker
Vesper Sparrow
Barn Swallow
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Golden Eagle
Chukar
Long-billed Curlew


Sightings for April 6

At Robert Lake, in Kelowna, a SNOW BUNTING was observed while perched on a
fence post on the E. side of the lake (CC,LG,LR).

A GREAT GRAY OWL was seen on a telephone pole along Sun Valley Road near the
address 6738 (AB). Sun Valley Road can be found by heading N. off Hwy 33
onto Goudie Road in the Joe Rich area, E. of Kelowna. Continue on Goudie
which eventually turns into Sun Valley Road.

A WESTERN KINGBIRD seen on Dilworth Mountain in Kelowna may be the earliest
valley arrival on record (TF).

Five male EURASIAN WIGEON continue at Munson's Pond in Kelowna (CC).

At Hack's Pond on River Road N. of Oliver were two ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS
(LRock,ED).

The spring's first SAVANNAH SPARROW was seen along Road 22, N. of Osoyoos
(LRock,ED).

At Three Gates Farm on White Lake Road, N. of OK Falls, the female ANNA'S,
as well as male RUFOUS and CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRDS continue to visit the
feeders (LRock,ED). Also noted at that location was an adult NORTHERN
GOSHAWK that was watched catching a CALIFORNIA QUAIL (LRock,ED).


Sightings for April 5

In Vernon, a flock of SNOW GEESE were observed flying N. in formation over
the BX area of the city (HM).

An AMERICAN AVOCET was seen at Robert Lake in Kelowna on April 2 (EF) and 2
were present on April 5 (RM).

Three species of hummingbird are visiting feeders at Three Gates Farm near
OK Falls; RUFOUS, CALLIOPE and ANNA'S (fide LN).

At Haynes Point Marsh in Osoyoos, a GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was noted on
April 3 (TF,HV,SK,LL).

Along the Venner Meadows Road, E. of OK Falls, 3 WILLIAMSON'S SAPSUCKERS,
and 3 BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS were at km 14 on April 3 (CC,TF,m.ob).

On the night of April 2 a BOREAL OWL was seen along Shuttleworth Creek Road
at km 27 (CC,JH,BV,CV,TL).

Recent spring arrivals have included OSPREY (TF), VESPER SPARROW (BM),
SANDHILL CRANE (LRocK), LONG-BILLED CURLEW (TF,CS) and NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED
SWALLOW (RM,TF,CS,m.ob).


Sightings for March 31

The hummingbird previously thought to be a Calliope, is now believed to be a
female ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD (DO,LN). It is visiting a feeder at Three Gates
Farm on White Lake Road, near Okanagan Falls.

An early BARN SWALLOW was at Robert Lake in Kelowna (BC). Also at Robert
Lake, a GOLDEN EAGLE was observed as it devoured a duck on the E. shore of
the lake (PM).

At the Chichester Bird Sanctuary in Kelowna, 2 YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS and
2 YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS were reported (BC).

CHUKARS were heard and seen from the base of the Vaseux Cliffs along
Irrigation Creek Road (LN).

A BOREAL OWL was briefly heard at km 22.5 on the Shuttleworth Creek Road, E.
of Okanagan Falls on March 29 (CC,MF).


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Observer Initials: CC - Chris Charlesworth; RM - Richard Mooney; CS - Chris
Siddle; DO - Doreen Olsen; TF - Trevor Forder; HV - Hank Vanderpol; PM -
Peggi McMillan; LN - Laure Neish; BC - Bill Cutfield; MF - Mike Force; TL -
Tim Leahy; JH - Joel Herr; CV - Christine Vadai; BV - Brooke Vermeer;
LL - Laird Law; SK - Sandra Kinsey; BM - Bob Mckay; HM - Hylda Mayfield; LG
- Les Gyug; LR - Lesley Robertson; ED - Eva Durance; AB - Aim Beaulieu.

If you have any questions about Okanagan birding call Chris Charlesworth, in
Kelowna at (250) 718-0335, Dick Cannings, in Penticton, at (250) 496-4019,
and Phil Gehlen, in Vernon at (250) 542-8053.


CHRIS CHARLESWORTH
AVOCET TOURS
725 RICHARDS ROAD
KELOWNA, BC, CANADA
V1X 2X5
(250) 718-0335
C_CHARLESWORTH at AVOCETTOURS.COM
WWW.AVOCETTOURS.COM

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