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

Sightings for Saturday, August 22 - 10:30 PM update

** RARE BIRD ALERT continues for UPLAND SANDPIPER (Salmon Arm)

Featured Birds include:

DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT (Vaseux)
STILT SANDPIPER (Salmon Arm, Kelowna & Lumby)
PEREGRINE FALCON (Vaseux)

Other birds mentioned include:

American White Pelican
Baird's Sandpiper
CLARK'S GREBE
Red-necked Phalarope
Franklin's Gull
Clay-colored Sparrow
Least Flycatcher
Spruce Grouse
SANDERLING
BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON
Yellow-breasted Chat
Lesser Yellowlegs
Common Tern
SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Wilson's Phalarope
Northern Pygmy-Owl
Lewis's Woodpecker


Sightings for August 21

The two UPLAND SANDPIPERS were again seen from the Nature Park at the foot
of Narcisse Road in Salmon Arm (CC,RT,TF). The birds were last seen flying
SW. at approx 10 AM. Also seen on the mudflats from the Nature Park was a
SANDERLING, 150 RED-NECKED PHALAROPES, nearly 300 BAIRD'S SANDPIPERS, 2
AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS, 4 FRANKLIN'S GULLS and the completely albino LESSER
YELLOWLEGS. Up to 18 STILT SANDPIPERS were on the foreshore at this
location, with one more at Christmas Island. 16 juv. STILT SANDPIPERS were
at Robert Lake and 4 more were at Rawlings Lake E. of Lumby (CC). Migrant
songbirds in Salmon Arm included a CLAY-COLORED SPARROW at the Nature Park
and a LEAST FLYCATCHER along the path to Christmas Island (CC,RT,TF). Two
ad. CLARK'S GREBES were visible from Christmas Island as well (CC,RT,TF).

A female SPRUCE GROUSE with 4 large chicks was seen along Dee Lake Road,
near the lake itself (CC,RT).

At the Vaseux Banding Stn. a PEREGRINE FALCON and the imm. DOUBLE-CRESTED
CORMORANT were reported (BL,LRock).


Sightings for August 20

Two UPLAND SANDPIPERS, an adult and a juvenile were seen in the tall grass
along the edge of the mudflats to the W. of the Nature Park at the foot of
Narcisse Road in Salmon Arm (DC). The best way to see the birds may be to
wear rubber boots and stalk through the grass. Also in Salmon Arm on the
mudflats was a SANDERLING, 9 juv. STILT SANDPIPERS and a completely albino
LESSER YELLOWLEGS. Offshore were up to 62 COMMON TERNS and amongst other
gulls were 7 juv. FRANKLIN'S GULLS (DC). Be on the watch for jaegers!

Seen flying over Deadman's Lake in Oliver were 4 juvenile BLACK-CROWNED
NIGHT-HERONS (DB) and at Vaseux Lake were 16 AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS (DB).
Also at the N. end of Vaseux Lake was the long staying TUNDRA SWAN (DB).
Banded at the Vaseux Banding Station was a first year YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT
(BL).

Up to 12 STILT SANDPIPERS were seen at Robert Lake in Kelowna on Aug 19,
along with 2 juv. SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS (CC,LR).

Six COMMON TERNS were flying near the SS Sicamous on Ok. Lake in Penticton
(LN).


Sightings for August 17

Shorebird numbers are up again at Robert Lake in Kelowna with the highlight
being undoubtedly 8 juvenile STILT SANDPIPERS. Also there was a WILSON'S
PHALAROPE and up to 150 BAIRD'S SANDPIPERS (CC).

In the South Okanagan, a possible 8 SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS were at Mahoney
Lake, W. of Okanagan Falls. Also there were 5 RED-NECKED PHALAROPES and 3
WILSON'S PHALAROPES (ED).

Also in the south Okanagan, a EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE was seen and heard in
Oliver (BL).

A NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL was calling at km 14 McCulloch Road, SE. of Kelowna
(CC).

Becoming an uncommon sight in the Kelowna area, a LEWIS'S WOODPECKER was
seen E. of Kelowna along Hwy 33 (CC). Approx 5 km E. of the Black Mountain
subdivision stop at the sign for Penny's Garden Centre and look downslope
for two large Ponderosa Pine snags. The woodpeckers can be seen, best with a
scope, flycatching from this tree, which is their annual nest tree.

--------------------------------------------------------


Observer Initials: CC - Chris Charlesworth; BL - Barry Lancaster; TF -
Trevor Forder; DB - Doug Brown; ED - Eva Durance; DC - Don Cecile; LR -
Lesley Robertson; LN - Laure Neish; RT - Ryan Tomlinson; LRock - Laurie
Rockwell;

If you have any questions about Okanagan birding call Dick Cannings, in
Naramata, at (250) 496-4019, Chris Charlesworth in Kelowna (250) 718-0335,
or 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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