Subject: [Tweeters] Okanagan Valley (BC) Rare Bird Alert - Dec 21 update
Date: Dec 21 22:25:27 2004
From: Chris Charlesworth - c_charlesworth23 at hotmail.com


This is the Okanagan Valley (BC) Bird Alert (250-491-7738), sponsored by
Avocet Tours.

Sightings forTuesday, December 21 - 10:24 PM update


Featured Birds include:

BLUE JAY (Westbank)
SWAMP SPARROW (Kelowna)
CHIPPING SPARROW (Kelowna)
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW (Kelowna)

Other birds mentioned:

Northern Goshawk
Wood Duck
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Northern Pygmy-Owl
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT
GYRFALCON
SABINE'S GULL
GLAUCOUS GULL
DUNLIN
BARN SWALLOW
LINCOLN'S SPARROW
RUSTY BLACKBIRD
American Tree Sparrow
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Thayer's Gull
Yellow-rumped Warbler
American Three-toed Woodpecker
Snow Bunting
Gray Partridge
Golden Eagle
Great Horned Owl
Western Meadowlark


Sightings for December 21

The WHITE-THROATED SPARROW and the CHIPPING SPARROW were at the end of Aspen
Road off Lakeshore Road in the Okanagan Mission (CC,RT). The birds seem to
frequent the brushy hillside at the end of the cul-de-sac.

In Okanagan Mountain Park an imm. NORTHERN GOSHAWK and a NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL
were found (CC,RT).

An adult NORTHERN GOSHAWK, 5 RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS and 2 WOOD DUCKS were
found along Mission Creek upstream from Casorso Road (DW,RT).

At Munson's Pond a SWAMP SPARROW was discovered (RT,DW). From the W. end of
Munson's Road walk W. along the ditch and you'll come to a large grove of
willows. The SWAMP SPARROW was in the weedy field on the N. side of these
willows.

A BLUE JAY has been frequenting the McIver Road area of Glenrosa (MF).


Sightings for December 19

A number of Christmas Bird Counts were held in the Southern Interior of BC
on the 19th. Most areas experienced high winds, undoubtedly bringing count
totals down from previous years.

The Vernon CBC tallied 90 species. Highlights included a CHESTNUT-BACKED
CHICKADEE on Silver Star Mountain (fide PG), an AMERICAN THREE-TOED
WOODPECKER in the BX Creek area and a WHITE-THROATED SPARROW near Swan Lake
(fide PG). A HARRIS'S SPARROW was also tallied at a feeder (fide RT).

The Penticton count, with 93 species, had a SABINE'S GULL on the Okanagan
River Channel (ED). Other highlights included a CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE on
the West Bench (DCa), single THAYER'S and GLAUCOUS GULLS on the Okanagan
Lake waterfront (DB) and 2 YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS at the Penticton Yacht
Club (DB).

The Salmon Arm count tallied 74 species, with highlights including a
LINCOLN'S SPARROW and 5 AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS near the entrance gate to the
Christmas Island Trail (CC).

Kamloops had 77 species with a number of highlights including a
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT, a GYRFALCON, 5 DUNLIN, 2 BARN SWALLOWS and a RUSTY
BLACKBIRD (fide RH).


Sightings for December 18

The Kelowna Christmas Bird Count tallied 97 species on December 18

The best find of the day was a CHIPPING SPARROW, a first for the Kelowna
CBC, at the intersection of Lakeshore Road and Aspen Road in the Mission
area (DC,DW,m.ob). Also at the same location was a WHITE-THROATED SPARROW
(DW,DC,m.ob). Another WHITE-THROATED SPARROW continues at Trevor Forder's
house on Black Road in the Ellison area (TF,m.ob).

The extensive grasslands, accessed from Swainson Road and Treetop Road in
the Rutland area produced a SNOW BUNTING a GRAY PARTRIDGE and a WESTERN
MEADOWLARK (DB).

At the Kelowna Landfill there was an adult GLAUCOUS GULL (MF) along with
numerous THAYER'S GULLS (MF). Another GLAUCOUS GULL was at Shannon Lake in
Westbank (HB,m.ob).

The GYRFALCON was seen on count day at Marshall's Feedlot along Hwy 97 S. of
McCurdy Road, along with the resident imm. NORTHERN GOSHAWK (IW). GOSHAWKS
were seen by a few teams and at least 5 were counted within the circle on
count day.

At least 4 GREAT HORNED OWLS were tallied also, breaking the old record.
Single birds were at Swainson Rd and Treetop Road in Rutland (DB), the
Chichester Bird Sanctuary (CC) and along Miller Road in East Kelowna (MC).

An adult GOLDEN EAGLE was along Gallagher's Road in the Black Mountain
Subdivision (WA,CC,m.ob).

AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS were seen along Lakha Road at Lipkovitz Road in
Ellison (TF) and at Munson's Pond (MB).

At the Chichester Bird Sanctuary was a RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET (CC,m.ob).

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Observers: CC - Chris Charlesworth; WA - Wilf Akerlund; DC - Don Cecile; DB
Doug Brown; DW - Don Wilsonl; MB - Margaret Bryan; TF - Trevor Forder; MC -
Mike Casling; IW - Ian Walker; MF - Mike Force; HB - Howard Braun; DCa -Dick
Cannings; ED - Eva Durance; RT - Ryan Tomlinson; PG - Phil Gehlen; RH - Rick
Howie;


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