Subject: Okanagan Valley (BC) Rare Bird Alert - Feb 7 update
Date: Feb 7 20:00:04 2004
From: Chris Charlesworth - c_charlesworth23 at hotmail.com


This is the Okanagan Valley (BC) Rare Bird Alert (250-491-7738).


Sightings for Saturday, February 7 - 8:00 PM update.


Featured bird is:

GRAY-CROWNED ROSY-FINCH (Vernon)
ICELAND GULL (Vernon)
GYRFALCON (Kelowna)
SHORT-EARED OWL (Vernon)
AMERICAN TREE SPARROW (Okanagan Falls)

Other birds mentioned include:

Cedar Waxwing
Bohemian Waxwing
Northern Shrike
Canyon Wren
Great Horned Owl
Short-eared Owl
Mew Gull
American Crow
Ring-billed Gull


Sightings for February 7

At the Mouth of Vernon Ck in Vernon, the adult ICELAND GULL was again seen
with hundreds of other gulls (CC,RM,CS).

A flock of 150 GRAY-CROWNED ROSY-FINCHES were along the Old Okanagan Hwy,
just S. of Vernon (PB). An evening search of the area failed to produce the
finches but did reveal a SHORT-EARED OWL (CC,CS).

The GYRFALCON continues at the Marshall's Feedlot in Kelowna, located along
the W. side of Hwy 97, S. of McCurdy Road (CC,RM).

A roosting GREAT HORNED OWL was seen in the old barn at the intersection of
Old Vernon Road and Bulman Road in Kelowna's Ellison area (CC,RM). The bird
was perched in the large opening on the N. side of the barn.

Six AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS were found along the Road 22 dykes, N. of Osoyoos
(TF) and 2 CANYON WRENS were on the bluffs along Green Lake Road, near the
Okanagan Falls Campground (TF).

Along White Lake Road, in the South Okanagan, 15 AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS, a
NORTHERN SHRIKE and a CANYON WREN were tallied (LN). A NORTHERN SHRIKE was
also noted near the Head of the Lake in Vernon (CC,CS,RM).

At the end of Lakeshore Road, in Osoyoos, near the US border, was a mixed
flock of 15 CEDAR WAXWINGS and 6 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS (TF).


Sightings for February 6

A surprised observer watched a SHORT-EARED OWL flying high above the city of
Kelowna at the intersection of Hwy 97 and Burtch Road (CC). The bird was
being harassed by a dozen AMERICAN CROWS and was heading in a southerly
direction. Look for it in the fields along Benvoulin Road or near Munson's
Pond, two locations where this species have appeared in the past.

At the Rotary Marshes, in downtown Kelowna, the AMERICAN TREE SPARROW was
relocated (CC). The bird was feeding on seed heads near a small pond by the
first bridge encountered when entering the park from Sunset Dr.

In Rutland, a first year MEW GULL was with RING-BILLED GULLS in the
McDonald's parking lot at the intersection of Hwy 33 and Hollywood Road
(CC).


Sightings for February 5

The wintering GYRFALCON was again seen at Marshall's Feedlot in Kelowna
(CC). The feedlot is located along the W. side of Hwy 97, S. of McCurdy
Road. The bird can often be seen perched on the telephone poles to the N. of
the feedlot.

A first winter MEW GULL was reported along the Kelowna Waterfront at Rotary
Beach, along Lakeshore Road (HV).


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


Observer Initials: CC - Chris Charlesworth; HV - Hank Vanderpol; LN - Laure
Neish; CS - Chris Siddle; RM - Richard Mooney; TF - Trevor Forder.

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.

This update has been sponsored by the TUMBLEWEED NATURE STORE at 67 Front
Street in Penticton.

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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