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


Sightings for Thursday, January 1 - 8:45 PM update.

The Featured Birds Include:

PACIFIC LOON (Lake Country)
SNOW GOOSE (Westbank)
GLAUCOUS GULL (Kelowna)
BARN OWL (Kelowna)
GREAT GRAY OWL (Kelowna)
GYRFALCON (Kelowna)
CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE (Kelowna)

Other birds mentioned include:

Wilson's Snipe
Lesser Scaup
Greater Scaup
Golden Eagle
Killdeer
Mew Gull
AMERICAN TREE SPARROW
White-winged Crossbill
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE
Northern Pygmy-Owl
Spotted Towhee
ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD
HARRIS'S SPARROW
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER
RUSTY BLACKBIRD
White-crowned Sparrow
Thayer's Gull


Sightings for January 1, 2004

The gray-phase GYRFALCON put in his 2004 appearance at the Marshall's
Feedlot on the W. side of Hwy 97, at McCurdy Road in Kelowna (CC,RM).

SE. of Kelowna, at the McCulloch Cross Country Ski Trails, the resident
GREAT GRAY OWL was seen swooping over the Log Cabin Trail by a skiier (AB).

At Rotary Beach, along Lakeshore Road in Kelowna, the adult GLAUCOUS GULL
was seen, and two MEW GULLS, an adult and a first winter bird, were at
Sutherland Park in Kelowna's North End (CC,RM).

Kelowna's Rotary Marshes produced an adult GOLDEN EAGLE, 8 LESSER SCAUP,
with numerous GREATER SCAUP and a calling KILLDEER (CC,RM).

East of Kelowna, 2 CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEES were along Philpott Road, off
Hwy 33 (CC,RM).

In Westbank, a SNOW GOOSE was reported in Gellatly Bay, with a large flock
of CANADA GEESE (unknown).

In the spring along Mission Ck, just upstream from the East Kelowna Bridge,
were 2 WILSON'S SNIPE (CC,RM). To find the birds park by the green mailboxes
along Hollywood Road S, just S. of East Kelowna Road. Follow the path to the
spring and wear waterproof footwear. The snipe were in the small fenced off
wetland.

Seen at midnight on Jan 1, a BARN OWL was hunting along Bulman Road, at the
S. end of the Kelowna Airport (CC). From Old Vernon Road drive W. on Bulman
and watch for the bird hunting in fields near the edge of Shadow Ridge Golf
Course.

The Lake Country CBC was held on December 28, and tallied 84 species.
Highlights included a PACIFIC LOON at the S. end of Wood Lake
(CC,RM,PL,m.ob) 2 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE in overflight (PL,m.ob),
WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS near Postill Lake (PL,m.ob), 3 TRUMPETER SWANS along
the S. end E. side of Wood Lake (RM,DC,CC,PL,m.ob), an AMERICAN TREE SPARROW
in a weedy field along Oyama Road (DC), another AMERICAN TREE SPARROW along
Goldie Road in the Carr's Landing area (DW,RT), numerous NORTHERN PYGMY-OWLS
(m.ob), a single SPOTTED TOWHEE (CC,RM) and a RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET (PL,m.ob)


Sightings for December 27

The Oliver / Osoyoos CBC was held today and under breezy and chilly
conditions, birders managed to find an impressive 106 species.

A HARRIS'S SPARROW was found, with a flock of WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS, in
Oliver along the E. side of the Okanagan River, just S. of Road 18 (RC).

Also along the river channel in Oliver, a YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER was between
Road 9 and 18 (fide DCa).

At the Southern Plus Feedlot, off Black Sage Road, near Oliver, a winter
male RUSTY BLACKBIRD was discovered (MF).

Seen on Osoyoos Lake, N. from the bridge on Hwy 3 was a PACIFIC LOON (DCa),
and an adult THAYER'S GULL was at the Osoyoos Landfill (DCa)

On December 26, scouting for the Lake Country CBC, which will be held
tomorrow, Dec 28th, produced a PACIFIC LOON at the S. end of Woods Lake
(CC,SK,LL,DW).

Along the East Hill Road Trail, in Lake Country, an AMERICAN TREE SPARROW
was discovered (CC,SK,LL,DW).

In Kelowna, the female ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD made regular visits to the feeder
at 680 Drummond Court in the Mission area on December 26 (RM).

The GYRFALCON continues at the Marshall's Feedlot on the W. side of Hwy 97
at McCurdy Road in Kelowna, where it was observed as it devoured a pigeon on
the 26th (CC,SK,LL,DW).

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


Observer Initials: CC - Chris Charlesworth; DW - Don Wilson; DCa - Dick
Cannings; RC - Russell Cannings; MF - Michael Force; LL - Laird Law; SK -
Sandra Kinsey; RM - Richard Mooney; PL - Pam Laing; DC - Don Cecile; RT -
Ryan Tomlinson; AB - Aim Beaulieu.

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
Street in Penticton.

CHRIS CHARLESWORTH
AVOCET TOURS
725 RICHARDS ROAD
KELOWNA, BC, CANADA
V1X 2X5
WWW.AVOCETTOURS.COM
C_CHARLESWORTH at AVOCETTOURS.COM

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