Subject: Okanagan Valley (BC) Rare Bird Alert - January 18 update
Date: Jan 18 21:28:19 2004
From: Chris Charlesworth - c_charlesworth23 at hotmail.com


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


Sightings for Sunday, January 18 - 9:00 PM update.

The Featured Birds Include:

GYRFALCON (Kelowna)
BLUE GROUSE (Kelowna)
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE (Kelowna)

Other birds mentioned include:

Rough-legged Hawk
White-winged Crossbill
Western Meadowlark
Northern Pygmy-Owl
AMERICAN TREE SPARROW
RED-BREASTED MERGANSER
Boreal Chickadee
Winter Wren
Northern Goshawk
Bohemian Waxwing
Golden Eagle
EURASIAN WIGEON
DUNLIN
ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD
Northern Shoveler
Northern Pintail
Three-toed Woodpecker
Trumpeter Swan
Tundra Swan
Pine Grosbeak
BARN OWL


Sightings for January 18

Three WESTERN MEADOWLARKS were in the horse pasture at the intersection of
Old Vernon Road and Lindley Road in the Ellison area of Kelowna (CC,RM).
Also there was a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK (CC,RM). A WESTERN MEADOWLARK was also
seen at the W. end of Munson's Road, in Kelowna, on January 10 (LR).

A female BLUE GROUSE was found at the N. end of Duck Lake, on the north side
of Kelowna (JM).

On January 17, the GYRFALCON was again observed at the Marshall's Feedlot in
Kelowna (CS,TF). The feedlot is along the W. side of Hwy 97, just S. of the
intersection with McCurdy Road.

WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS are plentiful in the sub-boreal forest along the
upper reaches of McCulloch Road, S. of Kelowna (JL). Numerous birds have
been frequenting the ski trails and the parking lot at the nordic cross
country ski area near McCulloch Lake (JL).

On January 9, a GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was found, with CANADA GEESE,
along Lakeshore Road, in Kelowna, at Cedar Creek Park (RM). Also, further
down Lakeshore Road was a NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL (RM).

3 GREAT HORNED OWLS were at the Ranch Park Mobile Home Park on Jan 17 (CC).
The birds can be seen and heard hooting on a nightly basis in the park.


Sightings for January 11

In Kelowna, the gray morph GYRFALCON continues at Marshall's Feedlot, which
is located along the W. side of Hwy 97 at McCurdy Road (CC).

At the N. end of Osoyoos Lake were 2 RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS (LN,JS,JG) and
at the Southern Plus Feedlot in Oliver were 2 GOLDEN EAGLES and an AMERICAN
TREE SPARROW (LN,JS,JG).

Two GOLDEN EAGLES were also noted at the Vernon Dump on Birnie Road on Jan
10 (BC,TF,GW,HV). At Rose's Pond, on the Vernon Commonage, an imm. GOLDEN
EAGLE was seen on Jan 10 (CC). Also noted on the Vernon Commonage on Jan 10
were up to a dozen ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS (TF,BC,GW,HV).

At Old Vernon Road and Lindley Road in Kelowna, 14 WESTERN MEADOWLARKS were
feeding in the horse pasture (TF,GW).

Near the intersection of Stuart Road and Boucherie Road on Kelowna's
Westside, a NORTHERN GOSHAWK was seen on Jan 7 (TF).

The WINTER WREN was again reported at the Fascieux Creek Wetland, in
Kelowna, along Casorso Road (JL).

A massive flock of 1,000 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS were feasting on unpicked grapes
at the Cedar Creek Winery along Lakeshore Road in Kelowna (CC,RY).

Along the Fletcher Challenge Trail at the McCulloch Cross Country Ski
Trails, S. of Kelowna, were 2 BOREAL CHICKADEES and 5 WHITE-WINGED
CROSSBILLS (JL).


Sightings for January 3

Despite freezing temperatures the female ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD was seen at 680
Drummond Court in the Mission area of Kelowna (fide CC). Temperatures below
-25 degrees Celsius on Jan 4 appear to have killed the Anna's,
unfortunately.

At the Maude Roxby Bird Sanctuary, in Kelowna, two DUNLIN were resting on
the ice (TF).

Up to 3 WESTERN MEADOWLARKS were at the intersection of Old Vernon Road and
Lindley Road in the Ellison area of Kelowna (CS).

On Jan 2, the BARN OWL was again seen along Bulman Road at the S. end of the
Kelowna Airport (TF). Watch for the bird at dusk and after dark near the SE.
corner of the Shadow Ridge Golf Course as it hunts the fields on the S. side
of Bulman Road.

On Kelowna's Westside, a NORTHERN GOSHAWK was in Kalamoir Park near the
Sunnyside Road entrance (EF). Two additional NORTHERN GOSHAWKS were seen
along the Shuttleworth Ck Road, E. of Okanagan Falls, on Jan 2
(CC,RT,RM,CS). The birds were seen at km 4.7 and km 8. Also at km 8 was a
male THREE-TOED WOODPECKER (CC,RT,RM,CS).

The boreal forest along the Shuttleworth Ck Road, while cold and snowy,
produced good birds including a flock of 30 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS at km
20, 2 BOREAL CHICKADEES between km 22 and 23, a flock of 18 PINE GROSBEAKS
at km 12 and a NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL at km 13 on the Venner Meadows Road
(CC,CS,RT,RM).

A male EURASIAN WIGEON was at the N. end of Vaseux Lake on the 2nd, as were
53 TRUMPETER and 3 TUNDRA SWANS (CC,RT,RM,CS).

Along Meadowlark Road, off Black Sage Road, near Osoyoos, up to 15 AMERICAN
TREE SPARROWS were foraging in the vineyard on the N. side of the road
(RM,RT,CC,CS).

On Jan 3, 10 NORTHERN SHOVELERS and 3 NORTHERN PINTAILS were on Osoyoos
Lake, on the N. side of Hwy 3 at the bridge (CC,CS,RT,RM).


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


Observer Initials: CC - Chris Charlesworth; RM - Richard Mooney; RT - Ryan
Tomlinson; CS - Chris Siddle; HV - Hank Vanderpol; TF - Trevor Forder; JG -
Jim Ginns; JS - Jim Shaver; LN -
Laure Neish; GW - Gwynneth Wilson; RY - Robin Yellowlees; BC - Bill
Cutfield; JL - Judy Latta; JM - James MacGregor.

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

_________________________________________________________________
Find high-speed 'net deals - comparison-shop your local providers here.
https://broadband.msn.com