Birders,

This morning I went to the intersection of Learmouth Road and Hwy 6 to start
the day. I met Chris Siddle there and we spent half an hour birding the
area. We failed to find the Alder Flycatcher at the small pumphouse where it
was reported yesterday. We did find a pair of WILLOW FLYCATCHERS there
building a nest in the bushes beside the road. The male was singing about 50
meters back from the tops of some willows (go figure). The female was gently
calling and assembling the nest. Chris and I then continued towards Lumby
and checked some hay fields E. of town where we found a male BOBOLINK.

I left Chris and headed N. for Salmon Arm, intent on adding some forest
birds to my Salmon Arm list. I checked the riparian along Sandy Point Road
near Tappen and was delighted to find many singing male AMERICAN REDSTARTS
and scads of RED-EYED VIREOS, VEERIES, YELLOW WARBLERS and GRAY CATBIRDS. A
lifer butterfly, PEARL CRESCENT, was sunning on the roadway also. I then
birded along the Turtle Valley Road and enjoyed HAMMOND'S, DUSKY and more
WILLOW FLYCATCHERS, YELLOW WARBLER, TREE SWALLOWS and other birds in the wet
meadows and riparian woods along this road.

The Salmon Arm foreshore was pretty quiet but it did produce some good
birds. At the pier not much was happening, most likely because of the wind.
Two adult FORSTER'S TERNS with frosty white upper primaries glided overhead,
my first for the area. I walked to Christmas Island and was entertained by
close views of a BLACK TERN as it dipped and fluttered amongst the gulls
near the island. There were many fluffy RING-BILLED GULL chicks huddled
underneath the adults. As I walked back towards my truck I heard some more
flycatchers...all WILLOW, but then just about when I reached the vehicle I
heard a different "pip" call, then the distinct "free-bee-a" song of the
ALDER FLYCATCHER. The bird was on the powerline right in front of me and I
got it in the scope. The bird was quite different from the nearby WILLOWS.
The face and upper flanks were tinted with a hint of green. The bill was
very wide and completely pink-bottomed. The bird had a full, yet faint eye
ring. In between freebeea and pip calls were a rising "chuwee" call, similar
to a call made by Yellow-bellied Flycatcher. All in all a great day.


Chris Charlesworth
Kelowna, BC

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