The Okanagan Big Day was held on Sunday and for the 11th year in a row I
entered a team. This year the team consisted of Ryan Tomlinson, Richard
Mooney and I, all from Kelowna, and Russell Cannings from Naramata. Our name
was decided upon after we investigated a number of large Western Toads
hopping around in the dark was we traveled from one owling stop to the next.

Our night began at 12:00 AM and under an overcast sky with light rain and
light wind we were not optimistic of good owling. Nonetheless the WESTERN
SCREECH-OWL pair answered our calls along White Lake Road and provided us
with a thrilling duet. We could not find a Common Poorwill all night and we
missed the species all together. As we drove down Green Lake Road I spotted
a GREAT HORNED OWL on top of a power pole...bird number 2. The third
species, FLAMMULATED OWL was heard in the burnt forest along the Irrigation
Creek Road. This was a lifer for Richard. We then continued our owling
efforts unsucessfully in the fog and rain until dawn.

The dawn chorus greeted us, in the thick fog and light rain, at km 30 on the
Shuttleworth Creek Road. Despite the fog, birds were singing loudly and we
ticked them off one by one....HERMIT THRUSH, BOREAL CHICKADEE, WHITE-CROWNED
SPARROW, SPRUCE GROUSE, LINCOLN'S SPARROW, BROWN CREEPER and many others. A
few other teams had the same plans for the dawn and we were playing leapfrog
with them for the entire day.

Along the Venner Meadows Road we passed the 'Ibuprofen Ibises" who were
doing the big day by bicycle. They looked damp, but they rode with purpose.
Venner Meadows Road usually produced great woodpeckers and we found just
one, AMERICAN THREE-TOED WOODPECKER. Other teams got Black-backed Woodpecker
and Williamson's Sapsucker but we missed them. Dick Cannings helpfully
called a NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL into view for us, cursing under his breath I'm
sure. Soon after a BARRED OWL approached when it was called. An OLIVE-SIDED
FLYCATCHER sang loudly from a snag, my first of the year.

We then headed to White Lake where we, and no other team for that matter,
did not get the Sage Thrasher. We did add, however, BREWER'S SPARROW, LEAST
FLYCATCHER and RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD along the way. As we drove past Green Lake
for the second time, this being the first time in daylight, we added some
common Ponderosa Pine birds like PYGMY NUTHATCH, RED CROSSBILL, WESTERN
WOOD-PEWEE and NASHVILLE WARBLER. The Vaseux Cliffs produced the usual
birds.. ROCK WREN, CANYON WREN, WHITE-THROATED SWIFT. River Road, always
productive, added YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, LEWIS'S WOODPECKER, BLACK-CHINNED
HUMMINGBIRD. As we drove south, 2 GOLDEN EAGLES were seen soaring over the
mountains near Oliver, a tough bird to get on a big day. McKinney Road added
two target species, GRAY FLYCATCHER, WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH, but no curlew.

Road 22 always adds interesting birds for teams and we were happy to quickly
get EASTERN KINGBIRD, BOBOLINK, NORTHERN HARRIER and SORA and VIRGINIA
RAILS. A brief stop at Osoyoos Lake added about 3 BLACK TERNS to our list.

The climb up Anarchist Mountain was uneventful, aside from a minor
break-down scare. The van would not shift into fourth gear and was making
very strange noises. The problem seemed to fix itself after we discussed
plans to ditch the big day effort. Harpur Ranch near Rock Creek is always
spectacular and we were able to add CANVASBACK, COMMON GOLDENEYE,
BLUE-WINGED TEAL to the list. Great views of BLACK TERNS were enjoyed here
too. We then took Hwy 33 to Kelowna and enjoyed a brilliant male AMERICAN
REDSTART near Beaverdell, some calling VEERIES along the Kettle River,
VAUX'S SWIFTS fluttering overhead, 2 CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEES along
Philpott Road and....no traffic, quite different from the usual Hwy 97 route
taken through Kelowna and Penticton.

Once in Kelowna we stopped at a MERLIN nest a quickly found the bird perched
in the tree. Robert Lake was great and we added WILSON'S & RED-NECKED
PHALAROPE, NORTHERN SHOVELER, PECTORAL SANDPIPER, AMERICAN AVOCET and EARED
GREBE to the total. Alki Lake at the dump was a bit disappointing, but we
did add GREEN-WINGED TEAL, GREAT BLUE HERON and HERRING GULL.

Once we arrived in Vernon the pace picked up and Mackay's Reservoir added
some much needed species..WHITE-WINGED SCOTER, HOODED MERGANSER, SWAINSON'S
HAWK & GREATER SCAUP. A CLAY-COLORED SPARROW sang as we drove by the Bench
Row Road location and a WESTERN GREBE bobbed up & down on the lake at the
mouth of Vernon Ck. Swan Lake, pulled through and our efforts produced
COMMON TERN & BLACK SWIFT. As we scanned grasslands for sparrows along L & A
Cross Road in Vernon, a LONG-BILLED CURLEW called and at the Head of the
Lake a GRAY PARTRIDGE decided to call just as the sun was going down.

Our total was 166, and it was enough to secure 1st place! The Okanagan big
day is such a fun event and hopefully more teams will take part next year.


Sincerely,....one of the traveling toadsmen,

Chris Charlesworth
Avocet Tours
725 Richards Road
Kelowna, BC
V1X 2X5
(250) 718-0335
c_charlesworth at avocettours.com
www.avocettours.com

_________________________________________________________________
http://join.msn.com/?pgmarket=en-ca&page=byoa/prem&xAPID=1994&DI=1034&SU=http://hotmail.com/enca&HL=Market_MSNIS_Taglines