Subject: Okanagan Valley (BC) Rare Bird Alert - May 26 update
Date: May 26 21:47:32 2004
From: Chris Charlesworth - c_charlesworth23 at hotmail.com


This is the Okanagan Valley (BC) Bird Alert (250-491-7738), sponsored by The
Land Conservancy of BC.

Sightings for Wednesday, May 26 - 9:30 PM update.

**RARE BIRD ALERT for BROAD-WINGED HAWK (Vernon)


Other birds mentioned include:

American Three-toed Woodpecker
Long-billed Curlew
Pine Grosbeak
Fox Sparrow
Boreal Chickadee
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
White-throated Swift
Least Flycatcher
Willow Flycatcher
PARASITIC JAEGER
White-winged Scoter
GREAT GRAY OWL
SANDERLING
American Redstart
AMERICAN TREE SPARROW
Rusty Blackbird
AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER
Spruce Grouse
Baird's Sandpiper
Common Tern
Black Tern
Red-necked Phalarope


Sightings for May 26

A BROAD-WINGED HAWK was seen briefly today as it coasted N. on a brisk wind
at the N. end of Swan Lake in Vernon (CC,TL). Unfortunately, this species is
most often found while migrating and is not easily relocated. Keep your eyes
skyward in case more Broad-wingeds are moving through the valley. Also at
the N. end of Swan Lake was a single BLACK SWIFT and a WHITE-THROATED SWIFT
(CC,TL).

A LONG-BILLED CURLEW was a welcome find along L & A Cross Road in Vernon
(CC,TL).

Along the Big White Road, E. of Kelowna, a male AMERICAN THREE-TOED
WOODPECKER was excavating a nest approx. 0.5 km from Hwy 33 on the S. side
of the road (CC,TL). Further up the road about 18 km from the Hwy, a FOX
SPARROW, a PINE GROSBEAK and a small group of BOREAL CHICKADEES were found
(CC,TL). CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEES were also present at lower elevations
along this road.

In the riparian woods behind the Holiday Park Resort S. of Winfield along
Hwy 97 were singing LEAST and WILLOW FLYCATCHERS (TF).


Sightings for May 24

Topperchuck's Pond on L & A Cross Road, N. of Vernon, had an adult breeding
plumage AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER on the evening of May 23 (RF,AF,CG). This is
the first spring Okanagan record.

Also in Vernon, 2 PARASITIC JAEGERS were seen soaring overhead at Coldstream
(CS). Unfortunately they were migrating so a location cannot be given. A
jeager was bound to show up given the number of terns in the valley over the
weekend. Stormy weather undoubdetly had a hand in producing large number of
BLACK TERNS and COMMON TERNS at most of the valley's larger lakes including
Osoyoos, Vaseux and Swan.

An imm. male WHITE-WINGED SCOTER was of interest at Mackay's Reservoir on
the Vernon Commonage (CC,RC,RT,RM).

A GREAT GRAY OWL was found along Shuttleworth Ck Road, E. of Okanagan Falls
(RS,DH). The bird, which was at an unusually low elevation for this time of
year, was at approx. km 5.

Also unusually late, an AMERICAN TREE SPARROW was at Coteay Meadows on
McKinney Road, 22 km E. of Oliver (LR,ED,BM,GR). Along a trail to the
settling pond at the Mount Baldy Ski Resort, a BAIRD'S SANDPIPER was found
on May 24 (CG). A THREE-TOED WOODPECKER nest was also found in a powerpole
along McKinney Road near the ski resort (CG).

A RUSTY BLACKBIRD was found at the Ellis Reservoir E. of Okanagan Falls on
May 22 (MT,KK,CK). The reservoir is at approx. km 36 on the Shuttleworth Ck
Road. Various big day groups reported SPRUCE GROUSE along Shuttleworth
between km 21-30 (CC,m.ob).

At Hardy Falls S. of Peachland a roosting WESTERN SCREECH-OWL was found in a
pine behind the bathrooms near the parking area (JL).

Owlers found numerous FLAMMULATED OWLS at traditional locations such as
Irrigation Ck Road, near Vaseux Lake, Mac's Lake near Penticton, Kilpoola
Road, near Osoyoos and McKinney Road E. of Oliver (m.ob).

In Osoyoos an unknown observer found a SANDERLING along the beach behind (n.
of) the Super 8 Motel on May 22 (fide CC). The same observer had a male
AMERICAN REDSTART along the E. dyke S. of Road 22 on the 23 (fide CC).

RED-NECKED PHALAROPES were reported from a variety of ponds and lakes
including Robert Lake, in Kelowna, Swan Lake, in Vernon and Kilpoola Lake
near Osoyoos (m.ob).

Near Osoyoos along the river channel was a RED-EYED VIREO (RS,DH).

Unconfirmed reports from over the weekend include a probable RUDDY TURNSTONE
at Kilpoola Lake (fide DC) and a bird fitting the description of a
WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER at the small pond on the N. side of Road 22 near Hwy
97 (BL). The bird flushed before a definite ID could be made.


Sightings for May 22

At the Vaseux Cliffs a PEREGRINE FALCON was seen soaring overhead (LN).


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


Observer Initials: CC - Chris Charlesworth; RT - Ryan Tomlinson; CS - Chris
Siddle; RM - Richard Mooney; BL - Barry Lancaster; BM - Bob Mackay; LN -
Laure Neish; RF - Roger Foxall; AF - Andrew Foxall; CG - Carlo Giovanella;
RC - Russ Cannings; RM - Richard Mooney; RS - Roger Simms, DH - Donna Heard;
LR - Laurie Rockwell; GR - Glenda Ross; ED - Eva Durance; MT - Mike Toochin;
KK - Ken Klimko; CK - Chris Klimko; JL - Judy Latta; DC - Dick Cannings; TL
- Tim Leahy; TF - Trevor Forder.

If you have any questions about Okanagan birding call Dick Cannings, in
Naramata, at (250) 496-4019, Chris Charlesworth in Kelowna (250) 718-0335,
or Phil Gehlen, in Vernon at (250) 542-8053.

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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