This is the Okanagan Valley (BC) Bird Alert (250-491-7738), sponsored by
Avocet Tours.

Sightings for Saturday, November 13 - 11:30 PM update

**RARE BIRD ALERT continues for LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL (Vernon)

Featured Birds include:

PACIFIC LOON (Kelowna)
RED-THROATED LOON (Vaseux)
GLAUCOUS GULL (Penticton)
YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD (Osoyoos)
AMERICAN TREE SPARROW (Kelowna)

Other birds mentioned:

Wilson's Warbler
Prairie Falcon
Lewis's Woodpecker
CATTLE EGRET
Wilson's Warbler
Northern Pygmy-Owl
Pileated Woodpecker
Brown Creeper
Bohemian Waxwing
Common Redpoll
GYRFALCON
BLUE JAY
Rock Wren
Golden Eagle
Hairy Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Say's Phoebe
Common Yellowthroat
American Three-toed Woodpecker
Northern Saw-whet Owl


Sightings for November 13

A PACIFIC LOON was seen off the Rotary Marshes in downtown Kelowna
(CC,MP,JG).

The adult LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was again seen at the mouth of Vernon Ck
in the Okanagan Landing area of Vernon on November 12 (DC).

In the Ellison area of Kelowna, two AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS were along Lakha
Road at Lipkovitz Road in the weeds on the W. side of the road on Nov 13
(CC).

On November 12, a LEWIS'S WOODPECKER was seen along Black Sage Road, about 1
km N. of the Southern Plus Feedlot (CC,MP,JG). This woodpecker was chased by
a leucistic MERLIN!

At the Throne near Road 22, N. of Osoyoos, a PRAIRIE FALCON was seen on the
12th (CC,MP,JG). An immature YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD was seen in the Road 22
area on Nov 13 (DB,ED).

On Vaseux Lake, the RED-THROATED LOON continues (CC,MP,JP), while along the
boardwalk, a male WILSON'S WARBLER was seen on Nov 10 (LN).

An adult GLAUCOUS GULL was along the Okanagan Lake shoreline in Penticton on
November 11 (RM,TF).


Sightings for November 9

An adult basic plumage LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was located amongst a large
gull flock on the sand bar at the mouth of Vernon Creek, on Lakeshore Road,
in the Okanagan Landing area of Vernon (DC).

In the south Okanagan town of Kaleden, a flock of 11 CATTLE EGRETS were seen
roosting on a dock along the shores of Skaha Lake (NH). The birds remained
through the morning but flew elsewhere later in the day.

At the Chichester Bird Sanctuary in Kelowna, a very late WILSON'S WARBLER ws
seen foraging in a Russian Olive tree (BM).

A flock of COMMON REDPOLLS were feeding on birch catkins at Barski Pond on
Westlake Road in Westbank (MF).

At the Summerland Research Station a NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL, a BROWN CREEPER, a
PILEATED WOODPECKER and a BOHEMIAN WAXWING were reported (LR).


Sightings for November 8

A BLUE JAY was reported at a residence in the Lakeview Heights area of
Kelowna's Westside on November 7 (fide GW). The bird was at 2425 Collingwood
Road.

The GYRFALCON has been reported by various observers at Marshall's Feedlot
in Kelowna (m.ob).

In Vernon, a late SAY'S PHOEBE was along Bench Row Road at the PRT Vernon
Nursery and a male COMMON YELLOWTHROAT was in the weedy field at Okanagan
Landing Road and Lakeshore Road on Nov 7 (CC,CS,RM).

On November 7, a NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL was heard calling at km 9 on the
Shuttleworth Ck Road, E. of Okanagan Falls (CC,AB,MB). On the 8th, a
NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL was at km 15 on Venner Meadows Road and another was in
the steep canyon on the Irrigation Ck Road, E. of Vaseux Lake (CC,AB,MB). An
AMERICAN THREE-TOED WOODPECKER was heard in the heavily wooded gully on
Dutton Creek Road, off the Venner Meadows Road (CC,AB,MB). Many woodpeckers,
including HAIRY, DOWNY, PILEATED and FLICKERS were in the Vaseux burn area
along Irrigation Creek Road (CC,AB,MB). At the Vaseux Cliffs was a singing
ROCK WREN and an adult GOLDEN EAGLE (CC,AB,MB).

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Observer Initials: CC - Chris Charlesworth; GW - Gwynneth Wilson; AB - Andy
Buhler; MB - Marilyn Buhler; LR - Laurie Rockwell; NH - Nella Hinchcliffe;
DC - Don Cecile; MF - Mike Force; BM - Bob Mackay; LN - Laure Neish; ED -
Eva Durance; DB - Doug Brown; JG - Jose Gagnon; MP - Mireille Poulin; RM -
Richard Mooney; 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