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

Sightings for Sunday, October 24 - 9:00 PM update


Featured Birds include:

RED-THROATED LOON (Vaseux & Vernon)
PACIFIC LOON (Vaseux & Osoyoos)
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE (Vernon)
SNOW GOOSE (Oliver)
RED-BREASTED MERGANSER (Penticton)
BOHEMIAN WAXWING (Lake Country)

Other birds mentioned:

Merlin
Trumpeter Swan
Tundra Swan
Northern Pygmy-Owl
Sandhill Crane
Varied Thrush
Northern Shrike
Rock Wren
Canyon Wren
Rough-legged Hawk
Golden Eagle
CATTLE EGRET
SURF SCOTER
Short-eared Owl
Wild Turkey
SANDERLING
AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER
Black-bellied Plover
Peregrine Falcon


Sightings for October 24

Single juvenile RED-THROATED LOONS were seen at Swan Lake, in Vernon (from
the trailer park at the S. end. TF) and at Vaseux Lake (CC,RT). Also at
Vaseux was a juv. PACIFIC LOON (RT,CC). Two PACIFIC LOONS found along Road
22 on the 23rd (LN) were again seen on the 24th (CC,RT).

Over 60 TUNDRA SWANS and at least 5 TRUMPETER SWANS have gathered in the
shallow bay at the N. end of Vaseux Lake (CC,RT,LN). At the Vaseux Cliffs
were 2 CANYON WRENS and a singing ROCK WREN (CC,RT).

The ad. SNOW GOOSE continues at Tuc-el-nuit Lake in Oliver. It was seen
along the E. side of the lake feeding with CANADA GEESE, in an orchard
(CC,RT), while a GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was at Otter Lake, N. of Vernon
(TF).

On the 23, 2 RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS were on the E. side of th Skaha Lake,
S. of Penticton (LN).

The Summerland Research Station had a female VARIED THRUSH and an adult
NORTHERN SHRIKE on the 24 (CC,RT).

Atop Mount Kobau, W. of Osoyoos, a small migration of raptors was noted in
the late afternoon, including 2 imm. GOLDEN EAGLES, 3 ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS, a
male NORTHERN HARRIER and a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK (CC,RT). Two NORTHERN
PYGMY-OWLS, a RUFFED GROUSE, and a female CASSIN'S FINCH were along the
Kobau Road, 8.4 km from Hwy 3 (CC,RT).

On the 23rd, a NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL and 7 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS were at km 6 on
Beaver Lake Road, E. of Winfield (CC).

Also on the 23rd, an imm. SANDHILL CRANE was at Munson's Pond in Kelowna
(CC) and a MERLIN was at the N. end of Duck Lake (JM).


Sightings for October 22

Two ad. CATTLE EGRETS were seen in flight over the Cherry Lane Mall in
Penticton on the 21 (DCa). The birds were later found resting on Skaha Beach
in Penticton (LN).


Sightings for October 16

An imm. RED-THROATED LOON was found on Shuswap Lake, in Salmon Arm, on the
N. side of Christmas Island (CC,RM,TF,CS). Also in Salmon Arm, 4 imm. SURF
SCOTERS were at the mouth of the Salmon River (CC,CS). An adult PEREGRINE
FALCON was hunting at Christmas Island and 4 SANDHILL CRANES could be seen
in the grasses W. of the Nature Park at the foot of Narcisse Road
(CC,CS,RM,TF). Two juv. AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVERS and 4 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS
also continue along the foreshore and were seen at the wharf and at the
mouth of the Salmon River (CC,CS,RM,TF). Also at the mouth of the Salmon
River were a SANDERLING and a FRANKLIN'S GULL (CC,CS).

In Kelowna, an adult PACIFIC LOON was seen with the congregation of COMMON
LOONS on Okanagan Lake, off Okanagan Mountain Park on the 15th (TF).

Also on the 15th, a migrant SHORT-EARED OWL was seen over Trout Creek Point
in Summerland (RC).

On October 13, 3 WILD TURKEYS were seen at km 11 on Camp McKinney Road, E.
of Oliver (EM). These birds presumably arrived on their own from the growing
population in the Kootenays.


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Observer Initials: CC - Chris Charlesworth; TF - Trevor Forder; RM - Richard
Mooney; LN - Laure Neish; RC - Russell Cannings; EM - Elizabeth Mann; DCa -
Dick Cannings; RT - Ryan Tomlinson; JM - James MacGregor.

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