Subject: [Tweeters] Okanagan Valley (BC) Rare Bird Alert - April 4 update
Date: Apr 4 20:47:28 2005
From: Chris Charlesworth - c_charlesworth23 at hotmail.com


This is the Okanagan Valley Rare Bird Alert (250-491-7738), sponsored by the
Central Okanagan Naturalist's Club.

Sightings for Monday, April 4 - 8:30 PM update

Featured birds include:

EURASIAN WIGEON (Kelowna)
GLAUCOUS GULL (Penticton)
SORA (Oliver)
WILLIAMSON'S SAPSUCKER (OK Falls)
OSPREY (Osoyoos)
LONG-BILLED CURLEW (Osoyoos)
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW (Kelowna)

Other Birds Mentioned

GYRFALCON
Red-naped Sapsucker
"COMMON" TEAL
Boreal Owl
American Three-toed Woodpecker
Boreal Chickadee
WHITE-HEADED WOODPECKER
SNOWY OWL
White-winged Crossbill

Sightings for April 4

A 2nd year GLAUCOUS GULL was in Penticton along the beach near the big Peach
on the Okanagan Lake waterfront on April 3 (DC,RC).

A FOX SPARROW was on the White Lake Road at the cattleguard N. of
Willowbrook (DC,RC).

The first SORAs of the spring were reported at Hack's Pond on River Road
near Oliver and along White Lake Road at the pond just N. of the observatory
parking lot (DC,RC).

An AMERICAN TREE SPARROW was with WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS along Black Sage
Road, S. of Road 22 (DC,RC).

Two male WILLIAMSON'S SAPSUCKERS were at km 14.3 on Venner Meadows Road, E.
of Okanagan Falls (DC,RC).

A LONG-EARED OWL was found in the deciduous woodlands along the Okanagan
River Channel N. of Road 22 (DC,RC).

At the N. end of Osoyoos Lake the first OSPREY of the season was reported
(DC,RC).

Two LONG-BILLED CURLEWS were at Road 22 on April 3 (DC,RC) and 4 were
present on the 4th (DB)

Three EURASIAN WIGEON, 2 male and 1 female, continue at Munson's Pond in
Kelowna (CC,RT,TF,MF).

The WHITE-THROATED SPARROW continues at Trevor Forder's property on Black
Road in the Ellison area of Kelowna (TF). Call Trevor at 870-6617 to arrange
to see the bird.


Sightings for March 27

On March 25th, the first Red-naped Sapsuckers of the season, were seen along
the Beaver Lake Rd., east of Winfield (TF). Two were seen in the first large
group of Aspens on the right hand side of the road, at the approx. 4-5 km.
point. Three Boreal Chickadee were seen , also along Beaver Lake Rd., in the
vicinity of Lost Lake. An American Three-toed Woodpecker was also seen here.

On March 22nd, a female White-headed Woodpecker was found on Anarchist
Mountain (SL). Park at the rest area on Hwy3, east of Osoyoos, just west of
a flat farmland area. Walk south towards the border, to a cleared track.
This is in the area of the new, Regal Ridge Development.

On March 21st, the over-wintering Gyrfalcon, was seen at the Marshall
Feedlot in Kelowna (RM,JB). Also the Common Teal and Eurasian Wigeon were
again seen at Robert Lake in Kelowna. A Boreal Owl was heard during an Owl
Survey, 4 kms. Down from the McCulloch Lake Cross Country Ski area, on
McCulloch Rd (CC,RM,JB).


Sightings for March 20

An imm. SNOWY OWL was found at Sarson's Beach in Kelowna's Mission area
(BT,CC,m.ob). From Lakeshore Road in the Mission, take Sarson's Road W. to
the lake and park in the lot by the playground and beach access. Walk around
the N. side of the point and scan the docks and boulders to the N. along the
shore.

The male WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL was joined by a female today at Ranch Park
Trailer Park in the Ellison area of Kelowna (PL,AS,m.ob). As you head N. on
Old Vernon Road you'll pass Scotty Creek Road and you will then descend a
small hill. On the right you'll see red mailboxes near the trailer parks.
The crossbills have been feeding under the large spruce trees behind the
mailboxes.

At Munson's Pond were 4 EURASIAN WIGEON, 3 males and 1 female (CC).

On March 19, the male "COMMON" TEAL was again at Robert Lake in Kelowna
(CC,RM). Also there was a male EURASIAN WIGEON (CC,RM).

If you have any questions about Okanagan birding call Dick Cannings, in
Naramata, at (250) 496-4019, Ryan Tomlinson, in Kelowna, at (250) 712-2416,
or Phil Gehlen, in Vernon at (250) 542-8053.

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

Observer Initials: CC - Chris Charlesworth; RM - Richard Mooney; PL - Pam
Laing; AS - Al Slater; BT - Brenda Thomson; JB - Joanne Beaulieu; SL -
Sherry Lynn; TF - Trevor Forder; RT - Ryan Tomlinson; MF - Mike Force; DB -
Doug Brown; DC - Dick Cannings; RC - Russ Cannings.

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