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

Sightings forThursday, April 7 - 10:00 PM update

Featured birds include:

SANDHILL CRANE (Osoyoos)
AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN (Osoyoos)
AMERICAN AVOCET (Kelowna)
GLAUCOUS GULL (Kelowna)
WHITE-THROATED SWIFT (Ok Falls, Kelowna)

Other Birds Mentioned

Horned Lark
American Pipit
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Brewer's Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Chipping Sparrow
EURASIAN WIGEON
Sora
Williamson's Sapsucker
Osprey
Long-billed Curlew WHITE-THROATED SPARROW
GYRFALCON
Red-naped Sapsucker
"COMMON" TEAL
Boreal Owl
American Three-toed Woodpecker
Boreal Chickadee
WHITE-HEADED WOODPECKER


Sightings for April 7

Strong southerly winds made today favorable for migration. A number of
spring arrivals were noted. In Osoyoos, two AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS were
flying in close proximity to about 150 SANDHILL CRANES over the ridge to the
W. of Road 22 (CC,MF,HB). Also along Road 22, a CLIFF SWALLOW and a NORTHERN
ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW were seen over the channel. Eight YELLOW-HEADED
BLACKBIRDS were noted in the marsh near the W. end of Road 22 (LN). Small
numbers of HORNED LARKS and AMERICAN PIPITS were seen flying N. at the N.
end of Osoyoos Lake (CC,MF,HB).

A number of spring arrival sparrows were noted in the South Okanagan
including SAVANNAH SPARROWS and a LINCOLN'S SPARROW in the Road 22 area
(CC,MF,HB), a VESPER SPARROW at the entrance to the Inkaneep Desert Centre
in Osoyoos, a CHIPPING SPARROW along River Road near Oliver (LN) and 6
BREWER'S SPARROWS at Kilpoola Lake (DB).

In Kelowna, three AMERICAN AVOCETS were at Robert Lake (MB,m.ob). At the
pond at the entrance to the Kelowna Landfill was a GLAUCOUS GULL (MB,m.ob).
WHITE-THROATED SWIFTS were noted over Knox Mountain in Kelowna's North End
(RT) and at the Okanagan Falls Campground (CC,MF,HB).


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).


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; JB - Joanne
Beaulieu; SL - Sherry Lynn; TF - Trevor Forder; RT - Ryan Tomlinson; MF -
Mike Force; DB - Doug Brown; DC - Dick Cannings; RC - Russ Cannings; LN -
Laure Neish; HB - Heather Bryan; MB - Margaret Bryan.

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