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

Sightings for Monday, April 11 - 10:30 PM update

Featured birds include:

DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT (Osoyoos)
DUNLIN (Kelowna)
RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD (Oliver, OK Falls)
CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD (Kelowna)
GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW (Osoyoos)

Other Birds Mentioned


Cliff Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Sandhill Crane
American Avocet
Glaucous Gull
American White Pelican
White-throated Swift
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


Sightings for April 11

RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRDS have been reported recently in Oliver (BM) and in
Okanagan Falls (BG). A male CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD has been at the large pond
in Sutherland Hills Park in Kelowna (CC).

Four AMERICAN AVOCETS have been at Robert Lake over the past few days
(MF,m.ob) and a breeding plumage DUNLIN seen first on April 9 (CC) was seen
again on the 11th (PL).

A second year GLAUCOUS GULL continues at the Kelowna Landfill (as of April
10 - RT), while a first year GLAUCOUS GULL was found at Maude Roxby in
Kelowna on April 9 (CC).

Fourteen SANDHILL CRANES were at Robert Lake on April 8 (CC,RT,PB) and a
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT was seen in flight over Osoyoos on the same day
(DB).

A GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW was along the W. dyke, S. of Road 22 (Osoyoos) on
April 9 (BM,DB). Also in the area are CLIFF and NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED
SWALLOWS (DB,BM,CC,m.ob).


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.


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; 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; BG - Bill Greer; BM -
Bob Mackay; PL - Pam Laing; PB - Peter Blokker.

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