Subject: [Tweeters] Okanagan Valley (BC) Rare Bird Alert - April 16 update
Date: Apr 16 22:36:40 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 Saturday, April 16 - 10:30 PM update

Featured birds include:

GREAT EGRET (Kelowna)
SNOW GOOSE (Kelowna)
GREAT GRAY OWL (Kelowna)

Other Birds Mentioned

Swainson's Hawk
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT
DUNLIN
Rufous Hummingbird
Calliope Hummingbird
Golden-crowned Sparrow
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


Sightings for April 16

A GREAT EGRET was found in the fields on the E. side of Thomson Brook Pond
in Kelowna (fide BT,m.ob). To see the bird follow the road into the Gordon
Road Sportsfields, but go east of the entrances to the fields until you see
the large new paved road on the right. Park here and walk along that road
checking the fields to the E.

A GREAT GRAY OWL was seen and heard along the bottom end of Goudie Road, off
Hwy 33 in the Joe Rich Area E. of Kelowna on April 14 (RM).

A SWAINSON'S HAWK was seen over O'Keefe's Pond near Vernon on April 14 (CC).

In a late report an imm. SNOW GOOSE was at Munson's Pond in Kelowna on April
11 (JM).


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).


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; RT - Ryan
Tomlinson; MF - Mike Force; DB - Doug Brown; LN - Laure Neish; HB - Heather
Bryan; MB - Margaret Bryan; BG - Bill Greer; BM - Bob Mackay; PL - Pam
Laing; PB - Peter Blokker; BT - Brenda Thomson; JM - Jim Mitchell.

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