This is the Okanagan Valley Rare Bird Alert, sponsored by Avocet Tours
(www.avocettours.com).

Sightings for Monday, February 1 - 8:00 PM update

Featured Birds include:

NORTHERN HAWK OWL (Armstrong)
SNOW BUNTING (Kelowna)

Other birds mentioned:

Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Wood Duck
Canyon Wren
Spruce Grouse
Gyrfalcon
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW
HARRIS'S SPARROW
Boreal Chickadee
Black-backed Woodpecker


Sightings for February 1

The NORTHERN HAWK-OWL was again seen just N. of Armstrong along Highland
Park Road (PB). Search for the bird atop telephone poles and trees just S.
of the Sleepy Hollow Road intersection.

The grasslands on the S. side of Black Mountain, E. of Kelowna produced 2
calling SNOW BUNTINGS (CC).

CANYON WRENS have been reported on both January 31 and February 1 at the
cliffs at the bottom of Bear Lake Road, off Westside Road (LR,MF).

Upstream from Casorso Road along Mission Ck on the 31st of January was a
RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET with BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES and at least 8 WOOD DUCKS
on a small creek behind St. Charles Garnier Church on Benvoulin Road in
Kelowna (CC).


Sightings for January 30

Seen on Jan 27 and 29th, a NORTHERN HAWK-OWL is frequenting the intersection
of Sleepy Hollow Road and Highland Park Road in Armstrong (HM).

A displaying male and a female SPRUCE GROUSE were 7 km N. of Beaver Lake
Road on Dee Lake Road E. of Winfield (CC,RT,CoC). At km 5 were 3 BOREAL
CHICKADEES (CC,CoC,RT).

Trevor Forder's feeder on Black Road in Ellison had the WHITE-THROATED
SPARROW and the HARRIS'S SPARROW (TF). A NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL has been
calling routinely in the evenings from his yard as well (TF).

The GYRFALCON was at Marshall's Feedlot, along the W. side of Hwy 97 S. of
McCurdy Road in Kelowna (CC,RT,CoC).


Sightings for January 29

A male BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER was found in the boreal forest at km 15 on
the Postill Lake Road, E. of Kelowna (TF). A flock of 4-5 BOREAL CHICKADEES
were also in this area (TF).

The HARRIS'S SPARROW continues at Trevor Forder's feeder on Black Road in
the Ellison area of Kelowna (TF).

On the 27th, an adult GLAUCOUS GULL was along the Okanagan Lake waterfront
in Penticton near the Yacht Club (DB,BM).


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Observers: CC - Chris Charlesworth; RT - Ryan Tomlinson; TF - Trevor
Forder; BM - Bob McKay; DB - Doug Brown; HM - Hylda Mayfield; CoC - Connor
Charlesworth; LR - Lesley Robertson; PB - Peter Blokker.

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