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

Sightings for Thursday, February 10 - 9:30 PM update.

Featured Birds include:

NORTHERN HAWK-OWL (Armstrong)

Other birds mentioned:

Killdeer
American Tree Sparrow
Northern Pintail
Spotted Towhee
ICELAND GULL
GYRFALCON
Western Screech-Owl
GLAUCOUS GULL
Barred Owl
Mew Gull


Sightings for February 10

The NORTHERN HAWK-OWL was again seen along Highland Park Drive, S. of Sleepy
Hollow Road on the N. side of Armstrong on Feb 9 (PL).

Two or more AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS were on the W. side of Lakha Road at
Lipkovitz Road in the Ellison area (CC,RT,m.ob).

A SPOTTED TOWHEE was along Swainson Road on the Rutland Bench (LRo,CC,m.ob).

A female NORTHERN PINTAIL was at the Chichester Bird Sanctuary in Rutland
and a KILLDEER was in the field behind the St. Charles Garnier Church on
Benvoulin Road in Kelowna (CC,m.ob).


Sightings for February 9

An adult "Kumlein's" ICELAND GULL was again seen with other gulls roosting
on the ice at Shannon Lake in Westbank (MF,CC,RT,LRo,EF). Also there was a
gray-morph GYRFALCON, a different bird from the Marshall's Feedlot bird
(CC,RT,MF).


Sightings for February 8

An adult ICELAND GULL was discovered on Feb 7 at Shannon Lake in Westbank
(MF). On the 8th, a second adult ICELAND GULL, told from the first by subtle
wing differences was present. Also here was a first year GLAUCOUS GULL (MF).

On the S. side of the Kelowna Yacht Club an adult MEW GULL was seen (CC,RT).

This evening in Summerland, a WESTERN SCREECH-OWL was heard at the Adam's
Bird Sanctuary and a BARRED OWL and NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL were found
roosting in town as well (LR).

On the 7th of February an after dark trip along McCulloch Road, near
Kelowna, produced a calling NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL (CC,RM). The bird was 2 km
beyond the bridge over K.L.O Creek.


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Observers: CC - Chris Charlesworth; RM - Richard Mooney; RT - Ryan
Tomlinson; MF - Mike Force; LR - Laurie Rockwell; LRo - Lesley Robertson; PL
- Pam Laing.

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