This is the Okanagan Valley Rare Bird Alert, sponsored by the Central
Okanagan Naturalists Club.

Sightings for Friday, February 18 - 8:30 PM update.

Featured Birds include:

BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER (Kelowna)
BARN SWALLOW (Osoyoos)
MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD (Osoyoos)
SAY'S PHOEBE (Osoyoos)
HARRIS'S SPARROW (Osoyoos)
BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD (Osoyoos)

Other birds mentioned:

Wood Duck
Snow Bunting
Hairy Woodpecker
White-crowned Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Cedar Waxwing
Tree Swallow
Palm Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
NORTHERN HAWK-OWL
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW
Merlin
Western Screech-Owl
Spotted Towhee
Golden Eagle
Killdeer
American Tree Sparrow
Northern Pintail


Sightings for February 18

A male BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER was found along Myra Forest Service Road,
accessed from the lower reaches of McCulloch Road in Kelowna (CC,CoC,RT).
The bird was approx. 6 km up the Myra Road in the Okanagan Mountain Park
burn. Many HAIRY WOODPECKERS were also present. A four-wheel drive vehicle
is required to get to this location currently.

A mystery warbler, perhaps a YELLOW-RUMPED or a PALM WARBLER was seen along
the shore of Okanagan Lake near the S. end of Poplar Point in N. Kelowna
(GW). The bird was skulking amongst rocks below some docks and did not allow
a good view.

A number of very early migrants have been noted in the Okanagan Valley
during this week. On the 17th, a flock of 6 MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS were at the
Haynes Lease Ecological Reserve near Osoyoos (fide DB). A SAY'S PHOEBE was
along Road 22 on the 18th (DB). A swallow thought to be a TREE SWALLOW was
along Road 22 near Osoyoos on the 17th (MH). Two BARN SWALLOWS were feeding
over the Okanagan River Channel in Penticton, near "the dam" on the 28th
(FW). A female BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD was at the Southern Plus Feedlot off
Black Sage Road near Oliver on the 17th (fide DB). In Kelowna, up to 6
RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS have been seen this week, between Casorso Road and the
Eco-Centre along Mission Creek and along Hall and Wildwood roads (CC,JB).
Three CEDAR WAXWINGS were in a brushy lot on the S. side of Lakeshore Road
in Kelowna, just W. of Avery Road on Feb 17 (CC,m.ob). A male WOOD DUCK was
at the Rotary Marshes in downtown Kelowna on Feb 17 (LR).

Two SNOW BUNTINGS were on the Black Mountain Grasslands on Feb 16 (JB). From
Hwy 33, take Goudie Road approx .3 km, climb through a fence and walk W. up
the hill to find the extensive grasslands where the buntings were seen.

A HARRIS'S SPARROW was along the Okanagan River Channel at the Black Sage
Road access between Oliver and Osoyoos on Feb 17 (fide DB). Watch for the
bird amongst a large flock of WHITE-CROWNED and SONG SPARROWS.


Sightings for February 15

The NORTHERN HAWK-OWL was again along Highland Park Drive, N. of Armstrong
(PB). The bird was seen atop a coniferous tree just S. of the Sleepy Hollow
Road intersection.

In Westbank, 2 male SPOTTED TOWHEES were at the S. end of Sunnybrae Road in
the Sunnyside neighbourhood (CC,RT).

An adult GOLDEN EAGLE was patrolling the hillside on the S. side of Shannon
Lake in Westbank (CC,RT).

RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS have been reported at three locations along Mission
Ck. One was in the woods behind the St. Charles Garnier Church on Benvoulin
Road on Feb 13 (CC,CS). Two were upstream from K.L.O Road on the 14th
(CC,RT).

The WESTERN SCREECH-OWL has been seen in a cavity along Mission Creek in
recent days (JM). From K.L.O Road walk upstream on the W. side of Mission
Creek to the first bench. About 50 meters beyond the first bench on the
right hand side of the path look for a large woodpecker hole on the W. side
of a cottonwood. The owl has been roosting here, but if present it can be
very hard to find because of camoflage.

Both the HARRIS'S SPARROW and WHITE-THROATED SPARROW were still at Trevor
Forder's feeder on Black Road in Ellison as of Feb 15 (TF). Call Trevor at
870-6617 to arrange a time to see the birds.

Although increasingly common in the Okanagan, a pair of MERLINS were watched
around a nest site near the Rutland Seniors Centre by Athens Pool (DA).


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 (LR,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).


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Observers: CC - Chris Charlesworth; RT - Ryan Tomlinson; LR - Lesley
Robertson; PL - Pam Laing; TF -Trevor Forder; JM - Jim Mitchell; PB - Peter
Blokker; DA - Doug Arthur; JB - Joanne Beaulieu; CoC - Connor Charlesworth;
GW - Gwynneth Wilson; MH - Margaret Holm.

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