Subject: [Tweeters] Okanagan Valley (BC) Rare Bird Alert - Feb 23 update
Date: Feb 23 18:46:31 2005
From: Chris Charlesworth - c_charlesworth23 at hotmail.com


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

Sightings for Wednesday, February 23 - 11:00 PM update.

Featured Birds include:

CACKLING GOOSE (Kelowna)
YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD (Kelowna)

Other birds mentioned:

Canada Goose
Golden Eagle
Black-backed Woodpecker
American Three-toed Woodpecker
NORTHERN HAWK-OWL
Hairy Woodpecker
LINCOLN'S SPARROW
Wilson's Snipe
Say's Phoebe
Mountain Bluebird
HARRIS'S SPARROW
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW


Sightings for February 23

A CACKLING GOOSE was with CANADA GEESE at Munson's Pond today (CC). The bird
was first seen in the field at the W. end of Munson's Road, where there was
also a female YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD. The goose then flew to the ice on the
pond and preened (CC).

Two GOLDEN EAGLES were soaring over Mission Creek at Gordon Road in Kelowna
and another two were soaring over the grasslands on Beaver Lake Road, E. of
Winfield (CC).

In Penticton, 10 CEDAR WAXWINGS and a SPOTTED TOWHEE were feeding in a
Mountain Ash tree behind the rose gardens near the SS. Sicamous (LN).


Sightings for February 21

The NORTHERN HAWK-OWL was again seen today along Highland Park Drive, just
S. of Sleepy Hollow Road in Armstrong (TF,JV).

At the parking area for the Myra Canyon area of the Kettle Valley Trestles,
SE. of Kelowna, a BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER, an AMERICAN THREE-TOED WOODPECKER
and numerous HAIRY WOODPECKERS were seen amongst the burnt trees (TF,JV).
Along the road up to the trestles a SPRUCE GROUSE was encountered (TF,JV).
To reach the area take McCulloch Road S. from Kelowna. Perhaps 4 km beyond
the Gallagher's Canyon Golf Course watch for a gravel road on your right
marked Myra Canyon FSR. Take this road up to km 6-8 to look for these birds.


Sightings for February 20

In the farm yard at the intersection of River Road and Secrest Road N. of
Oliver, a LINCOLN'S SPARROW was found amongst a mixed flock of sparrows
(CC,RT,CoC).

Two male MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS were at White Lake and a SAY'S PHOEBE was at the
N. end of Deadman's Lake, S. of Oliver (CC,RT,CoC).

A GOLDEN EAGLE was seen along the side of Hwy 33 near Pyman Road E. of
Kelowna (JB).

The HARRIS'S SPARROW and the WHITE-THROATED SPARROW were both at Trevor
Forder's property of Black Road in Ellison (JB,TF,RM). Contact Trevor at
870-6617 for more information.

Numerous woodpeckers including a dozen AMERICAN THREE-TOED WOODPECKERS and a
BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER were found in the burned area on a small side road
at km 7 on Shuttleworth Ck Road near Okanagan Falls (DB,BM).

Two WILSONS'S SNIPE were seen along with KILLDEER in the Road 22 area
(DB,BM).


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Observers: CC - Chris Charlesworth; RT - Ryan Tomlinson; TF -Trevor Forder;
JB - Joanne Beaulieu; CoC - Connor Charlesworth; BM - Bob Mackay; RM -
Richard Mooney; JV - John Vooys; LN - Laure Neish.

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