Birders,

To ring in the New Year, Ryan Tomlinson and I went out birding in the
Kelowna area. It was quite cold and breezy, making for a brisk day. The
birds were very active and I suspect the snow and cold has driven a number
of birds in the area. We began at 8:00 AM and birded straight through until
4:00 PM. Our efforts were rewarded with a nice list for the new year.

Kelowna Mission Area

We started off in the Kelowna Mission at the end of Aspen Court. There had
been previous Chipping and White-throated sparrows so we looked for them but
came up empty. We did find some interesting species there such as a
WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH, some PYGMY NUTHATCHES and MOUNTAIN CHICKADEES.

We then retraced our steps along Lakeshore Road and found a field full of
sparrows! Many WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS made up the bulk of the flock, but
Ryan was quick to discover an imm. HARRIS'S SPARROW! No sooner did we get
our bins on to the first one and a second imm. HARRIS'S popped into the same
field of view! I was checking a wet ditch along the other side of the road
and found a nice SWAMP SPARROW skulking in the underbrush. Flying overhead
were many BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS and a small flock of about 30 COMMON REDPOLLS
landed in the field as well!

At Rotary Beach we found a few waterbirds, including 3 TUNDRA SWANS, HORNED
GREBES, GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS and COMMON GOLDENEYE.

The large sparrow field behind the Capital News Centre on Gordon Road
produced 17 AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS and many WHITE-CROWNEDS. I'm sure the
Harris's was in there too, but we failed to see it. Overhead we studied 2
imm. and 1 ad. ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS, 5 RED-TAILED HAWKS, 2 imm. NORTHERN
HARRIERS and an imm. COOPER'S HAWK. An imm. NORTHERN SHRIKE and a male
AMERICAN KESTREL worked the perimeter of the field.

Rotary Marsh and Sutherland Bay produced the usual ducks including good
numbers of CANVASBACKS, REDHEAD, both GREATER and LESSER SCAUP, COMMON
MERGANSERS, HOODED MERGANSERS, BUFFLEHEAD, COMMON GOLDENEYE, AMERICAN COOT,
RED-NECKED GREBE, PIED-BILLED GREBE, and a roaming imm. NORTHERN HARRIER.

Rutland Area

Marshall's Feedlot was buzzing with activity as the gray-phase GYRFALCON
persistently hunted the swarms of ROCK PIGEONS, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS,
BREWER'S BLACKBIRDS and EUROPEAN STARLINGS. The GYR hunted for at least 15
minutes showing off its hunting techniques.

At Chichester Bird Sanctuary birding was slow. Only 10 species were turned
up! One was a WILSON'S SNIPE however and another was GREEN-WINGED TEAL.

We briefly checked Mission Ck at East Kelowna Road and found little more
than a WINTER WREN and an adult BALD EAGLE. Also in the Belgo area we found
a PILEATED WOODPECKER and another ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK at the end of Belgo
Road.

A short jaunt up Hwy 33 produced 3 PINE GROSBEAKS (2 females and a male)
just beyond the subdivisions, a NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL was on a treetop at 8
Mile Ranch and along Philpott Road a single CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE was
found.

Our day ended at Trevor Forder's feeder in the Ellison area. Good numbers of
birds were coming in to feed at these busy feeding stations. Quite a few
WHITE-CROWNED and SONG SPARROWS were ground feeding, along with the
long-staying WHITE-THROATED SPARROW. A MERLIN clipped a branch 12 inches
from our heads when it ripped through the air after finches at the feeder.
Other additions to our day list included a female DOWNY WOODPECKER, a PINE
SISKIN and at dusk a hooting GREAT HORNED OWL.

Our total for the day was 72 species! A good start for the new year.

Chris Charlesworth

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