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

Sightings for Wednesday, January 5 - 7:45 PM update

Featured Birds include:

GYRFALCON (Kelowna)
GOLDEN EAGLE (Osoyoos)

Other birds mentioned:

YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD
HARRIS'S SPARROW
White-crowned Sparrow
Northern Shoveler
AMERICAN TREE SPARROW
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE
BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD
Northern Pygmy-Owl
Canada Goose
AMERICAN PIPIT
Prairie Falcon
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW
Pine Grosbeak
Long-eared Owl


Sightings for January 5

Two GOLDEN EAGLES were seen feeding on a deer carcass along the W. dyke of
the Okanagan River Channel, N. of Road 22, near where the first powerlines
cross the river (WC).

In Kelowna, the resident wintering GYRFALCON was again at Marshall's Feedlot
along Hwy 97, S. of McCurdy Road (TF).


Sightings for January 3

The imm. HARRIS'S SPARROW, first found on Dec 23, was relocated today in the
weedy fields behind the Capital News Centre on Gordon Road in Kelowna
(CC,MF). It was in the weeds immediately on the E. side of the building
amongst some portable trailers. On the NW. side of the building, near the
parking area were 5 or more AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS (RT,MF,TF,CC). In the wet
ditch separating these weedy fields from Michealbrook Golfcourse was a
female NORTHERN SHOVELER (CC,MF).

N. of Vernon, a winter male YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD was again seen in the
mixed blackbird flock at the corner of Thomas Hayes Rd and Otter Lake Cross
Road (CS).


Sightings for January 2

The final Okanagan Christmas Bird counts were held today with frigid
temperatures and gusty winds. Osoyoos tallied 104 species, while Lake
Country tallied 81.

Highlights on the Osoyoos CBC included a BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD and a PRAIRIE
FALCON at the Southern Plus Feedlot off Black Sage Road, between Oliver and
Osoyoos (MF).

An AMERICAN PIPIT was at the Inkameep Campground, near Oliver (MH) and a
LEWIS'S WOODPECKER was along Black Sage Road btwn Oliver and Osoyoos (MF).

An imm. HARRIS'S SPARROW was found at the Osoyoos Sewage Lagoons (DH) with
another seen in the Richter Pass (DB). Two WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS were in
the woodlot S. of Road 22, on the W. side of the dyke (RC). A LONG-EARED OWL
was found in the woodlot N. of Road 22 on the W. side of the dyke (RC).

Be on the watch for a GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE in with CANADA GEESE in
the Oliver / Osoyoos areas since one was tallied at an undisclosed location
on the CBC (DC).

In Lake Country, an AMERICAN TREE SPARROW was seen in the Okanagan Center
area along Moberly Road (RT,RM).

A high count of well over 150 PINE GROSBEAKS was made as well. Some
locations, such as the intersection of Todd Road & Oyama Lake Road on the E.
side of Woods Lake had both PINE GROSBEAKS and EVENING GROSBEAKS together
(CC,CS). Also at the last intersection was a NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL (CC,CS).

Seen just S. of Armstrong, 3 YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS were at the
intersection of Thomas Hayes Road and the Otter Lake Cross Road (JQ).

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Observers: CC - Chris Charlesworth; MF - Mike Force; RM - Richard Mooney;
CS - Chris Siddle; RT - Ryan Tomlinson; JQ - John Quirk; DC - Dick Cannings;
RC - Russ Cannings; MH - Margaret Holm; DH - Donna Heard; DB - Doug Brown;
TF - Trevor Forder; WC - Wilma Coriveau.


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