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

Sightings for Thursday, January 20 - 10:00 PM update

Featured Birds include:

BARN SWALLOW (Kelowna)

Other birds mentioned:

Northern Pintail
American Tree Sparrow
GYRFALCON
HARRIS'S SPARROW
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW
Cedar Waxwing
ROCK WREN
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Northern Shrike


Sightings for January 20

Two BARN SWALLOWS were found feeding over Okanagan Lake at Gellatly Bay in
Westbank (BC,CC,GW,PL,m.ob). The birds were frequenting the area around the
aquatic park and the dock, but also straying towards the mouth of Power's
Creek and slightly to the N. of the aquatic park.

On the 19th, a male NORTHERN PINTAIL was in Holiday Park at the N. end of
Duck Lake in Kelowna (JM).

Six AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS were along Lakha Road just S. of Lipkovitz Road
in a weedy field (CC,RT).


Sightings for January 16

Trevor Forder's feeders on Black Road in the Ellison area of Kelowna had an
imm. HARRIS'S SPARROW and the wintering WHITE-THROATED SPARROW (TF).

A gray-phase GYRFALCON was found perched on a cottonwood snag at Rotary
Marshes in downtown Kelowna (RT,CC). This is probably the wintering bird
from Marshalls Feedlot.

Over the Kelowna yacht club were up to 15 CEDAR WAXWINGS (RT,CC).


Sightings for January 10

A ROCK WREN was found along the Old Okanagan Hwy, S. of Vernon, in a rocky
outcropping near the Kalamalka Lake Lookout on January 9 (TF).

The imm. HARRIS'S SPARROW and about 5 AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS were again in
the weedy fields at the Capital News Centre on Gordon Road (CC,RT). The
birds were in the weeds near the NW. corner of the building.

Along Mission Ck, between Casorso Road and Gordon Road in Kelowna, two
RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS were found (RT).

At the S. end of Duck Lake in Kelowna, a NORTHERN SHRIKE was reported (JM).

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Observers: CC - Chris Charlesworth; RT - Ryan Tomlinson; TF - Trevor
Forder; JM - James Macgregor; BC - Bill Cutfield; PL - Pam Laing; GW -
Gwynneth Wilson;

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