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

Sightings for Saturday, January 29 - 8:00 PM update

Featured Birds include:

BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER (Kelowna)
HARRIS'S SPARROW (Kelowna)

Other birds mentioned:

Boreal Chickadee
Long-eared Owl
American Tree Sparrow
Red-tailed Hawk
BARN SWALLOW
Northern Pintail
GYRFALCON
HARRIS'S SPARROW
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW
Cedar Waxwing


Sightings for January 29

A male BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER was found in the boreal forest at km 15 on
the Postill Lake Road, E. of Kelowna (TF). A flock of 4-5 BOREAL CHICKADEES
were also in this area (TF).

The HARRIS'S SPARROW continues at Trevor Forder's feeder on Black Road in
the Ellison area of Kelowna (TF).

On the 27th, an adult GLAUCOUS GULL was along the Okanagan Lake waterfront
in Penticton near the Yacht Club (DB,BM).


Sightings for January 21

Three roosting LONG-EARED OWLS were found near Munson's Pond in Kelowna
(RT,CC). From the end of Munson's Road walk W. along the dyke to a large
grove of willows. The three owls were roosting here. Please DO NOT enter the
woods, but search for the birds from the edges so as to not disturb them.
They can be very hard to see, but search for them at about eye level in the
thickets.

At the Capital News Centre along Gordon Road, over 20 AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS
were seen in the weeds near the NE. corner of the building (CC,RT,JL). Also
in this area was an adult HARLAN'S RED-TAILED HAWK (CC,RT,JL).


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).



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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; BM - Bob McKay; DB - Doug Brown.

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