This is the Okanagan Valley (BC) Bird Alert sponsored by the Central
Okanagan Naturalists Club.

Sightings for Tuesday, June 9 - 10:00 AM update

Featured Birds Include:

SAGE THRASHER (OK Falls)
FERRUGINOUS HAWK (Merritt area; unconfirmed report)
AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN (Vaseux, Kelowna)
CASPIAN TERN (Osoyoos, Ok Falls)
COMMON TERN (Osoyoos)
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT (Kelowna)
BROWN THRASHER (out of town)
GREAT EGRET (Kelowna)

Other birds mentioned:

Clay-colored Sparrow
Prairie Falcon
Least Flycatcher
Willow Flycatcher
Common Nighthawk
Canyon Wren
Greater Yellowlegs
Black Tern
Three-toed Woodpecker
Red-eyed Vireo
RED-BREASTED MERGANSER


Sightings for 8 June

Two SAGE THRASHERS, the first spring reports were again heard and seen
at White Lake, about 300 metres east of the T-intersection of the White
Lake-Fairview Roads (BL, LN). These bird have been present here since 6
June.


Sightings for 6 June

A LEAST FLYCATCHER and WILLOW FLYCATCHERS were reported from the
Mission Greenway viewing platform, just upstream from Casorso Road,
Kelowna (BC).


Sightings for 5 June

A CLAY-COLORED SPARROW seen and heard and suspected of nesting
was at Kilpoola Lake in the South Okanagan (RC).


Sightings for 3 June

An interesting provincial rarity reported from out of the valley was a
BROWN THRASHER seen and photographed at Johnsons Landing
at the north end of Kootenay Lake (GS).


Sightings for 2 June

Thirty AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS were again seen on Duck Lake, just north
of Kelowna (GW, CONC). These birds have been present here for several
days. Two distant yellowlegs, believed to be GREATER YELLOWLEGS, were
seen on Robert Lake in Kelowna (MF). A CANYON WREN called briefly at
the rock bluff at KM 1 on the Bear Creek Forest Service Road (MF).


Sightings for May 30

LEAST FLYCATCHERS continue to be reported from several locations
throughout the Okanagan Valley. One was singing vigorously at SunOka
Provincial Park in Summerland (LR). Thirty-six AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS
were seen at 1100 AM on Duck Lake just north of Kelowna (JM).


Sightings for May 29

There was a third hand report of a possible FERRUGINOUS HAWK near
Quilchena in the Nicola Valley (fide RH). Any additional information on
this bird would be much appreciated. Roosting on the south side of
Haynes Point in Osoyoos were 4 CASPIAN AND 4 COMMON TERNS (DH).
A pair of THREE-TOED WOODPECKERS was seen at their nest cavity
about 9 km up the first right hand spur road from the Bata Forest Service
Road east of Kelowna (TF, RM). A female RED-BREASTED MERGANSER
was seen in flight at Vaseux Lake (RJC). Also here were 2 singing LEAST
FLYCATCHERS (RJC).


Sightings for May 28

A single BLACK TERN was seen over Vaseux Lake (BL). Spring arriving
RED-EYED VIREOS have been reported. One was singing in Scenic Canyon
Regional Park in Kelowna (CC). A PRAIRIE FALCON was well observed on a
utility pole at the Weyerhaeuser Mill yard at Okanagan Falls (CCl et
al).


Sightings for May 27

Two DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS were seen in trees at the north end of
Duck Lake (JM). Spring arriving WILLOW FLYCATCHERS have been noted in
several valley locations, such as one singing along the Okanagan River
channel just north of Oliver (LN).


Sightings for May 26

A GREAT EGRET was seen at the Kelowna Springs Golf Course (MM, fide
RJC). There have been no additional reports.

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If you have any questions about birding in the Okanagan Valley call
Chris Charlesworth in Kelowna at (250) 718-0335, Dick Cannings in
Naramata at (250) 496-4019, or Phil Gehlen in Vernon at (250) 542-8053.

Observers Initials: RJC - Dick Cannings; RC - Russell Cannings; CC -
Chris Charlesworth; CCl - Colin Clasen; CWS - Canadian Wildlife
Service; BC - Bill Cutfield; GDa - Gary Davidson; MF - Michael Force;
TF - Trevor Forder; DH - Donna Herd; ; RH - Rick Howie; BL - Barry
Lancaster; JM - James McGregor; MM - Milt McLaren; RM - Richard Mooney;
LN - Laurie Neish; LR - Laurie Rockwell; GS - Gail Spitler; GW -
Gwynneth Wilson; CONC - Central Okanagan Naturalists Club


Michael Force
3245 McIver Road
Westbank, BC
Canada, V4T 1G1
mpforce at mac.com


Forwarded by:

Wayne C. Weber
Delta, BC
contopus at telus.net