This is the Okanagan Valley Rare Bird Alert, sponsored by the Central
Okanagan Naturalists Club.

Sightings for Thursday, March 10 - 7:00 PM update.

Featured Birds include:

GREEN-WINGED TEAL (Eurasian form) (Kelowna)
NORTHERN GOSHAWK (Kelowna)


Other birds mentioned:

Green-winged Teal
American Three-toed Woodpecker
Western Grebe
Blue Grouse
Black-backed Woodpecker
Golden-crowned Sparrow
RUSTY BLACKBIRD
White-winged Crossbill
Brown-headed Cowbird
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Prairie Falcon
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT
Cackling Goose
EURASIAN WIGEON
GLAUCOUS GULL
Canada Goose
American Wigeon
Violet-green Swallow


Sightings for March 10

A male Eurasian GREEN-WINGED TEAL was with "American" GREEN-WINGED TEALS at
Robert Lake in Kelowna (CC,TF). An assortment of other ducks were also
present.

An adult NORTHERN GOSHAWK was seen along Maquinna Road in the Hall Road
subdivision of Kelowna (CC,RT). An imm. NORTHERN GOSHAWK was seen at km 5 on
Beaver Lake Road, E. of Winfield (CC,m.ob).

On Okanagan Lake, off Summerland, a flock of 305 WESTERN GREBES were seen on
March 9 (LRo).

An AMERICAN THREE-TOED WOODPECKER was seen along Huckleberry Road, off
Goudie Road in the Joe Rich area, E. of Kelowna (JB).


Sightings for March 6

BLUE GROUSE were noted at a number of locations today. Most were giving
single "hoot" call notes. Two were along the Twin Lakes Road, near White
Lake (CC,RT). One was along White lake Road, just N. of the lake (CC,RT).
One was heard near Summerland (LRo) and another was heard in the Richter
Pass (CC,RT). A female was seen on Anarchist Mountain (CC,RT). Also on
Anarchist, at the top of Long Joe Road was a RUFFED GROUSE (CC,RT). A hike
from the top of Long Joe Road produced many woodpeckers including a pair of
BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS (CC,RT).

South of Road 22 (near Osoyoos) the blackbird flock along the W. dyke near
where the big powerlines cross the river, produced some good birds. Amongst
hundreds of BREWER'S BLACKBIRDS and RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS were up to 8
BROWN-HEADED COWBIRDS, a female YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD (CC,RT,DB) and a
female RUSTY BLACKBIRD (CC,RT). At this same location in the marsh near the
woods on the W. side of the trail was a GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW (RT,CC).

A flock of WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS were found at the base of Black Mountain,
accessed from the top of Swainson Road in Rutland (LR).


Sightings for March 4

Two male EURASIAN WIGEON were with AMERICAN WIGEON at the Maude Roxby Bird
Sanctuary in Kelowna (CC). Also at Maude Roxby was an adult GLAUCOUS GULL
(CC).

The DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT was again seen in Sutherland Bay in Kelowna's
North End (RT).

Amongst many CANADA GEESE at Munson's Pond in Kelowna was at least one
CACKLING GOOSE (CC).

A PRAIRIE FALCON was seen over the grasslands on Beaver Lake Road (PL).

Five VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS were migrating N. at km 5 on Beaver Lake Road, E.
of Winfield (CC).



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Observers: CC - Chris Charlesworth; TF -Trevor Forder; GW - Gwynneth
Wilson; LR - Lesley Robertson; RT - Ryan Tomlinson; PL - Pam Laing; DB -
Doug Brown; LRo - Laurie Rockwell; JB - Joanne Beaulieu.

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