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

Sightings for Friday, March 18 - 10:30 PM update.

Featured Birds include:

DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT (Kelowna)
COMMON TEAL (Kelowna)
EURASIAN WIGEON (Kelowna)
RED-BREASTED MERGANSER (Westbank)
WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL (Kelowna)

Other birds mentioned:

Boreal Chickadee
Ruddy Duck
Virginia Rail
Northern Shoveler
Tundra Swan
Chukar
Long-eared Owl
Sandhill Crane
Turkey Vulture
Gyrfalcon
Chukar
American Three-toed Woodpecker
Green-winged Teal
Golden Eagle
Northern Goshawk
Western Grebe


Sightings for March 18

A WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL spent most of the day feeding on pine cones in
Ranch Park Trailer Park in the Ellison area of Kelowna (AS,CC). Drive N. on
Old Vernon Road. Once you pass Scotty Creek Road you will descend a small
hill and you'll find three roads leading into trailer parks on your right.
At the northern-most, or third road, you'll see some red mailboxes. Park
near these mailboxes and search the spruce trees immediately behind them.
The crossbill has been seen feeding in the trees and on the ground. It has
been in the area for nearly 3 months.

At Robert Lake in Kelowna, the male COMMON TEAL (CC), the male EURASIAN
WIGEON (JL), many NORTHERN SHOVELERS, two ad. TUNDRA SWANS and a single
RUDDY DUCK (CC) were seen.

The DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT was again seen at Sutherland Park in Kelowna's
North End (JL).

Two male RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS were at Gellatly Bay in Westbank (JL).

On the 17, a LONG-EARED OWL was found in the first woodlot encountered as
your drive from Road 22, along the river channel, on the W. dyke (CC).

Four VIRGINIA RAILS were at Hac's Pond on River Road on March 16 (CC,m.ob).

Three BOREAL CHICKADEES were at km 25 on the Shuttleworth Ck Road, E. of
Okanagan Falls (CC,m.ob).


Sightings for March 15

The male "COMMON" GREEN-WINGED TEAL was seen at Robert Lake in Kelowna on
March 14 (CC) and 15 (LR). Also at Robert Lake on the 15th was a male
EURASIAN WIGEON and a NORTHERN SHOVELER (LR).

Flights of SANDHILL CRANES were noted over Willowbrook, W. of OK Falls on
March on March 14 (fide JG) .

A TURKEY VULTURE was seen over the Foothills Subdivision at the base of
Silver Star Mountain on March 12 (CS). A female AMERICAN THREE-TOED
WOODPECKER was along Forsberg Road off Silver Star Road, E. of Vernon
(CC,CS).

On the 12th, 3 CHUKAR and two ad. GOLDEN EAGLES were at the Vaseux Lake
Cliffs in the South Okanagan (CC,RL,KS).

On March 11, the GYRFALCON was again seen at the Marshall's Feedlot in
Kelowna (CC,RM). The feedlot is along the W. side of Hwy 97, S. of McCurdy
Rd in Kelowna.


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).


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Observers: CC - Chris Charlesworth; LR - Lesley Robertson; RT - Ryan
Tomlinson; LRo - Laurie Rockwell; JB - Joanne Beaulieu; RM - Richard Mooney;
JG - Jim Ginns; CS - Chris Siddle; KS - Karin Schneider; RL - Robyn Lowery;
JL - Judy Latta; AS - Al Slater;

If you have any questions about Okanagan birding call Dick Cannings, in
Naramata, at (250) 496-4019, Ryan Tomlinson, in Kelowna, at (250) 712-2416,
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