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

Sightings for Sunday, March 20 - 7:30 PM update.

**RARE BIRD ALERT for SNOWY OWL (Kelowna)

Featured Birds include:

EURASIAN WIGEON (Kelowna)
WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL (Kelowna)

Other birds mentioned:

DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT
GREEN-WINGED TEAL (Eurasian race)
RED-BREASTED MERGANSER
Boreal Chickadee
Ruddy Duck
Virginia Rail
Northern Shoveler
Tundra Swan
Chukar
Long-eared Owl
Sandhill Crane
Turkey Vulture
Gyrfalcon
Chukar


Sightings for March 20

An imm. SNOWY OWL was found at Sarson's Beach in Kelowna's Mission area
(BT,CC,m.ob). From Lakeshore Road in the Mission, take Sarson's Road W. to
the lake and park in the lot by the playground and beach access. Walk around
the N. side of the point and scan the docks and boulders to the N. along the
shore.

The male WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL was joined by a female today at Ranch Park
Trailer Park in the Ellison area of Kelowna (PL,AS,m.ob). As you head N. on
Old Vernon Road you'll pass Scotty Creek Road and you will then descend a
small hill. On the right you'll see red mailboxes near the trailer parks.
The crossbills have been feeding under the large spruce trees behind the
mailboxes.

At Munson's Pond were 4 EURASIAN WIGEON, 3 males and 1 female (CC).

On March 19, the male "COMMON" TEAL was again at Robert Lake in Kelowna
(CC,RM). Also there was a male EURASIAN WIGEON (CC,RM).


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).

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.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Observers: CC - Chris Charlesworth; LR - Lesley Robertson; Tomlinson; RM -
Richard Mooney;
JG - Jim Ginns; CS - Chris Siddle; KS - Karin Schneider; RL - Robyn Lowery;
JL - Judy Latta; AS - Al Slater; PL - Pam Laing; BT - Brenda Thomson.

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