This is the Okanagan Valley (BC) Rare Bird Alert (250-491-7738) sponsored by
the Central Okanagan Naturalists Club.
Sightings for Saturday, March 18 - 4:30 PM update
Featured birds include:
YELLOW-BILLED LOON (Vernon
PACIFIC LOON (Vernon)
EURASIAN WIGEON (Vernon)
PEREGRINE FALCON (Vaseux Lake)
Other birds mentioned include:
AMERICAN TREE SPARROW
Harlequin Duck
Northern Shrike
Rough-legged Hawk
Cackling Goose
Western Screech-Owl
VESPER SPARROW
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW
Sandhill Crane
Northern Pintail
Northern Shoveler
Violet-green Swallow
Tree Swallow
Mountain Bluebird
Say's Phoebe
LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL
ICELAND GULL
HARRIS'S SPARROW
NORTHERN HAWK-OWL
Northern Goshawk
Sightings for March 18
On March 17, an imm. YELLOW-BILLED LOON and a PACIFIC LOON moulting into
alternate plumage were seen on Kalamalka Lake S. of Vernon (CS). The birds
were seen far out on the lake from the Kekuli Park area.
Two male EURASIAN WIGEON were at the S. end of Swan Lake in Vernon on March
17 (CS).
On March 15, a PEREGRINE FALCON was seen soaring over Hack's Pond on River
Road. It was later seen chasing RED-TAILED HAWKS away from the S. face of
Macintyre's Bluff (CC,CS,MF,NK).
The male HARLEQUIN DUCK was again on the Okanagan River at Ok Falls
Campground on March 15 (CC,CS,MF,NK).
A ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK and a few NORTHERN SHRIKES were highlights at White Lake
on March 15. Seen in a large open field along the W. side of the Twin Lakes
Road, perhaps 2 km from White Lake Road was an elusive AMERICAN TREE SPARROW
(CC,CS,MF,NK).
On the 14th of March, a pair of WOOD DUCKS were at the Fascieux Ck Marsh in
Kelowna (DB).
Sightings for March 13
Along Dunsmuir Road in the Hall Road area of Kelowna, a WHITE-THROATED
SPARROW continues in the thick understory near the W. end of the road
(CC,DW,NK).
Found roosting in a cedar near the waterfall at the Scenic Canyon portion of
Mission Ck in Kelowna was a WESTERN SCREECH-OWL. Also in the area were
VARIED THRUSHES, WILSON'S SNIPE and RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS (CC,DW,NK).
Behind St. Charles Garnier Church on Benvouling Road in Kelowna, an
extremely early, or possibly a wintering VESPER SPARROW was found
(CC,DW,NK). It was in the weeds along the fence on the N. side of the field
immediately behind St. Charles Garnier Church.
At Munson's Pond in Kelowna there were a number of CACKLING GEESE including
some very tiny individuals of the minima race (CC,DW,NK).
The GYRFALCON was at Marshall's Feedlot along the W. side of Hwy 97 at
McCurdy Road in N. Kelowna (CC,DW,NK).
Recent spring arrivals in the valley have included SAY'S PHOEBES, MOUNTAIN
BLUEBIRDS, and VIOLET-GREEN and TREE SWALLOWS, SANDHILL CRANES, NORTHERN
PINTAIL and NORTHERN SHOVELER (m.ob).
Sightings for March 4
An adult ICELAND GULL was found amongst the large gull flock in Mud Bay at
the Maude Roxby Bird Sanctuary in Kelowna (RT,CC). The bird exhibits all of
the typical field marks of an Iceland Gull such as extensive white in the
primaries, a rounded head, virtually clean of markings, a yellow eye a
slender bill. This appears to be a different individual than the Iceland
Gull seen in Kelowna on various occasions in February as that bird had a
dark eye. Also at Maude Roxby were at least 6 CACKLING GEESE (CC,RT).
The adult LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL continues in Vernon at the mouth of
Vernon Ck in the Okanagan Landing area (BP).
On March 3, 2 WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS were found along Dunsmuir Road in the
thick woods near the intersection with Hall Road (RT).
The imm. HARRIS'S SPARROW continues at Trevor Forder's feeder on Black Road
in Ellison (TF). Call Trevor at 765-4082 for more information.
Way back on February 20 an imm. NORTHERN GOSHAWK was seen at Duck Lake in
Kelowna (SM).
The NORTHERN HAWK-OWL that successfully wintered along Carmi Road near Bear
End Road E. of Penticton was last seen on February 17 (CD).
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Observers: RT - Ryan Tomlinson; CC -Chris Charlesworth; SM - Sue Macgregor;
CD - Chris Dale; TF - Trevor Forder; BP - Brent Phillips; DW - Don Wilson;
NK - Nancy Krueger; DB - Denise Brownlie; MF - Mike Force; CS - Chris
Siddle.
If you have questions about Okanagan birding call Chris Charlesworth, in
Kelowna at (250-718-0335), Dick Cannings in Naramata at (250-496-4019).
AVOCET TOURS
725 Richards Road
Kelowna, BC
V1X 2X5
Canada
Phone (250) 718-0335
Fax (250) 765-6019
Email: tours@avocettours.com
Website: www.avocettours.com
the Central Okanagan Naturalists Club.
Sightings for Saturday, March 18 - 4:30 PM update
Featured birds include:
YELLOW-BILLED LOON (Vernon
PACIFIC LOON (Vernon)
EURASIAN WIGEON (Vernon)
PEREGRINE FALCON (Vaseux Lake)
Other birds mentioned include:
AMERICAN TREE SPARROW
Harlequin Duck
Northern Shrike
Rough-legged Hawk
Cackling Goose
Western Screech-Owl
VESPER SPARROW
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW
Sandhill Crane
Northern Pintail
Northern Shoveler
Violet-green Swallow
Tree Swallow
Mountain Bluebird
Say's Phoebe
LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL
ICELAND GULL
HARRIS'S SPARROW
NORTHERN HAWK-OWL
Northern Goshawk
Sightings for March 18
On March 17, an imm. YELLOW-BILLED LOON and a PACIFIC LOON moulting into
alternate plumage were seen on Kalamalka Lake S. of Vernon (CS). The birds
were seen far out on the lake from the Kekuli Park area.
Two male EURASIAN WIGEON were at the S. end of Swan Lake in Vernon on March
17 (CS).
On March 15, a PEREGRINE FALCON was seen soaring over Hack's Pond on River
Road. It was later seen chasing RED-TAILED HAWKS away from the S. face of
Macintyre's Bluff (CC,CS,MF,NK).
The male HARLEQUIN DUCK was again on the Okanagan River at Ok Falls
Campground on March 15 (CC,CS,MF,NK).
A ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK and a few NORTHERN SHRIKES were highlights at White Lake
on March 15. Seen in a large open field along the W. side of the Twin Lakes
Road, perhaps 2 km from White Lake Road was an elusive AMERICAN TREE SPARROW
(CC,CS,MF,NK).
On the 14th of March, a pair of WOOD DUCKS were at the Fascieux Ck Marsh in
Kelowna (DB).
Sightings for March 13
Along Dunsmuir Road in the Hall Road area of Kelowna, a WHITE-THROATED
SPARROW continues in the thick understory near the W. end of the road
(CC,DW,NK).
Found roosting in a cedar near the waterfall at the Scenic Canyon portion of
Mission Ck in Kelowna was a WESTERN SCREECH-OWL. Also in the area were
VARIED THRUSHES, WILSON'S SNIPE and RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS (CC,DW,NK).
Behind St. Charles Garnier Church on Benvouling Road in Kelowna, an
extremely early, or possibly a wintering VESPER SPARROW was found
(CC,DW,NK). It was in the weeds along the fence on the N. side of the field
immediately behind St. Charles Garnier Church.
At Munson's Pond in Kelowna there were a number of CACKLING GEESE including
some very tiny individuals of the minima race (CC,DW,NK).
The GYRFALCON was at Marshall's Feedlot along the W. side of Hwy 97 at
McCurdy Road in N. Kelowna (CC,DW,NK).
Recent spring arrivals in the valley have included SAY'S PHOEBES, MOUNTAIN
BLUEBIRDS, and VIOLET-GREEN and TREE SWALLOWS, SANDHILL CRANES, NORTHERN
PINTAIL and NORTHERN SHOVELER (m.ob).
Sightings for March 4
An adult ICELAND GULL was found amongst the large gull flock in Mud Bay at
the Maude Roxby Bird Sanctuary in Kelowna (RT,CC). The bird exhibits all of
the typical field marks of an Iceland Gull such as extensive white in the
primaries, a rounded head, virtually clean of markings, a yellow eye a
slender bill. This appears to be a different individual than the Iceland
Gull seen in Kelowna on various occasions in February as that bird had a
dark eye. Also at Maude Roxby were at least 6 CACKLING GEESE (CC,RT).
The adult LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL continues in Vernon at the mouth of
Vernon Ck in the Okanagan Landing area (BP).
On March 3, 2 WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS were found along Dunsmuir Road in the
thick woods near the intersection with Hall Road (RT).
The imm. HARRIS'S SPARROW continues at Trevor Forder's feeder on Black Road
in Ellison (TF). Call Trevor at 765-4082 for more information.
Way back on February 20 an imm. NORTHERN GOSHAWK was seen at Duck Lake in
Kelowna (SM).
The NORTHERN HAWK-OWL that successfully wintered along Carmi Road near Bear
End Road E. of Penticton was last seen on February 17 (CD).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Observers: RT - Ryan Tomlinson; CC -Chris Charlesworth; SM - Sue Macgregor;
CD - Chris Dale; TF - Trevor Forder; BP - Brent Phillips; DW - Don Wilson;
NK - Nancy Krueger; DB - Denise Brownlie; MF - Mike Force; CS - Chris
Siddle.
If you have questions about Okanagan birding call Chris Charlesworth, in
Kelowna at (250-718-0335), Dick Cannings in Naramata at (250-496-4019).
AVOCET TOURS
725 Richards Road
Kelowna, BC
V1X 2X5
Canada
Phone (250) 718-0335
Fax (250) 765-6019
Email: tours@avocettours.com
Website: www.avocettours.com