Count Update: 159

I will post a full list of species seen soon!

Another one!

Well after voyaging up to Williams Lake to secure the gorgeous Northern Hawk-Owl, it was a little ironic to find out about one along Naramata Road- my old stomping grounds! Dad and I tried for the bird last night when it was first reported but didn't have any luck in the fading light. So... I was pretty happy to hear from Laure in the morning, and sure enough when I pulled up it was waiting for me!!! My third hawk-owl of the year (keep in mind I got my lifer last summer) and my long-awaited Okanagan-first! Glad to see everyone else (who tried) got it today too!

Jan 28: Blue Jay+Virginia Rail+ Black-backed Woodpecker!

Today I had arranged to meet with some UBC-Okanagan staff about putting up a bluebird box trail on campus... so I fit in some birding around Kelowna!

First stop was Trader's Cove on the west side of the lake where I finally tracked down the long-staying BLUE JAY (unfortunately no photos!). Next I stopped in at a few sparrow spots to search in vain (as usual) for Harris's Sparrow. Finally at Acland Pond some luck came through when I pished up an obliging VIRGINIA RAIL.

After the meeting on campus, I headed for the hills hoping that I might find a Black-backed Woodpecker on the Gillard Forest Service Road. 2 years ago on the Kelowna Christmas Bird Count I found 3 up there, but on recent trips it had been very quiet. Typically these burned forests reach their bug/woodpecker peak two or three years after the fire, then become quiet. Well I was worried it was dead since the fire came through in 2003. But, after an hour or so of hiking I finally got onto one! (picture included)

Great Horned Owl (Oliver, BC)

Tanya: "When is the best time to see owls along this road?"

Russell: "Night time, you won't see them out in the open right now"

Tanya: "Oh, there's one!"

Russell: (speechless)

CAN'T FIND THE BITTERN?

Here's a look at the bittern zoomed-in. Can you seem him now in the zoomed-out shot?

Red-breasted Sapsucker

This local rarity is probably only the 6th record for the Okanagan. Found by the South Okanagan Naturalists on Thursday. This guy is waaaay up the tree so this is the best photo I could manage. Note how it is peeling away the bark at the base of each branch in this Douglas Fir.

Washington Birding... ooops!

Today I took a little break from plain ol' Canada and headed across the border with Ann Gibson. She wanted Gray-crowned Rosyfinch for her lifelist and apparently there is a feeder in the Molson area where they can be quite regular. When we pulled up to the house I immediately spotted a few ROSYFINCHES perched in a bush nearby but just as Ann was setting up the scope, a Clark's Nutcracker dive-bombed the feeder and they took off and flew way way way far away. Hoping that they would eventually return we staked out the feeder, trying to decide whether it would be better to cruise the roads or just wait. In the end waiting paid off when 50+ GRAY-CROWNED ROSYFINCHES returned to the feeder and Ann and I got stunning views of the birds in the scope (all coastal race birds as far as I could tell). After getting satisfied looks in the scope I tried sneaking around the house for a photograph but before I even came into view they all took off and flew far away once again. Hard to pin down!!! Anyways, I did however get some shots of several groups of SNOW BUNTINGS that were scattered all over the grasslands in the area. This is the first time I have seen an actual flock (at long last!) so what a treat to see as many as 500 in one group!!! Too bad I can't count 'em!
Here are some of my favourites (click on them to enlarge):