At 7 AM I met up with Andrew and Tatiana in Kelowna. It was a lovely day with mostly sunshine and temperatures ranging from the mid teens to the mid 20’s Celsius. We made our way to Lake Country and spent much of the day exploring Beaver Lake Road and Dee Lake Road.
We made many stops in the grassland section of Beaver Lake Road, enjoying a plethora of beautifully colorful birds such as Lazuli Bunting, Bullock’s Oriole, Western Meadowlark and Mountain and Western bluebirds. Sparrows were numerous, and included Chipping, Vesper, Clay-colored and Lark sparrow! An American Kestrel made several passes by, and we saw a Red-tailed Hawk soaring above, carrying some sort of snake in its talons. Both Western and Eastern kingbirds appeared and gave us nice views, as did Gray Catbirds, Black-headed Grosbeaks, House Wren, Willow Flycatcher, Cassin’s Finch, and a very cute little male Rufous Hummingbird. Columbian Ground-Squirrels were all over the place, dashing across the road as we slowly ascended the hillside.
We entered the coniferous forest and the make up of the bird life changed. Now there were Red-breasted Nuthatches, Mountain Chickadees, Red-naped Sapsucker, Western Tanager, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Cassin’s Vireo, Red Crossbills, Orange-crowned and MacGillivray’s warblers, and much more.
At Beaver Lake we had our lunch on the patio and watched a pair of Common Loons fishing quite close in to shore. Along the trail near the lodge we encountered both Steller’s and Canada jays, as well as Wilson’s and Townsend’s warblers and a stunning little Golden-crowned Kinglet. Thunderstorms were approaching and some loud claps of thunder sent half a dozen or so boats into a race back to the dock.
We then explored a few spots along Dee Lake Road, beginning with a stop at Lost Lake. Here, we had nice views of Lincoln’s Sparrows, Warbling Vireo, Northern Waterthrush and Hermit Thrush to name a few species. Another Common Loon floated on the calm waters of the lake.
At Island Lake there was yet another pair of Common Loons, as well as a male Ring-necked Duck. We had nice views of a Common Yellowthroat here, and a Yellow Warbler as well. Highlight however, was seeing a female American Three-toed Woodpecker near her nest cavity.
American Three-toed Woodpecker. Lake Country, BC. May 27, 2023. Photo: Chris Charlesworth
We had done well on Beaver and Dee lk roads, tallying close to 80 species of birds here! We made our way back down into the valley, stopping along the way to add two more birds to the list, a male Black-chinned Hummingbird and a Say’s Phoebe! We watched the temperature on the car thermometer climb from 14 degrees to 27 degrees as we dropped in elevation.
We drove over to West Kelowna where we explored Rose Valley Regional Park for the last hour or so of our day. It was warm and the birds, it seemed, were taking a bit of a siesta. Nonetheless, we did see some nice things, including our first Dusky Flycatcher of the day. We heard, but couldn’t see Pacific-slope Flycatcher, and several Veery. Swainson’s Thrush also called, but remained hidden. We had nice views of more Rufous Hummingbirds. Heard but not seen were Western Screech-Owl and Pileated Woodpecker. In addition to the birds, butterflies were abundant at Rose Valley, with checkerspots, swallowtails, Mourning Cloaks and Lorquin’s Admirals all present. It was a lovely day, and we tallied close to 90 species, heard and seen.
Bird Species: Canada Goose; Mallard; Ring-necked Duck; California Quail; Rock (Feral) Pigeon; Eurasian Collared-Dove; Black-chinned Hummingbird; Rufous Hummingbird; Calliope Hummingbird; Common Loon; Great Blue Heron; Turkey Vulture; Osprey; Bald Eagle; Red-tailed Hawk; Western Screech-Owl; Red-naped Sapsucker; American Three-toed Woodpecker; Hairy Woodpecker; Northern Flicker; Pileated Woodpecker; American Kestrel; Western Kingbird; Eastern Kingbird; Western Wood-Pewee; Willow Flycatcher; Hammond’s Flycatcher; Dusky Flycatcher; Say’s Phoebe; Cassin’s Vireo; Warbling Vireo; Canada Jay; Steller’s Jay; Clark’s Nutcracker; Black-billed Magpie; American Crow; Common Raven; Tree Swallow; Violet-green Swallow; N. Rough-winged Swallow; Barn Swallow; Black-capped Chickadee; Mountain Chickadee; Red-breasted Nuthatch; Pygmy Nuthatch; Brown Creeper; House Wren; Golden-crowned Kinglet; Ruby-crowned Kinglet; Western Bluebird; Mountain Bluebird; Veery; Swainson’s Thrush; Hermit Thrush; American Robin; Gray Catbird; European Starling; Cedar Waxwing; House Sparrow; Evening Grosbeak; House Finch; Cassin’s Finch; Red Crossbill; White-winged Crossbill; Pine Siskin; American Goldfinch; Spotted Towhee; Chipping Sparrow; Clay-colored Sparrow; Vesper Sparrow; Lark Sparrow; Song Sparrow; Lincoln’s Sparrow; Dark-eyed Junco; Western Meadowlark; Bullock’s Oriole; Red-winged Blackbird; Brown-headed Cowbird; Brewer’s Blackbird; Northern Waterthrush; Orange-crowned Warbler; Nashville Warbler; MacGillivray’s Warbler; Common Yellowthroat; Yellow Warbler; Yellow-rumped Warbler; Townsend’s Warbler; Wilson’s Warbler; Western Tanager; Black-headed Grosbeak; Lazuli Bunting.
I met up with friends Al and Deborah from North Vancouver, and a group of their friends at Road 22, north of Osoyoos this morning. Al and Deborah had birded with me before, but their friends were mostly new to birding. The weather was lovely, with mostly blue sky, cool temperatures and just enough of a breeze to keep any insects away. As we stood in the parking area at Road 22, we noted our first birds. They included Say’s Phoebe, Northern Harrier and an adult Bald Eagle. We walked the dykes south of the bridge, enjoying a nice variety of birds, most of which we were able to view through the scope. Several male Common Yellowthroats sang from the tops of the cattails, and we enjoyed watching the Red-winged Blackbirds doing their thing in the marsh. Out in the fields, there were several male Bobolinks singing away, a lifer for all present….except me. Overhead, Osprey and Turkey Vultures soared in the breeze, and we were also able to enjoy nice views of several swallows including Barn, Tree and Cliff. Waterfowl included the ubiquitous Mallard, as well as Northern Shoveler, Common Merganser, Gadwall, Green-winged Teal and a couple of lovely Cinnamon Teal. In the riparian woods birds were singing vociferously. We saw Gray Catbird, Black-headed Grosbeak, Yellow Warbler, Western Tanager, Song Sparrow and perhaps best of all, a Yellow-breasted Chat.
We had lunch at Big Al’s Bakery and Cafe in Oliver and then made our way to White Lake. Here, amongst the sweet-smelling sagebrush, we saw several beautiful Western Bluebirds, as well Western Meadowlarks. Tree Swallows sat on the fence posts, showing off their electric blue upperparts in the afternoon sun. A pair of Killdeer rummaged about in the grassland, and we saw a male American Kestrel, our smallest falcon species in North America, sitting atop a snag. A Western Kingbird popped in for a quick look, and we also had wonderful scope views of a Lark Sparrow. All in all, it was an action packed day of birding in the South Okanagan.
Bird Species: Canada Goose; Cinnamon Teal; Northern Shoveler; Gadwall; Mallard; Green-winged Teal; Common Merganser; Mourning Dove; Killdeer; Great Blue Heron; Turkey Vulture; Osprey; Northern Harrier; Bald Eagle; Burrowing Owl; Belted Kingfisher; Northern Flicker; American Kestrel; Western Kingbird; Say’s Phoebe; Black-billed Magpie; American Crow; Tree Swallow; Violet-green Swallow; Cliff Swallow; Barn Swallow; Black-capped Chickadee; Western Bluebird; American Robin; Gray Catbird; European Starling; American Goldfinch; Lark Sparrow; Song Sparrow; Yellow-breasted Chat; Bobolink; Western Meadowlark; Bullock’s Oriole; Red-winged Blackbird; Brown-headed Cowbird; Brewer’s Blackbird; Common Yellowthroat; Yellow Warbler; Western Tanager; Black-headed Grosbeak.
I met up with Colin and Barbara from the Lower Mainland this morning at 8 AM in Osoyoos. We headed over to Road 22 and ‘The Throne’ first thing. The Throne is a mountain near the north end of Osoyoos Lake that looks somewhat like a giant throne. We hiked in through the antelope brush to the cliff face where we could hear the cascading song of Canyon Wrens. After a bit of searching, we finally spotted one dashing about on the rock face. White-throated Swifts were streaking by overhead, and a Lazuli Bunting sang loudly from the top of a Saskatoon bush. Western Kingbirds also put on a nice show, as did a Western Bluebird. An adult Peregrine Falcon bolted into a crack in the rocks, to a presumed nest site.
At Road 22, we explored the southeast dyke, racking up a list of close to 40 species of birds. A Wilson’s Snipe flew in and landed along the shore of the river, allowing excellent scope views. Raptors included Turkey Vulture, Ospreys, Bald Eagle and Northern Harrier. Swallows foraged for insects along the river, and included at least a couple of Cliff Swallows near the walking bridge. In the riparian habitat were Yellow Warblers, Black-headed Grosbeak, Bullock’s Orioles, and Song Sparrows. House Wrens were singing, but remained hidden from us. A few ducks were present, including a female Cinnamon Teal, Northern Shoveler, Gadwall, Redhead and Common Merganser.
We stopped in next at Inkaneep Provincial Park. It was pretty quiet here, and the sun was beating down, so perhaps the birds were hiding. A couple of California Quail scurried across the path in front of us, but we saw little else here.
At Nighthawk Winery we enjoyed lunch on the patio. We watched some impressive thunder clouds build to the east. Near the patio, a pair of House Wrens were singing, and they finally gave themselves up to us, allowing views.
We walked around the north end of Mahoney Lake, through the Ponderosa Pine forest. A White-breasted Nuthatch showed off nicely, and we heard a Red-breasted Nuthatch. Pygmy Nuthatch was nowhere to be seen however. Nashville Warblers played hide and seek with us in the Saskatoon bushes, and I heard a Gray Flycatcher singing in the pines, though it remained unseen. On the pond were several Ruddy Ducks, as well as Pied-billed Grebes and American Coots. A pair of Spotted Sandpipers cruised by, calling as they flew.
At White Lake, we enjoyed watching several lovely Mountain Bluebirds. Western Meadowlarks were singing from all directions, and we did see a couple of them. An American Kestrel was a nice addition to the day list. At one stop, a Gray Partridge flushed from the grass at the edge of the road, and carried on into the sagebrush. A second partridge could also be heard calling, but remained hidden. A turn down Twin Lakes Road produced a nice view of a Vesper Sparrow, as well as Chipping Sparrow, Black-billed Magpies and a distant perched Black-chinned Hummingbird.
Three Gates Farm, a private residence near Kaleden, produced good views of Calliope Hummingbirds coming into visit feeders. We also had good views here of a pair of Pygmy Nuthatches, and Mountain Chickadees.
We finished off our day with a visit to Venner Larches, east of Okanagan Falls. It didn’t take us long to locate a female Williamson’s Sapsucker near her nest tree. After a while, the male came in as well. All in all, it was a fantastic day of birding in the South Okanagan.
Bird Species: Canada Goose; Cinnamon Teal; Northern Shoveler; Gadwall; Mallard; American Wigeon; Redhead; Ruddy Duck; California Quail; Gray Partridge; Ring-necked Pheasant; Pied-billed Grebe; Rock (Feral) Pigeon; Eurasian Collared-Dove; Mourning Dove; White-throated Swift; Black-chinned Hummingbird; Rufous Hummingbird; Calliope Hummingbird; American Coot; Killdeer; Wilson’s Snipe; Spotted Sandpiper; Great Blue Heron; Turkey Vulture; Osprey; Northern Harrier; Bald Eagle; Red-tailed Hawk; Burrowing Owl; Belted Kingfisher; Williamson’s Sapsucker; Northern Flicker; American Kestrel; Peregrine Falcon; Western Kingbird; Gray Flycatcher; Say’s Phoebe; Cassin’s Vireo; Clark’s Nutcracker; Black-billed Magpie; American Crow; Common Raven; Tree Swallow; N. Rough-winged Swallow; Cliff Swallow; Barn Swallow; Black-capped Chickadee; Mountain Chickadee; Red-breasted Nuthatch; White-breasted Nuthatch; Pygmy Nuthatch; Canyon Wren; Rock Wren; House Wren; Western Bluebird; Mountain Bluebird; American Robin; European Starling; House Sparrow; House Finch; Cassin’s Finch; Red Crossbill; Pine Siskin; American Goldfinch; Spotted Towhee; Chipping Sparrow; Vesper Sparrow; Lark Sparrow; Song Sparrow; Western Meadowlark; Bullock’s Oriole; Red-winged Blackbird; Brown-headed Cowbird; Brewer’s Blackbird; Nashville Warbler; Common Yellowthroat; Yellow Warbler; Yellow-rumped Warbler; Western Tanager; Black-headed Grosbeak; Lazuli Bunting.
Apr 26 – I met the group of 7 from the U.K. at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport late this afternoon. We made the short transfer to our hotel, as we traveled straight into the setting sun. We had a quick bite, during which time I briefed everyone on plans for the following morning, and then we headed off to get some sleep.
Apr 27 – Our first of many blue-sky mornings in Arizona was today. After breakfast we loaded up our luggage into the vehicle and made our way through the network of Phoenix freeways. Our destination was the Riparian Preserve at Gilbert. We spent over two hours here, roaming the trails, checking ponds and brushy areas for birds. A lovely patch of Saguaro Cactus sits near the parking area at the preserve, so we had a look here first, enjoying the antics of a couple of pairs of Gila Woodpeckers that were nesting in the cactus. A Curve-billed Thrasher popped out from the bushes, as did our first Abert’s Towhees of the trip. Tiny Verdins tended to their messy nests in the Palo Verde trees. Two Black Phoebes were nice to see, as were our first hummingbirds, Black-chinned and Anna’s hummingbirds. Song and White-crowned sparrows played shy at first but revealed themselves to us eventually. Our first Gambel’s Quail were well received, as they called from branches, showing off their flashy ‘topknots’. Doves rocketed overhead in numbers, with Mourning, White-winged and Eurasian Collared-doves present. What we were really here to see though, were the waterbirds, since water, and waterbirds are precious commodities in the desert. Many Mallards were tending to broods of tiny ducklings, and we saw a few other ducks as well such as Northern Shoveler, Ruddy Duck and American Wigeon. A pair of Pied-billed Grebes snoozed near the Ruddy Ducks. A pair of Canada Geese seen shortly after we arrived, flew off, honking loudly as they disappeared behind the trees. Shorebirds, including pink-legged, Black-necked Stilts, Killdeer, Long-billed Dowitcher and Least Sandpiper were nice additions to the list. A couple of Great Egrets and a couple of Snowy Egrets were found, and we had a brief sighting of a Green Heron before it flew off. A single Great Blue Heron sat looking somewhat grumpy in a bush next to the water only a few meters from where we stood. Skimming over the water were Northern Rough-winged Swallows, and there was an Osprey perched on top of a platform. Overhead, three Neotropic Cormorants sailed by, not hanging around for good views. As we walked the trails and pathways here, we added the first mammal species to the list. Rock Squirrels and Desert Cottontails were quite numerous. A couple passing by mentioned they had found a baby turtle on the side of the path. We went to take a look, and I figured it was probably a baby slider. It was getting pretty hot, so we returned to the air-conditioned van and began our drive east towards the town of Globe, where we had lunch at Subway. The locals were quite taken by our group of foreigners visiting their country to look at birds.
Great Egret at Gilbert Riparian Preserve, Gilbert, AZ. Apr 2023. Photo: Chris Charlesworth
South of Globe, and somewhere north of Winkelman, I spotted a Harris’s Hawk soaring overhead. As luck would have it, there was a pull-off nearby. We hopped out of the van and had good looks at the hawk as it circled above us.
The drive to Aravaipa Canyon is quite stunning, with towering cliffs and Saguaro-studded hillsides, lining the valley walls above the creek. The birding was excellent here, even though it was 33 degrees Celsius and mid-afternoon. Our first myiarchus flycatcher of the trip, an Ash-throated Flycatcher, sat on a telephone wire next to the road. A Bewick’s Wren hopped about in a mesquite tree, but I think the Canyon Wren that arrived shortly thereafter, and belted out its beautiful song, stole the show. Colorful birds like Northern Cardinals, Hooded Orioles, Yellow Warbler, and the incredible Vermilion Flycatcher were all seen.
Vermilion Flycatcher. Aravaipa Canyon, AZ. April 2023. Photo: Chris Charlesworth.
There were plenty of more drab birds around too, such as the subtly beautiful Say’s Phoebe, and the rather nondescript Bell’s Vireo. Overhead, Susan spotted a Common Black-Hawk, and we were quite excited since this was our ‘target’ bird here. The hawk emerged from a hillside with a small lizard in its talons. Moments later, a Red-tailed Hawk and a Common Black-Hawk tousled with each other in the sky above. Gray Hawks also put on a nice show for us, as two adults circled above our van. We had brief encounters with Lucy’s Warbler, which I put down as a ‘leader only’ on the list and a Black-throated Sparrow, which a few people saw. Kate spotted the first Lesser Goldfinches of the trip, feeding in some plants at the base of a rocky hillside. The highlight here, for me, came not in the form of a bird, but in the form of a reptile, a Gila Monster! The rather large yellow and black, venomous reptile climbed slowly up a hill and tried several different routes to get into a nice big hole in the hill. He seemed to have trouble finding the proper route up to the hole, and he eventually went off into the weeds.
Canyon Wren. Aravaipa Canyon, Arizona. April 2023. Photo: Chris Charlesworth
The late afternoon drive into Tucson, took us alongside the rather impressive Catalina Mountains, and through the north side of the city. We arrived at our hotel and had an hour before we made our way out for dinner. Our daily ‘tick list’ of birds was 62 species.
April 28 – Another lovely sunny Arizona morning greeted us as we met for some early birding before breakfast. We headed to Agua Caliente Park, a fantastic park with manicured lawns and towering palm trees, ponds and wetlands, and desert scrub habitat all in one. Hooded Orioles sat up in the treetops, enjoying the sun, as did Vermilion Flycatchers, Lesser Goldfinches and Yellow Warbler.
Northern Cardinal. Arizona. May 2023. Photo: Chris Charlesworth.
We were rewarded for getting up early with the sighting of a brutish female Cooper’s Hawk that came down for a drink at the edge of the pond. Deep booms from American Bullfrogs came from the edges of the pond, and we saw a couple of these big bruisers. In the desert scrub, Lucy’s Warblers were common, though a bit elusive. Eventually, we did have excellent looks at a couple of Lucy’s as they chased one another about in the mesquite trees nearby. Phainopeplas, always looking as though they’re having a bad hair day, sat atop the mesquites as well. We had our first views of Brown-crested Flycatcher, and excellent views of a pair of Black-throated Sparrows. Our first Ladder-backed Woodpecker of the tour, a male, sat up in the sunlight with his red cap flared up.
Cooper’s Hawk. Agua Caliente Park. Tucson, AZ. April 2023. Photo: Chris Charlesworth
We returned to our hotel, had breakfast, and headed off to the supermarket to pick up provisions for lunch. Then, we began our ascent of Mt. Lemmon, in the Catalina Mountains, north of Tucson. Traveling from bottom of Mt. Lemmon at about 3000 feet to the top at over 9000 feet, is said to be the equivalent of traveling from Mexico to Canada, biologically. At the base of the mountains, towering Saguaros cover the hillsides and the temperatures reached 95 degrees F. today. At the top of the mountain, it was just 61 degrees F. and we were in a forest of towering pine, spruce and fir trees, with patches of snow, some quite deep, in the shade of the trees. Our first stop was at Cypress Picnic Area. It was rather quiet here, though we did have nice views of White-breasted Nuthatch, Wilson’s Warbler and Yellow-eyed Junco.
Yellow-eyed Junco. Mt. Lemmon. Tucson, AZ. April 2023. Photo: Chris Charlesworth
A rather large butterfly, a Two-tailed Swallowtail, was the first butterfly to make it onto our list. Our first Cliff Chipmunk of the tour was noted. Next up, at Chiricahua Pines Picnic Area, we encountered our first troop of Mexican Jays. An Acorn Woodpecker showed nicely for us, as it let out its maniacal, laughing calls. A beautiful male Black-throated Gray Warbler foraged amongst oak leaves right in front of us, as did a Hutton’s Vireo and a pair of Bridled Titmice. A tiny Blue-gray Gnatcatcher played hide and seek and remained mostly hidden by the foliage. John found a couple of Ash-throated Flycatchers in the pine trees, and we had great looks at our first American Robin of the trip, as it hopped about on the ground.
Broad-billed Hummingbird. Arizona. May 2023. Photo: Chris Charlesworth.
At Bear Wallow, beneath the shade of the towering conifers, we strolled up the canyon, and saw up to 8 gorgeous Red-faced Warblers. When the sun hit their heads, they glowed like embers. We watched a tiny Orange-crowned Warbler take a bath in a trickling stream, and high overhead in a fir, we spotted a Warbling Vireo. Two Hairy Woodpeckers were tracked down after we heard them drumming in the woods. A Brown Creeper, very much a treecreeper look-a-like, hitched its way up the trunks of the trees, and we saw a couple of Hermit Thrushes skulking along the forest floor. Two Mourning Cloak butterflies, called Camberwell Beauties by the British, played with one another, either in a territorial way, or a romantic way. We never did decide. Lunch was enjoyed as we sat on a log next to a pile of snow! A female Broad-tailed Hummingbird, the first of her kind we had seen, kept us entertained for a few moments, and Mountain Chickadees called all around us. A Botha’s Pocket Gopher poked its head out of a freshly dug hole several times, eliciting clicks from cameras each time it appeared. After lunch, we had a pit stop at Box Elder Picnic Area. We were treated to nice views of Western Bluebirds, Grace’s Warbler, and Steller’s Jays!
Red-faced Warbler. Mt. Lemmon. Tucson, AZ. April 2023. Photo: Chris Charlesworth.
At the Iron Door Restaurant, across the road from the Mt. Lemmon Ski Hill, we watched for hummingbirds, spotting one each of Broad-tailed and Rivoli’s. A whole kettle of 15 or so Common Ravens played in the winds. At the top of the mountain, we enjoyed amazing views of Tucson below. Male Broad-tailed Hummingbirds were feeding hungrily on nectar in tiny yellow flowers in a gooseberry bush near our van. A short walk yielded great views of a pair of Olive Warblers, a species that sits alone as the sole member in its genus. On our way back down the mountain, we saw a couple of ‘Coue’s’ White-tailed Deer alongside the road. We stopped at Windy Point to take in the amazing rock formations and the view. A pair of Rock Wrens hopped in and out of view amongst the boulders.
Broad-tailed Hummingbird. Mt. Lemmon. Tucson, AZ. April 2023. Photo: Chris Charlesworth.
After a little break, during which time some folks cooled off in the pool, we went for dinner at Applebee’s.
April 29 – Our first stop this morning was at Sabino Canyon. By the time we arrived, it was already hot. We took a stroll on a trail through the Sonoran Desert habitat. Birds included Brown-crested Flycatcher, Verdin, White-winged Doves, Phainopepla, House Finch, and our first Cactus Wrens of the tour. There were perhaps 4 of them, chasing one another through the cactus, wagging their long tails.
Cactus Wren. Arizona. May 2023. Photo: Chris Charlesworth.
I heard a Greater Roadrunner giving its bill snapping call and spotted the bird deep within a bush with dense foliage. We could just see bits of his head and bill. Anne shouted, ‘Snake!’. A Western Diamondback Rattlesnake slithered slowly across the sandy ground and out of sight. In addition to the snake, there were all sorts of speedy little lizards, including a Zebra-tailed Lizard. We took the tram ride up into the canyon, which is extremely scenic. Listening on earbuds, we could hear the narration about the wildlife and history of the canyon. On our way back down, some of us hopped off the tram to walk down a bit and see what we could find, while others rode back down to the cool shady areas around the headquarters. Those of that walked down saw a few birds, though not too many. There were Northern Cardinals, Brown-crested Flycatcher, Lucy’s Warbler, singing Bell’s Vireos, and our first Costa’s Hummingbird of the trip, was a male. The temperatures were hotter than average today, so we found shade as often as possible.
Brown-crested Flycatcher. Tucson, AZ. April 2023. Photo: Chris Charlesworth.
After we met the rest of the group, we headed for lunch at Subway, then made our way to the west side of Tucson, and to the Sonoran Desert Museum. Temperatures as we pulled into the museum parking lot had reached 99 degrees F. We didn’t spend as much time here as we might have, because of the heat. Walking some trails, we did see several Cactus Wrens, Arizona’s state bird. There were also Hooded Oriole, Abert’s Towhee, Wilson’s Warbler, Lesser Goldfinch, and overhead, our first Black Vultures of the trip. Anne added Pyrrhuloxia to our trip list, as she saw one that nobody else managed to get eyes onto. One of the staff members at the museum pointed out a wild Sonoran Spiny-tailed Iguana to us. We also added another mammal to the trip list at the museum, a wild Round-tailed Ground-Squirrel. We met inside the café and enjoyed some refreshing ice cream before heading towards Green Valley, our home base for the next two nights.
Pyrrhuloxia. Arizona. May 2023. Photo: Chris Charlesworth.
April 30 – After breakfast we visited a neighborhood of Green Valley, hoping to perhaps catch a glimpse of a Gilded Flicker. Along the way, John spotted a Greater Roadrunner sitting up in a bush alongside the road. Unfortunately, no Gilded Flicker was to be seen this morning, however, the area was quite rich in bird life. We saw our first Rufous-winged Sparrow of the tour, as it sang from a treetop. A Cooper’s Hawk circled overhead and paused for a moment atop a telephone pole. Other species seen included Lark Sparrow, Curve-billed Thrasher, Gila Woodpecker, Northern Cardinal and Brown-crested Flycatcher.
We picked up lunch at the supermarket and headed up into the Santa Rita Mountains and Madera Canyon. A short hike up the Carrie Nation Trail proved to be very productive. We saw a pair of Elegant Trogons, one of Arizona’s most sought-after bird species, inspecting a nest cavity in a large sycamore tree. The male gave his barking call from a nearby branch, while the female stuck her head inside the cavity and took a look. She flew off, and the male entered the cavity, and he called several times from within the hole. Mexican Jays accompanied us as we walked along, and a pair of Painted Redstarts appeared for a few moments before disappearing. House Wrens gave us a particularly good showing, as did a pair of Hepatic Tanagers, our first for the tour.
Elegant Trogon. Madera Canyon, AZ. April 2023. Photo: Chris Charlesworth.
We explored areas along the creek further down in the canyon, finding more good birds like Brown-crested Flycatchers, many Acorn Woodpeckers and a single Arizona Woodpecker. Our first ‘Audubon’s’ Yellow-rumped Warblers of the tour were found here, as well as Bridled Titmouse. Arizona Gray Squirrel was a new addition to the trip mammal list. We had a picnic lunch under the shade of the Mexican Blue Oak trees, and then we visited feeders at Santa Rita Lodge. Here, there were many birds coming to feed, including hummingbirds, such as Rivoli’s, Black-chinned and Broad-tailed hummingbirds. There were a number of Mexican Jays, as well as half a dozen or so Wild Turkeys! Acorn Woodpeckers seemed to be everywhere. A young male Bronzed Cowbird, with a bright red eye, visited the feeders, and was our first one for the tour.
Acorn Woodpecker. Madera Canyon, AZ. April 2023. Photo: Chris Charlesworth.
We headed back down to Green Valley for a ‘siesta’ before having an early dinner. After dinner we headed back to Madera Canyon. We waited with about a dozen other people outside of the owner of the Santa Rita Lodge’s private home. He has an Elf Owl that nests in a telephone pole on his property. We waited, patiently, and eventually the female Elf Owl poked her head out of the nest and took a long look at us. As it got darker, the male flew in and we had fantastic views of him as he perched on a branch with a caterpillar in his bill. To finish off the night, we had a good view of another owl species, a Whiskered Screech-Owl. A Mexican Whip-poor-will called several times up the canyon and we would have to be satisfied with just hearing this species.
Elf Owl. Madera Canyon, AZ. April 2023. Photo: Chris Charlesworth.
May 1 – We checked out of our hotel in Green Valley and headed up towards the Santa Rita Mountains one more time. We stopped first at Florida Wash, where we walked a short distance up along the mostly dry creek bed. Vermilion Flycatchers kept us entertained as we strolled up through the mesquite woodland, however, the real highlight here was a somewhat out of place Townsend’s Solitaire! In a bit of grassland nearby we watched a Botteri’s Sparrow sing, as we spied on him through the scope. A stroll along the path in lower Madera Canyon produced a few nice sightings. We saw our first colorful Western Tanager, a male. On a hillside, an Olive-sided Flycatcher sat atop a tall yucca. We glimpsed our first Canyon Towhee of the tour, and as we were leaving, a ‘Turkey Vulture’ materialized into our one and only Zone-tailed Hawk of the trip.
Mexican Jay. Arizona. May 2023. Photo: Chris Charlesworth.
We picked up lunch at the supermarket and then made our way to Montosa Canyon, where we hoped to find Five-striped Sparrow, a rare and local species found only in a couple of locations north of the Mexican border. We had lunch here, as we waited for the sparrow to appear. It did appear, but only for a moment, and unfortunately, I was the only person who saw it. Other birds here, however, included White-throated Swifts, Costa’s Hummingbird, a lovely male Hooded Oriole and our one and only Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay of the tour. On our way down, we paused in the desert to look at our first Pyrrhuloxias, and we were also treated to nice views of a Greater Roadrunner.
Hooded Oriole. Montosa Canyon, AZ. April 2023. Photo: Chris Charlesworth.
A quick stop at the Amado Wastewater Treatment Plant produced some good birds for the daily tick list. There were Ruddy Ducks, Mexican Ducks, Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks and a single male Ring-necked Duck here. Several Spotted Sandpipers and a Killdeer were noted. Overhead was a Black Vulture, a Swainson’s Hawk and a Barn Swallow.
A walk up the Santa Cruz River did not produce the Rose-throated Becard we had hoped for. Apparently the becard’s nest had blown down in a windstorm and the birds were not easy to find after that. Still, we found over 30 species of birds on our walk, including Abert’s Towhee, Summer Tanager, a Common Yellowthroat, and best of all, a Green Kingfisher, though the kingfisher was seen by just 3 ppl. Carrying on, we ended up in the ‘one horse town’ of Patagonia, where we checked into our accommodation and went for dinner at the Wagon Wheel Saloon.
Ladder-backed Woodpecker. Patagonia, AZ. May 2023. Photo: Chris Charlesworth.
May 2 – Cool temperatures, sunny skies and noisy Barn Swallows welcomed us as we emerged to do some pre-breakfast birding at the famous Patagonia Roadside Rest Stop. As soon as we arrived, I could hear a Rufous-capped Warbler singing on the hillside above us. This rare visitor from Mexico had been found a day or two before and we were more than happy to connect with it. We enjoyed lovely views of the warbler as it foraged and sang this morning. A Rock Wren showed itself nicely this morning, and we had good views of our only Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet down along Sonoita Creek as well.
Rufous-capped Warbler. Patagonia Roadside Rest Stop. Patagonia, AZ. May 2023. Photo: Chris Charlesworth.
Back in Patagonia we had a lovely breakfast at the Gathering Grounds before heading out once again, this time to Patagonia Lake State Park. We spent the rest of the morning here, racking up an impressive list of nearly 60 species! On the lake were Ruddy Ducks and a couple of Pied-billed Grebes, as well as Neotropic Cormorants, a Double-crested Cormorant and American Coots. A Great Blue Heron, and a Snowy Egret were observed too. The area is excellent for raptors, and we saw both Turkey and Black vultures, as well as Gray Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk and a Common Black Hawk. Vermilion Flycatchers kept us entertained, and we had our first Cassin’s Kingbird of the tour. Also new were both Inca Dove and Common Ground-Doves. Yellow-breasted Chats were singing all over the place in the riparian woodlands, and we were lucky to catch views of one or two of them. Our first Bullock’s Oriole of the trip appeared in a treetop, alongside a male Yellow Warbler. Along the river, we saw a couple of new butterflies, a Fatal Metalmark and a group of Marine Blues.
Fatal Metalmark. Patagonia Lake, AZ. May 2023. Photo: Chris Charlesworth.
After a siesta, we gathered and headed over to the Paton’s Center for Hummingbirds, where we spent the rest of the afternoon watching feeders. The highlight was the center’s signature bird, a Violet-crowned Hummingbird, but there were plenty of other birds to see as well. Gambel’s Quail posed for the photographers, as did White-breasted Nuthatches, Bewick’s Wren, Curve-billed Thrasher, Lark Sparrows, White-crowned Sparrows and a single White-throated Sparrow. We enjoyed great looks at male and female Lazuli Buntings, as well as Black-headed Grosbeaks and the usual, but beautiful Northern Cardinals and Summer Tanagers. Dinner was at the Wildhorse Saloon.
Summer Tanager. Paton’s Center for Hummingbirds. Patagonia, AZ. May 2023. Photo: Chris Charlesworth.
May 3 – Before breakfast we made the 45-minute drive to Pena Blanca Lake, west of Nogales. Here, we hoped to find another local rarity, a Least Grebe. As we searched for the grebe we found other goodies like Green Heron, Black Phoebe, Brown-crested Flycatcher and Violet-green Swallow. Once we reached a viewpoint, I spotted the grebe in the distance, so we drove over to take a look. The grebe showed nicely, giving us views of its gray plumage, thin black bill, and staring yellow eye.
Common Ground-Dove. Arizona. May 2023. Photo: Chris Charlesworth.
We had breakfast again, at our favorite establishment in Patagonia, the Gathering Grounds. While we waited for our to-go lunches, we explored a little stretch of Sonoita Creek along Blue Haven Road. It was a nice stroll, though we didn’t find anything new here.
We picked up lunch and then drove east to the Sonoita Grasslands at Las Cienegas. Here, we explored the grassland habitat, picking up some nice birds such as Loggerhead Shrike, Horned Lark, Western Kingbird, Chihuahuan Raven, loads of Lark Sparrows, and perhaps the highlight, a pair of lovely Chihuahuan Meadowlarks. Several Pronghorn Antelope, North America’s fastest land mammal, were seen here today.
Once we made it Sierra Vista, we checked into our hotel and then made our way to the edge of the Huachuca Mountains at Ash Canyon Bird Sanctuary. Here, we were given a private tour by hummingbird expert, Sheri Williamson. Hummingbirds included Black-chinned, Anna’s, Broad-tailed, Broad-billed, a Rufous, and the star attraction at Ash Canyon, a male Lucifer Hummingbird. Other species came in to feed as well, such as Bullock’s, Scott’s and Hooded orioles, Gila Woodpeckers, Canyon Towhee, Lesser Goldfinch and Lazuli Bunting. A cotton rat of some sort peeked out from a brush pile, and Sheri explained there are 3 species of cotton rate that can be found in the area. Dinner this evening was at the Olive Garden.
Lucifer Hummingbird. Ash Canyon Bird Sanctuary. Hereford, AZ. May 2023. Photo: Chris Charlesworth.
May 4 – After picking up our lunch, we headed to Carr Canyon Road and began the ascent of the only road that travels up into the higher elevations of the Huachuca Mountains. The road is rough, winding and steep, but worth the effort. Along the way up, we had wonderful views of Sierra Vista surrounding areas below. We spent the next couple of hours birding at the Reef Townsite Campground, at over 8,000 feet elevation. It didn’t take us long to find our target bird for the morning, the Buff-breasted Flycatcher. This, the smallest of the Empidonax flycatchers, can be found in the USA, only in the Huachuca Mountains! We saw several of these tiny buffy-fronted flycatchers amongst the forests today.
Buff-breasted Flycatcher. Reef Townsite Campground. Huachuca Mountains, AZ. May 2023. Photo: Chris Charlesworth.
Another of our target species, the Greater Pewee, was also found here at Reef Townsite. We watched a couple of these larger, slightly crested flycatchers, for several minutes as they foraged for insects. Finally, we saw our first Plumbeous Vireos of the trip, and our first Virginia’s Warbler played a little hard-to-get, but we eventually saw it. We had more sightings of birds like Painted Redstart, Red-faced and Grace’s warblers, Hermit Thrush and Bushtit. We then began the trek back down the mountain, stopping at a picnic site near the bottom. On the way, a Sonoran Whipsnake crossed the dirt road in front of our van. At the Carr Canyon Picnic site, we were accompanied by Mexican Jays that tried to snatch our lunches. One final stop produced the only Eastern Bluebird of the tour, and we were then notified of a wildfire burning nearby so we vacated the area rather promptly.
Greater Pewee. Reef Townsite Campground. Huachuca Mtns. Arizona. May 2023. Photo: Chris Charlesworth.
At Ramsey Canyon Preserve, we enjoyed a nice hike up to the top of the Bledsoe Loop. Though we didn’t find the Northern Pygmy-Owls we had hoped to find, we did see some other interesting birds. We had a lovely Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher, as well as a brief encounter with another Elegant Trogon. More Plumbeous Vireos were seen, along with Hutton’s Vireo as well. We watched a Painted Redstart tend to its nest on the ground on a hillside near the path. A butterfly, the Nabokov’s Satyr, and a lizard, the Clark’s Spiny Lizard were added to the burgeoning list of critters we had seen. We enjoyed dinner at Applebee’s before heading off to get a good night’s rest.
Plumbeous Vireo. Carr Canyon, Huachuca Mountains. Sierra Vista, AZ. May 2023. Photo: Chris Charlesworth.
May 5 – After picking up lunch at Subway, we made our way to Miller Canyon where we paid a visit to the Beatty’s Guest Ranch. Hummingbird feeders here were abuzz with activity. There were Rivoli’s, Black-chinned, Broad-tailed, Broad-billed and Anna’s hummingbirds in attendance. Some of us walked up the canyon, finding a few interesting species including Hepatic Tanager, Painted Redstart, Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher and we heard, but did not see, a Cordilleran Flycatcher. Our one and only Arizona Sister butterfly was seen here in Miller Canyon. In the ponds at the Beatty’s property we saw several Lowland (Chiricahua) Leopard Frogs, and a Black-necked Garter-Snake.
Black-necked Garter Snake. Beatty’s Guest Ranch. Miller Canyon, Huachuca Mtns. Arizona. May 2023. Photo: Chris Charlesworth.
We drove to the San Pedro River, a little bit east of Sierra Vista, and we had lunch at San Pedro House beneath the shade of a massive cottonwood tree. Feeders around the house had some good birds, including Pyrrhuloxia and our only Blue Grosbeak of the tour. There were other species about as well, including Gila Woodpecker, Black-chinned Hummingbirds, Curve-billed Thrasher, House Finches and more.
Gambel’s Quail. Patagonia, AZ. May 2023. Photo: Chris Charlesworth.
The drive to Portal was briefly interrupted by a stop to fuel up the van in the border town of Douglas. Before we got to Portal, we checked out an old structure where Great Horned Owls sometime nest. There were no owls to be seen, but we did see a rather large Bull Snake on the road! Once we arrived in Portal, we checked into the lodge and then took a stroll along the street to see what we could find. Portal is a tiny hamlet with only a few homes, the lodge, and a post office along the main street. Many of the residents put out bird feeders and allow birders to peer into their gardens. We found such a place and happily connected with our first, and only, Blue-throated Mountain-gems of the tour. Other feeder birds included Inca Dove, Black-headed Grosbeak, Pine Siskin, Northern Cardinal, Lesser Goldfinch, Lazuli Bunting, Acorn Woodpecker and Western Tanager to name a few.
White-winged Dove. Arizona. May 2023. Photo: Chris Charlesworth.
After dinner some of us took a walk along the street to see if we could find any owls. There was a Cinco de Mayo celebration happening, so it was rather action packed, but a short distance down the street, it was nice and quiet. We heard several Elf Owls calling and we saw an adult Great Horned Owl as it hooted loudly from the chimney of one of the houses. We then spotted a known nest in a large sycamore tree near the lodge, and there were two fluffy little Great Horned Owl babies peering out. Another fantastic day.
Great Horned Owl. Portal, AZ. May 2023. Photo: Chris Charlesworth.
May 6 – First thing this morning we made our way from Portal to the New Mexico state line. We hoped to find a few interesting desert birds this morning before breakfast, and we succeeded. Several Scaled Quail were noted as we traveled from Portal to New Mexico, a first sighting for us on this trip. Once at Gin Road, we looked and listened for Bendire’s Thrashers. First, we spotted a Curve-billed Thrasher singing from the top of a tree in the distance. Then we saw a Cactus Wren sitting atop a yucca singing away. Finally, I spotted a Bendire’s Thrasher singing from the top of a tall yucca, and we enjoyed scope views of this rather rare and uncommon thrasher species. New for the mammal list was an Antelope Jackrabbit sitting quietly in the shade beneath a mesquite tree. We also saw three Coyotes cross the road early this morning, our only for the tour. We had earned our breakfast, so off we went to the Rodeo Store and Café, in Rodeo, NM.
After breakfast we returned to Portal, picked up our bagged lunches and began the journey up into the Chiricahua Mountains. The road was bumpy and twisty, but still in better condition that the road up to Carr Canyon we had traveled a couple days earlier. We headed straight up to over 8,000 feet elevation, enjoying lovely views along the way. Our target bird here, was Mexican Chickadee, a species that can be found in the USA only in the Chiricahua Mountains. It didn’t take us too long to find one, up in the boughs of firs and pine trees. Other species here included House Wren, Yellow-eyed Junco, Steller’s Jay, Northern Flicker (Red-shafted), and a Ruby-crowned Kinglet. We had lunch near Rustler Park, and Steller’s Jays kept us entertained as they came in to pick up scraps from beneath the tables. A Greater Pewee, and a pair of lovely Western Tanagers were also busily foraging in the little gully below where we ate our lunch. Sue and I spotted a Hairy Woodpecker pecking away at the base of a burned tree. We descended via a slightly different route, that took us down through the south fork of Cave Creek Canyon. We spent a little time here, though it was a bit quiet at that time of day. Anne spotted a male Elegant Trogon, our fourth for the trip, down along the banks of Cave Creek!
Steller’s Jay. Rustler Park. Chiricahua Mountains, AZ. May 2023. Photo: Chris Charlesworth.
Back in Portal, some decided to take a siesta, while the rest of us headed over to another set of feeders off Foothills Rd. Here, we hoped to spot another rare and elusive thrasher, Crissal Thrasher. We sat comfortably in seats near the feeders and watched the bonanza of birds come in. There were Black-throated Sparrows, Pyrrhuloxias, Northern Cardinals, Scott’s, Hooded and Bullock’s orioles, House Finches, Lesser Goldfinches, Gambel’s Quail (with babies), and Lazuli Buntings. Hummingbirds included Black-chinned and Broad-billed, and we also had a good look at a Common Ground-Dove as it called nearby. It was nearly time to return to town for dinner, and I stated, ‘We’ll give the thrasher 15 more minutes to come in before we have to leave.’ Pretty much on the 15th minute, two Crissal Thrashers, which appeared to be young birds, came in and put on a nice show for us.
Crissal Thrasher. Bob Rodriguez’s feeders in Portal, AZ. May 2023. Photo: Chris Charlesworth.
Our final dinner at the Portal Lodge was good, as per usual. We headed off to get some rest before the long travel day ahead.
May 7 – It was our last morning in Arizona, and we headed out bright and early to look for Juniper Titmouse at the Paradise Cemetery. It didn’t take us long to locate a couple of these rather drab, but charismatic titmice, calling away amongst the juniper trees. We also had our first good looks at a couple of Black-tailed Gnatcatchers this morning, as they harassed a gorgeous male American Kestrel.
American Kestrel. Portal, AZ. May 2023. Photo: Chris Charlesworth.
Back in Portal, we gathered our stuff from the rooms in the lodge and checked out. Today was a travel day as we made our way from Portal back to Phoenix, a drive of about 5 hours. We stopped, along the way, at the Willcox Water Treatment Plant, or sewage ponds, as birders better know them. Our final stop of the tour netted us about 15 new species, which is quite amazing. There were shorebirds here, including Western Sandpipers, Semipalmated Plover, Lesser Yellowlegs, Wilson’s Phalaropes and two Red-necked Phalaropes, and a number of lovely American Avocets. A young Peregrine Falcon put on a nice show as it tried to catch shorebirds and swallows here. At least 3 White-faced Ibis foraged along the shore of the ponds, and we saw a lonely Cattle Egret as well. Eared Grebes, along with Ruddy Ducks, Mexican Ducks, Gadwall, American Wigeon, Cinnamon Teal, Green-winged Teal and Blue-winged Teal were all noted. Our only Savannah Sparrow of the trip foraged along the edge of the pond, and we had just our second sighting of Chihuahuan Meadowlark as well. We stopped in for lunch at Benson, before continuing along to Phoenix, arriving around 4 PM. We said our farewells and I dropped everyone off. Total species count for the trip was 194, including leader only’s, and 184 for the official tour total.
American Avocets. Willcox WTP. Willcox, AZ. May 2023. Photo: Chris Charlesworth.
I met up with David and Dawn, from the U.K., in West Kelowna, this morning. It was their first experience birding in Western North America, so many things we saw were new for them. We only had about 5 hours to spare, since they were picking up their son at the airport and heading off into the Rockies. Based on what birds they had suggested they’d like to see, I took them to White Lake, near OK Falls, and to Rose Valley in West Kelowna.
Vesper Sparrow. White Lake, OK Falls, BC. May 10, 2023. Photo: David Arbuthnott
Along the drive down to Penticton, we saw several Ospreys on their nesting platforms. Once we reached White Lake Road, we spent a little over an hour watching and photographing some nice birds. There were Mountain and Western bluebirds, Western Meadowlarks, Lazuli Bunting, Say’s Phoebe and Red-naped Sapsucker, to name a few.
Mountain Bluebird. White Lake, OK Falls, BC. May 10, 2023. Photo: David Arbuthnott.
We turned around, headed back to West Kelowna, and spent the next 1.5 hours exploring Rose Valley along Reservoir Road. There were lots of birds here, including all three species of nuthatch (White-breasted, Red-breasted and Pygmy), Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Cassin’s and Warbling vireos, Nashville Warblers, both Hammond’s and Dusky flycatchers, Rufous and Calliope hummingbirds, a Mountain Chickadee, and last bird we got was a stunning male Western Tanager.
Western Tanager. Rose Valley, West Kelowna, BC. May 10, 2023. Photo: David Arbuthnott.
We heard, but did not see, a calling Western Screech-Owl. I’d say it was an awfully productive few hours of birding!
Cassin’s Vireo. Rose Valley, West Kelowna, BC. May 10, 2023. Photo: David Arbuthnott.
Bird Species: Canada Goose; Mallard; California Quail; Eurasian Collared-Dove; Mourning Dove; Rufous Hummingbird; Calliope Hummingbird; Killdeer; Common Loon; Great Blue Heron; Osprey; Bald Eagle; Red-tailed Hawk; Western Screech-Owl; Red-naped Sapsucker; Downy Woodpecker; Hairy Woodpecker; Northern Flicker; American Kestrel; Western Kingbird; Hammond’s Flycatcher; Dusky Flycatcher; Say’s Phoebe; Cassin’s Vireo; Warbling Vireo; Black-billed Magpie; American Crow; Common Raven; Tree Swallow; Violet-green Swallow; Northern Rough-winged Swallow; Barn Swallow; Black-capped Chickadee; Mountain Chickadee; Red-breasted Nuthatch; White-breasted Nuthatch; Pygmy Nuthatch; Ruby-crowned Kinglet; Western Bluebird; Mountain Bluebird; American Robin; European Starling; House Sparrow; House Finch; Red Crossbill; Pine Siskin; American Goldfinch; Spotted Towhee; Chipping Sparrow; Vesper Sparrow; Song Sparrow; White-crowned Sparrow; Western Meadowlark; Red-winged Blackbird; Brewer’s Blackbird; Brown-headed Cowbird; Nashville Warbler; Yellow-rumped Warbler; Western Tanager; Lazuli Bunting.
I went out today with 14 year old Finnegan and his mom. Finnegan is a young birder and photographer and he wanted to see some owls today! We began along Mission Creek, in Kelowna, where we found a roosting Western Screech-Owl. The bird was high in a cedar tree and was very well concealed amongst the branches.
In West Kelowna, near Gellatly Bay, we visited a Great Horned Owl nest, where two fluffy young were accompanied by both parents near their nest.
Great Horned Owls. West Kelowna, BC. April 21, 2023. Photo: Finnegan Barton.
We tried for Barred Owl on Crystal Mountain, also in West Kelowna. I let out a few of my imitations and it didn’t take long for two Barred Owls to come in and answer me. Unfortunately, the owls didn’t show themselves, but rather remained hidden in the forest. It was still fun to hear their wild hoots and hollers.
In another West Kelowna park we tried for screech-owl once again. We heard it calling and we spent considerable time trying to spot it. Eventually we did find the owl, tucked away deep inside a thick clump of needles in a Douglas Fir.
Finally, we made our way to Beaver Lake Road in Lake Country, to try one more time for Barred Owl. We were unsuccessful, but we did see some nice birds on the way up there, including Western Bluebird, Western Meadowlark, Turkey Vultures and more. It was a very enjoyable day with young Finn and his mom.
Western Meadowlark. Lake Country, BC. April 21, 2023. Photo: Finnegan Barton.
Day 1 – This morning I met up with 7 tour participants from various locations around British Columbia at the Apple Bowl in Kelowna. Our first stop was along Mission Creek to look for a roosting Western Screech-Owl. Up in a tree not far from the creek, we spotted the owl, nestled up close to the trunk with its eyes closed. Great start! We also had nice looks at Pygmy Nuthatches here.
Next up, we made our way north to Beaver Lake Road, in Lake Country. The first few kilometers of the road traverse through grassland habitat where we enjoyed nice views of both Mountain and Western bluebirds, Western Meadowlarks, Say’s Phoebes, Black-billed Magpies, and a lovely Golden Eagle being chased by Red-tailed Hawks.
Western Bluebird. Beaver Lake Road, Lake Country, BC. Apr 15, 2023. Photo: Chris Thomson
Once we entered the forest, the next several stops were good for Mountain Chickadees, Black-capped Chickadees, Red-breasted Nuthatches, Golden-crowned Kinglets, Red Crossbills and Cassin’s Finches. We had nice looks at a four White-winged Crossbills as well. Varied Thrushes sang their eerie songs deep within the forest and out of sight. Four Ruffed Grouse, 3 seen and one heard drumming, was a respectable total for this rather cryptically colored chicken. Raptors overhead included Turkey Vulture, Sharp-shinned Hawk and Bald Eagle. Woodpeckers were well represented as well. We had Downy, Hairy, and Pileated woodpeckers, Northern Flicker, and Red-naped Sapsuckers.
White-winged Crossbill. Dee Lk Road, Lake Country, BC. Apr 15, 2023. Photo: Evelyn Thomson.
Next, we stopped briefly at the north end of Robert Lake in Kelowna, just as two Black-necked Stilts did a fly by. At the south end of Robert Lake, the Yellow-headed Blackbirds posed nicely for photographers. Waterfowl were numerous, and we saw Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Redhead, Ring-necked Duck, Barrow’s Goldeneye and Ruddy Duck to name a few species. A Greater Yellowlegs called nearby, and a Northern Harrier sailed over the fields on the east side of the lake.
Yellow-headed Blackbird. Robert Lake, Kelowna, BC. Apr 15, 2023. Photo: Chris Thomson
We had dinner at the White Spot in Kelowna, and then ventured over to West Kelowna to look for owls on a mountain road. Barred Owl was the species we were looking for in particular, and a few moments after I let out my imitation of a Barred Owl hoot, a pair of them began calling loudly in the forest next to us. I shone my flashlight up in the trees, and there they were looking back at us. This was a very memorable evening and a nice way to finish off our first day of the tour.
Barred Owl. West Kelowna, BC. Apr 15, 2023. Photo: Chris Thomson.
Day 2 – Back at the Apple Bowl we assembled this morning and made our way to the Maude Roxby Bird Sanctuary on the shores of Okanagan Lake in Kelowna. Twenty-four species were noted here, including our only gulls of the tour, Ring-billed, Herring, California and Glaucous-winged gulls. Ducks included Northern Shoveler, American Wigeon, Bufflehead, and Common Merganser, amongst others.
The next port of call, was a nesting Great Horned Owl in West Kelowna. The adult and two young were seen as they rested in their nest in an old snapped off cottonwood.
Great Horned Owls. West Kelowna, BC. Apr 16, 2023. Photo: Chris Thomson
Fields near the mouth of Powers Creek had three species of goose side by side, with Canada, a Snow and a Greater White-fronted goose all grazing near one another. A Belted Kingfisher made several flyovers as we explored the area. We had a quick look for the long-staying California Scrub-Jay along Peters Road in West Kelowna, but we came up empty handed.
Snow, Greater White-fronted and Canada geese at Gellatly Bay, West Kelowna, BC. April 16, 2023. Photo: Chris Charlesworth
Down in Penticton, we had a quick stop for coffee and facilities before we took of to White Lake. We parked on an exposed hill, where gusty winds lashed at us. Western Meadowlarks were singing all around. In the sky, I picked out a circling flock of migrating Sandhill Cranes. We watched them sail overhead and carry on to the north. Then there was another flock, and another flock, and after about an hour, we estimated we had seen 1500 Sandhill Cranes go over. Raptors were also on the move, taking advantage of the strong tailwinds. There were Cooper’s and Sharp-shinned Hawks, as well as Turkey Vultures, Ospreys, Bald Eagles, Red-tailed Hawks and Northern Harriers sailing north. White-throated Swifts were seen, along with Northern Rough-winged and Tree swallows. As we were leaving, a hundred Mountain Bluebirds descended from the sky and landed out in the sagebrush.
Sandhill Cranes over White Lake, OK Falls, BC. Apr 16, 2023. Photo: Chris Thomson.
A light rain fell on us as we watched an American Dipper at her nest at Okanagan Falls. Barrow’s Goldeneye bobbed about on the rushing water. We tried for a second California Scrub-Jay, this time along Eastside Road at Hody Rd in Okanagan Falls. Just after I spotted a Sharp-shinned Hawk sitting low in a tree I speculated that’s why we hadn’t seen the jay yet, but just then the scrub jay flew overhead and landed in a juniper in front of us!
California Scrub-Jay. Ok Falls, BC. Apr 16, 2023. Photo: Chris Thomson.
At some cliffs along Allendale Road in OK Falls, we tried for a Canyon Wren without success. The rains continued as we drove up the road to the cliffs at Vaseux Lake. There were some birds in the pine trees near the top of the road, including Cassin’s Finch, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Red Crossbill, Mountain Bluebird and a single Chipping Sparrow. We decided to make our way down to our motel in Oliver due to the inclement weather.
Dinner was had a the Rattlesnake Lounge in Oliver, after which we headed back out to try some nocturnal birding at Road 22. Tonight, however, we got skunked. It was nice to be out and see some stars and planets and have a walk after dinner.
Day 3 – First thing we took a little stroll around the south end of Tucelnuit Lake at the Lakeside Resort in Oliver. A pair of Wood Ducks was a highlight, for sure. Other ducks on the lake included Lesser Scaup, Bufflehead, Barrow’s Goldeneye, and Green-winged Teal. Also present was a single snoozing Common Loon. Both Osprey and Bald Eagle were seen along the shore of the lake, and a Northern Harrier flew overhead. Swallows were numerous, though not as numerous as the day before. There were both Tree and Violet-green swallows present today.
At Road 22, it was a lovely sunny morning, though there was a chilly wind that accompanied us for much of the day. Again, waterfowl were seen in numbers, including Northern Shoveler, Gadwall, Ring-necked Duck, and both Hooded and Common mergansers, among others. A single Ring-necked Pheasant crowed from the riparian woods along the dyke, and California Quail wandered across the dyke several times. Raptors here included several Osprey, nesting Bald Eagles, Northern Harrier, Turkey Vulture, American Kestrel, and Red-tailed Hawks. A lot of swallows were feeding low over the river, including Violet-green, Tree, Northern Rough-winged, Cliff and at least one Barn swallow. In the bushes we had good views of a Bewick’s Wren, while Marsh Wren was heard chattering, but not seen. Ruby-crowned Kinglets and a few Yellow-rumped Warblers were foraging for insects. White-crowned and Song sparrows were seen, but Lincoln’s Sparrows were heard and remained hidden in the undergrowth. All in all, we tallied close to 40 species here at Road 22 this morning.
Bewick’s Wren. Osoyoos, BC. Apr 17, 2023. Photo: Chris Thomson.
We walked to the south face of ‘The Throne’, a prominent cliff face near the north end of Osoyoos Lake. Species were few and far between, but we had great looks at a single Canyon Wren, and a Peregrine Falcon sat tucked away on a ledge as well.
Canyon Wren. Osoyoos, BC. Apr 17, 2023. Photo: Chris Thomson
Our final stops of the tour were along Venner Meadows Road, east of Okanagan Falls. It didn’t take us too long to find a male Williamson’s Sapsucker amongst the Western Larch trees. The bird posed for scope views, and was calling and drumming actively as we visited the site. That was a wrap, and judging by how long the ‘goodbyes’ lasted, nobody really wanted to leave! We had racked up about 104 bird species as a group, and it was a great group of people and I thank you all for joining the tour.
BIRD SPECIES: Snow Goose; Greater White-fronted Goose; Canada Goose; Wood Duck; Northern Shoveler; Gadwall; American Wigeon; Mallard; Northern Pintail; Green-winged Teal; Redhead; Ring-necked Duck; Lesser Scaup; Bufflehead; Common Goldeneye; Barrow’s Goldeneye; Hooded Merganser; Common Merganser; Ruddy Duck; California Quail; Ring-necked Pheasant; Ruffed Grouse; Pied-billed Grebe; Horned Grebe; Rock Pigeon (Feral); Eurasian Collared-Dove; Mourning Dove; White-throated Swift; American Coot; Sandhill Crane; Black-necked Stilt; Killdeer; Greater Yellowlegs; Ring-billed Gull; California Gull; Herring Gull; Glaucous-winged Gull; Common Loon; Great Blue Heron; Turkey Vulture; Osprey; Golden Eagle; Northern Harrier; Sharp-shinned Hawk; Cooper’s Hawk; Bald Eagle; Red-tailed Hawk; Western Screech-Owl; Great Horned Owl; Barred Owl; Belted Kingfisher; Williamson’s Sapsucker; Red-naped Sapsucker; Downy Woodpecker; Hairy Woodpecker; Northern Flicker; Pileated Woodpecker; American Kestrel; Merlin; Peregrine Falcon; Say’s Phoebe; Steller’s Jay; California Scrub-Jay; Black-billed Magpie; American Crow; Common Raven; Tree Swallow; Violet-green Swallow; Northern Rough-winged Swallow; Cliff Swallow; Barn Swallow; Black-capped Chickadee; Mountain Chickadee; Red-breasted Nuthatch; Pygmy Nuthatch; Canyon Wren; Marsh Wren; Bewick’s Wren; American Dipper; Golden-crowned Kinglet; Ruby-crowned Kinglet; Western Bluebird; Mountain Bluebird; American Robin; Varied Thrush; European Starling; House Sparrow; American Pipit; House Finch; Cassin’s Finch; Red Crossbill; White-winged Crossbill; Pine Siskin; American Goldfinch; Spotted Towhee; Chipping Sparrow; Vesper Sparrow; Song Sparrow; Lincoln’s Sparrow; White-crowned Sparrow; Dark-eyed Junco; Yellow-headed Blackbird; Western Meadowlark; Red-winged Blackbird; Brewer’s Blackbird; Yellow-rumped Warbler.
MAMMAL SPECIES: Mule Deer; White-tailed Deer; Coyote; Yellow-bellied Marmot; Yellow Pine Chipmunk; Eastern Fox Squirrel; Red Squirrel; Columbian Ground-Squirrel; American Beaver; Muskrat;
Day 1 – A group of 9 of us, from various parts of British Columbia, met at the Apple Bowl Parking lot in Kelowna. The weather looked a bit ominous with clouds and cool temperatures to start out our day. We headed over to Mission Creek where we tried a couple of locations known for roosting Western Screech-Owls. Try as we might, we could not find any screech-owl this morning, unfortunately. We did see a few things, however, including Pygmy Nuthatch, Cooper’s Hawk, Turkey Vulture and some saw our only Downy Woodpecker of the tour.
After a quick stop for coffee and washrooms we headed up Beaver Lake Road, exploring the grasslands in the light rain. We had many Mountain Bluebirds, with 32 tallied, but just 4 Western Bluebirds. There were Western Meadowlarks, Townsend’s Solitaire, Say’s Phoebes, Black-billed Magpies and some nice raptors, including Turkey Vultures, Red-tailed Hawk and a single Golden Eagle. Higher up, we stopped in the coniferous forest where there were Red and White-winged crossbills, Pine Siskins, Cassin’s Finch, Mountain Chickadees, Varied Thrush, and Red-breasted Nuthatches. Folks in Pam’s car got to see a Ruffed Grouse, but by the time the rest of us had returned, it had disappeared into the forest. A Merlin sat atop a fir tree next to the road, watching for small birds to prey upon. Mammals seen on Beaver Lake Road today included White-tailed and Mule deer, Columbian Ground-Squirrel and Red Squirrel.
Western Bluebird. Okanagan Valley, BC. Pam Laing. Apr 2023.
At Robert Lake, we added a whole batch of new birds to our day list, mostly being waterfowl. There were Common Goldeneye, Ruddy Duck, Bufflehead, Canvasback, Redhead, Ring-necked Duck, both Greater and Lesser scaup, American Wigeon, Northern Shoveler, and Mallards here, as well as American Coots. Yellow-headed and Red-winged blackbirds greeted us near where we parked. A Muskrat went about his business in the water near the parking area, and two Coyotes patrolled a field on the far side of the lake.
Yellow-headed Blackbird. Robert Lake, Kelowna, BC. April 2023. Photo: Pam Laing.
Just three of us went for dinner this evening, and then tried our hand at owling. We hoped to find that pesky Western Screech-Owl. The weather gods had other ideas and it rained, so we had to call it a night.
Day 2 – We again met at the Apple Bowl this morning, but today the weather was slightly nicer, without the rain. A cool wind accompanied us for much of the day, however. Our first stop was at the Maude Roxby Bird Sanctuary. Here, we scanned the sandbar, adding 5 gulls species to our trip list; Ring-billed, California, Herring, Iceland, and Glaucous-winged gulls. Out on the lake we had a couple of interesting waterbirds, a Pacific Loon and a female Red-breasted Merganser! American Wigeon and Green-winged Teal accompanied the omnipresent Mallards in the bay, and an adult Bald Eagle took flight at one point, scaring all the gulls and ducks into the air. As we walked back to the vehicles, two American Pipits called as they flew overhead, but I think I was the only one to see these spring arrivals.
Next up, we crossed the Bennett Bridge and headed for West Kelowna. We stopped to view an active Great Horned Owl nest, where we saw both parents and one fluffy chick poking its head out from behind mom or dad.
Great Horned Owl. West Kelowna, BC. Apr 2023. Photo: Pam Laing.
We then headed down to Gellatly Bay where we easily spotted the continuing Greater White-fronted Goose in a field with Canada Geese. Wolfgang pointed out a flock of Brewer’s Blackbirds, the only ones we saw on the tour, in a tree next to some horses.
Greater White-fronted Goose. West Kelowna, BC. Apr 8, 2023. Photo: Chris Charlesworth
Continuing further south, we paused in Penticton to grab a coffee and use the facilities before we went to White Lake. It was cool and there was a good south wind blowing at White Lake. Birds were utilizing the tailwind to migrate. A number of raptors were seen heading north, including Cooper’s Hawk, 7 Rough-legged Hawks, Red-tailed Hawks, Bald Eagles and Turkey Vulture. Two Sandhill Cranes flew overhead, quite high up, and a little later, a group of 16 more went overhead. The weather had knocked down some flocks of Mountain Bluebirds, and we saw at least 30 of them. There were a few Western Bluebirds as well, and Western Meadowlarks were seen out in the sage. At one point a Merlin tore through the sage, perhaps trying to catch one of the Mountain Bluebirds off guard.
A short walk through the pine trees at Mahoney Lake did not produce the target birds, which was White-breasted Nuthatch. In fact, probably because of wind, we didn’t get a single bird in the woods here. There were more raptors going overhead, though. Turkey Vulture, Northern Harrier, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Bald Eagle and Red-tailed Hawk, to be exact. On the lake itself, there were not many birds but Pam did spot a Ruddy Duck and a Pied-billed Grebe.
We descended to Okanagan Falls where we had lunch at the south end of Skaha Lake. Only two were brave(?) enough to sit outside, while the rest sat in their cars, out of the wind. Once we had finished eating, we had a brief look for the OK Falls California Scrub-Jay, without any luck. We did add Red-winged Blackbirds and Cassin’s Finch to the day list however.
It didn’t take too long to spot an American Dipper at OK Falls. I showed Wendy and Jane the dipper’s mossy nest, which was situated on the dam structure. There were more Common and Barrow’s Goldeneye here on the river as well.
At Vaseux Lake NW Marsh, I found the group a Bewick’s Wren in some riparian habitat. On the cliffs above, an immature Peregrine Falcon flew by and perched on a snag for scope views. Canyon Wrens could be heard calling on the cliffs, but they were not seen. Finally, we added some swallows to our list, as many Violet-green Swallows were flying over the river. As we drove along, I spotted the only Steller’s Jay we got this weekend, but it had to go down as leader only.
At Vaseux Lake we walked the boardwalk to the viewing tower. An adult Bald Eagle sitting atop a Ponderosa Pine, greeted us in the parking lot. Marsh Wrens sang in the marsh, and a Virginia Rail called a few times out near the viewing platform. Another Bewick’s Wren sang, but we didn’t see this one. Waterfowl were scarce, but there were a dozen Green-winged Teal at the north end of the lake. Near the southeast corner of Vaseux Lake, some of us saw a herd of Bighorn Sheep.
Bald Eagle. Vasuex Lake, BC. Apr 8, 2023. Photo: Chris Charlesworth.
We headed to Oliver, checked into our motel on the shore of Tucelnuit Lake, and went out for dinner at the Rattlesnake Lounge as a group. After dinner, most of us headed out to do some owling. We returned to the White Lake area, and after a couple of hours, we had seen two lovely Western Screech-Owls, and heard another! A successful evening indeed.
Western Screech-Owl. Okanagan Falls, BC. Apr 8, 2023. Photo: Jaice Crofton.
Day 3 – A short walk around the property of our motel on Tucelnuit Lake this morning produced a few interesting birds. There was a pair of lovely Wood Ducks near the beach, and there were other ducks on the lake including Lesser Scaup, Ring-necked Duck, Green-winged Teal and Bufflehead. The Eastern Fox Squirrels were busy going about their business on the motel grounds as well.
After coffee and breakfast stop, we made our way to Road 22. Swallows were numerous, and most were Violet-green, though there were quite a few Tree Swallows and the first Cliff Swallows of the year mixed in. We enjoyed nice views of Say’s Phoebes, and a flock of White-crowned Sparrows, though passerine numbers were low. Raptors were the highlight, and we were entertained by a pair of Northern Harriers, as well as our first Osprey, and Red-tailed Hawk, and Bald Eagle. Ring-necked Pheasant, a species in quick decline in the Okanagan, called a few times from the riparian habitat. Waterfowl included Northern Shoveler, Green-winged Teal, Barrow’s Goldeneye, and Common Merganser. A single Greater Yellowlegs was seen by some, before it was scared off by a raptor and did not return.
A wind-whipped walk through the ‘pocket desert’ at Haynes Lease Eco Reserve was quite enjoyable. Say’s Phoebe and Western Bluebird kept us entertained as we made our way to the base of the cliff. We saw a Coyote scrambling up the face of the cliff as we approached. Canyon Wrens could be heard calling as we neared the boulder field. We ended up having wonderful views of the wren as it sang close by. Three adult Peregrine Falcons chased one another around the face of the cliff, while Northern Harrier and an immature Golden Eagle also made appearances.
The last stop of the tour was up at Venner Larches, east of Okanagan Falls. I didn’t have too much hope for finding our target bird, Williamson’s Sapsucker, due to the wind. First bird we actually saw here, was a Brown Creeper, our one and only for the tour. A gorgeous male Williamson’s Sapsucker did appear here, and put on a great show for us. A Ruffed Grouse huddled up next to a clump of grass and allowed for some photos before it flew off with a whir of wings. We heard a calling Northern Goshawk here too, but couldn’t see it unfortunately. Our tour had come to an end. We said our goodbyes and went our separate ways. We had tallied 95 species of birds, quite a respectable total given the weather was not great. Thank you all for coming!
Ruffed Grouse. Venner Larches, E. of Okanagan Falls, BC. Apr 9, 2023. Photo: Jaice Crofton.
Bird Species: Greater White-fronted Goose; Canada Goose; Wood Duck; Northern Shoveler; Gadwall; American Wigeon; Mallard; Green-winged Teal; Canvasback; Redhead; Ring-necked Duck; Greater Scaup; Lesser Scaup; Bufflehead; Common Goldeneye; Barrow’s Goldeneye; Common Merganser; Red-breasted Merganser; California Quail; Ring-necked Pheasant; Ruffed Grouse; Pied-billed Grebe; Horned Grebe; Rock (feral) Pigeon; Eurasian Collared-Dove; Mourning Dove; Virginia Rail; American Coot; Sandhill Crane; Killdeer; Greater Yellowlegs; Ring-billed Gull; California Gull; Herring Gull; Iceland Gull; Glaucous-winged Gull; Pacific Loon; Great Blue Heron; Turkey Vulture; Osprey; Golden Eagle; Northern Harrier; Sharp-shinned Hawk; Cooper’s Hawk; Northern Goshawk; Bald Eagle; Red-tailed Hawk; Rough-legged Hawk; Western Screech-Owl; Great Horned Owl; Williamson’s Sapsucker; Downy Woodpecker; Northern Flicker; American Kestrel; Merlin; Peregrine Falcon; Say’s Phoebe; Steller’s Jay; Clark’s Nutcracker; Black-billed Magpie; American Crow; Common Raven; Tree Swallow; Violet-green Swallow; Cliff Swallow; Black-capped Chickadee; Mountain Chickadee; Red-breasted Nuthatch; Pygmy Nuthatch; Brown Creeper; Canyon Wren; Marsh Wren; Bewick’s Wren; American Dipper; Western Bluebird; Mountain Bluebird; Townsend’s Solitaire; American Robin; Varied Thrush; European Starling; House Sparrow; American Pipit; House Finch; Cassin’s Finch; Red Crossbill; White-winged Crossbill; Pine Siskin; Spotted Towhee; Song Sparrow; White-crowned Sparrow; Dark-eyed Junco; Yellow-headed Blackbird; Western Meadowlark; Red-winged Blackbird; Brewer’s Blackbird.
Mammals Seen: White-tailed Deer; Mule Deer; Yellow-bellied Marmot; Red Squirrel; Columbian Ground-Squirrel; Eastern Fox Squirrel; Yellow Pine Chipmunk; Bighorn Sheep; Common Muskrat; Coyote.
February 27 – At 6:30 this morning, four of us left West Kelowna and headed south through the Canadian Okanagan Valley. We stopped in at Okanagan Falls to look for a long-staying California Scrub-Jay. After about 10 minutes of searching for the bird, we spotted it sitting atop a tree. It called a few times, flew a short distance and perched in another treetop while we watched. This local rarity, when discovered in early December, was the first record of its kind for the Okanagan Valley. A flock of 7 Trumpeter Swans flew past against a hillside, but otherwise we just saw mostly the usual suburban birds like California Quail, Dark-eyed Junco, Northern Flicker and Eurasian Collared-Dove. A Townsend’s Solitaire also made an appearance.
California Scrub-Jay. Okanagan Falls, BC. Feb 27, 2023. Photo: Chris Charlesworth.
We crossed the border at Oroville, and stopped in at Tonasket, 15 minutes south, to grab some coffee and food. Heading NE from Tonasket on the Havillah Road, we turned off to explore Fancher Flats. Our first drive through the area didn’t produce too many species, other than Bald Eagle, Rock Pigeons, Mallards and Common Ravens. Single White-crowned and Song sparrows did pop up into view however. On our return trip back through the flats, we encountered at least 50 Chukar. They seemed to be everywhere in the corn stubble fields, at the base of the cliffs and all around the cattle. They were being watched from above by a pair of Golden Eagles. We later found the nest of the eagle and watched it patrol the skies above.
Chukar. Fancher Flats. Tonasket, Washington. Feb 27, 2023. Photo: Chris Charlesworth
We then drove into Ponderosa Pine forests near Siwash Creek, with hopes of finding some woodpeckers. We were not disappointed. There were several Hairy Woodpeckers, a Downy Woodpecker, 2 Pileated Woodpeckers and Northern Flickers. Unfortunately, the one we wanted with a white head, did not appear. There were also Clark’s Nutcrackers, and loads of all three species of nuthatch, Mountain and Black-capped chickadees and Red Crossbills at most of our stops.
Next, we headed to Nealey Road where it didn’t take us long to track down a flock of about 100 Snow Buntings that were hanging around a herd of cattle out in a snowy field. The weather had deteriorated throughout the morning and we had snow, quite heavy at times, through the afternoon and evening. On our way back down towards Tonasket we had a lovely Rough-legged Hawk that was sitting atop a rock before it flew off.
Snow Buntings. Nealey Road, east of Oroville, Washington. February 27, 2023. Photo: Chris Charlesworth.
We carried on down to Omak, where we spent the night. An American Kestrel greeted us outside the hotel as we walked to the restaurant next door.
February 28 – We awoke to a bit of a winter wonderland with heavy snow falling and very low visibility. We wondered if we dare venture out onto the highways in the icy weather, but we did, and the weather cleared up not long after we left Omak. First stop was at the Monse Bridge, where we scanned up and down the Okanogan River for waterfowl, and there were plenty of them to see. Redheads, Ring-necked Ducks, Canvasbacks, Lesser Scaup, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Common Merganser, Mallard and American Wigeon were all tallied. Bald Eagles were numerous along the river this morning. A single Ring-billed Gull, with a notably pink hue to the underparts, flew up and down the shore of the river. Kathy spotted an adult Cooper’s Hawk sitting in a tree, and there were several Mourning Doves here as well.
At Bridgeport State Park we trudged through some snow, checking trees for roosting owls. We came up empty handed in the owl department. There were quite a few American Robins around, and Cedar Waxwings were calling. The consensus was that this state park had the most enjoyable washrooms in the world. They were nice and warm and clean inside, and we didn’t want to leave them.
We then made our way to the Waterville Plateau, scanning the open country and stubble fields near Mansfield. A Snowy Owl had been reported in the area, but we couldn’t find it. We did see the first of many flocks of Horned Larks, as well as both Red-tailed and the first of many Rough-legged hawks though. East of Mansfield, Horned Larks were absolutely everywhere, and there were perhaps up to a thousand in the area.
Horned Lark. Waterville Plateau, Washington. February 28, 2023. Photo: Chris Charlesworth
At one point, 80 or so Snow Buntings joined the larks and sat on the road. As we headed down Heritage Road, the Horned Lark fiesta continued. Large rocks out in the fields called erratics, made excellent perches for Rough-legged Hawks.
Rough-legged Hawk. Waterville Plateau, Washington. February 28, 2023. Photo: Chris Charlesworth
We saw our first Northern Harrier of the trip, a female. A group of 9 Gray Partridge suddenly began scurrying up and away from us, and they flew over the crest of a hill before we could snap any photographs. Further south, we finally hit the jackpot. Kathy spotted the Snowy Owl as it flew up from the side of the road and landed on a rise not too far away. We slowly got out of the vehicle and trained the scope on the owl, watching it for 10 minutes or so before she sailed off, never to be seen again. Having earned our lunch, we headed into Coulee City and had some lattes and grub.
Snowy Owl. Waterville Plateau, Washington. February 28, 2023. Photo: Chris Charlesworth
After our late lunch, we again searched around for the owl, with no luck, but I did see and hear a Lapland Longspur, which was a nice change from the plethora of Horned Larks. Back at the partridge spot, I spotted a Prairie Falcon sitting in the distance on a rock. We enjoyed nice scope views of it, admiring especially its orange legs and feet. We all decided that we had ‘falcon foot fetishes’ after this encounter. Just then, two of the Gray Partridges appeared again, this time sitting tight, and allowing for some photographs.
Gray Partridge. Waterville Plateau, Washington. February 28, 2023. Photo: Chris Charlesworth
Further north, we found quite a few Rough-legged Hawks and at least 4 more Northern Harriers, two of which were males. Once back on the highway, we found another Prairie Falcon just west of Mansfield. This one was atop a telephone pole, eating prey. We again watched through the scope and snapped all sorts of photos.
Prairie Falcon. Waterville Plateau, Washington. February 28, 2023. Photo: Chris Charlesworth
The drive to Chelan was quite pretty with snow covered fields, and the pink sunset. We dropped quite quickly in elevation from the highlands of the plateau down into the Columbia River Valley. Chelan is big into apples, and it seems everything in town is named after them, including our accommodations for the night, the Apple Inn Motel. We enjoyed a nice dinner in downtown Chelan, and we admired two extremely bright planets that were quite close together in the night sky, Jupiter and Venus.
Mar 1 – Our final day in Washington began in Chelan, where it was a lovely, but cold morning. We drove from Chelan towards Leavenworth, noticing many large rafts of diving ducks on lakes and rivers along the way. There were lots of Redheads and scaup or one type or the other, as well as Common Loon and American Coots, Canada Geese and one or two Great Blue Herons. Raptors, especially Red-tailed Hawks and Bald Eagles were numerous.
Once in Leavenworth we made our way to the Sleeping Lady Mountain Resort, where we hoped to find one of our target birds, the White-headed Woodpecker. Almost as soon as we got out of the car, Lesley and I heard one call several times. Try as we might we could not find it, though we did find a couple of Hairy Woodpeckers, as well as Pygmy and Red-breasted Nuthatches.
‘Plan B’ took us to the Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery. Three of us walked along snowshoe trails hoping to find the woodpecker, but we did not succeed. There were Dark-eyed Juncos, Black-capped Chickadees and Pygmy and Red-breasted nuthatches here however. Lesley waited back by the dam and she heard an American Dipper singing! As we walked back to the vehicle, another White-headed Woodpecker called. This one sounded like it was right be the vehicle and sure enough it was. The woodpecker flew out of a pine and into a tall, leafless cottonwood tree where we could all see it. Lacking any red on the back of the head, this was a female, and we were happy indeed to have good views of her before she flew off out of sight.
White-headed Woodpecker. Leavenworth, Washington. March 1, 2023. Photo: Chris Charlesworth
After a quick drive through Leavenworth to see the Bavarian architecture that the town is known for, we started our drive north. In Omak, we picked up some lunch to take with us and we drove along the Conucully Road. We stopped at Scotch Creek Wildlife Area to scan deciduous trees for Sharp-tailed Grouse, but we couldn’t find any. We continued on to Conucully, where we hoped to see some Wild Turkeys. As soon as we got into town there were turkeys trotting down almost every street. Mule Deer were very abundant as well, and they were not shy, with one individual poking its head right into the car!
Wild Turkey. Conucully, Washington. March 1, 2023. Photo: Chris Charlesworth
Feeling quite satisfied with our three days of birding in Washington State, we continued north to the Canadian border, and made it back to Kelowna in the early evening. We had tallied 72 species of birds as a group.
BIRD SPECIES: Canada Goose; Trumpeter Swan; American Wigeon; Mallard; Canvasback; Redhead; Ring-necked Duck; Greater Scaup; Lesser Scaup; Bufflehead; Common Goldeneye; Hooded Merganser; Common Merganser; California Quail; Chukar; Gray Partridge; Wild Turkey; Rock (Feral) Pigeon; Eurasian Collared-Dove; Mourning Dove; American Coot; Ring-billed Gull; Common Loon; Great Blue Heron; Golden Eagle; Northern Harrier; Sharp-shinned Hawk; Cooper’s Hawk; Bald Eagle; Red-tailed Hawk; Rough-legged Hawk; Great Horned Owl; Snowy Owl; Northern Pygmy-Owl; Downy Woodpecker; Hairy Woodpecker; White-headed Woodpecker; Northern Flicker; Pileated Woodpecker; American Kestrel; Merlin; Prairie Falcon; Steller’s Jay; California Scrub-Jay; Clark’s Nutcracker; Black-billed Magpie; American Crow; Common Raven; Horned Lark; Black-capped Chickadee; Mountain Chickadee; Red-breasted Nuthatch; White-breasted Nuthatch; Pygmy Nuthatch; American Dipper; Golden-crowned Kinglet; Western Bluebird; Townsend’s Solitaire; American Robin; European Starling; Cedar Waxwing; House Sparrow; House Finch; Red Crossbill; American Goldfinch; Snow Bunting; Lapland Longspur; Song Sparrow; White-crowned Sparrow; Dark-eyed Junco; Western Meadowlark; Red-winged Blackbird.
Mammals: Mule Deer; White-tailed Deer; Red Squirrel; Douglas’s Squirrel; Eastern Fox Squirrel; Yellow-bellied Marmot; Mountain Goat.
At 7 AM I met up with 5 birders in Kelowna and we headed up over the Okanagan Connector to Merritt. Along the way we spotted two Moose on the side of the highway. In Merritt we grabbed a coffee before driving north along the old Highway 5a. Shortly after we left Merritt we stopped to check out a couple of raptors in a field. One was an immature Bald Eagle and the other was the first of several Rough-legged Hawks we saw today. We then explored the grasslands along Pennask Lake Road where it was very quiet. There was quite a bit of snow and it was rather pretty, though we only saw another single Rough-legged Hawk.
Next, we traveled along another road, hoping to find one of our target species for the day, Sharp-tailed Grouse. There was a little open water where we added a few species to our day list; Trumpeter Swans, Hooded Merganser and Mallard. A house with a feeder yielded a few American Tree Sparrows, as well as a couple of Downy Woodpeckers. Dave and Frances had our first Northern Shrike of the day here too. Along the edge of a frozen lake, Joan spotted a large bird in a bush so we backed up to check it out. It was a Sharp-tailed Grouse! Success! The grouse was feeding on buds up in a bush allowing us to take some photos before it dropped to the ground and disappeared. A kilometer or so further down the road Kathy spotted another Sharp-tailed Grouse. This one was high up in a cottonwood and it dropped down to the ground and out of sight shortly after we discovered it. A group of a dozen or so Bohemian Waxwings were busily feeding here as well, our only for the day.
Sharp-tailed Grouse. Merritt, BC. Feb 3, 2023. Photo: Chris Charlesworth.
We continued on towards Kamloops, visiting the grasslands of the Rose Hill Rd / Deeleuw Road area next. We were on the hunt for another of our target species here, Snow Bunting. We were very happy to see three Horned Larks sitting on the snow bank next to the road. We saw another Northern Shrike here, and around one particular farm there was a flock of European Starlings, as well as the usual Black-billed Magpies. A single Song Sparrow popped up on a fence post, and we saw a Townsend’s Solitaire atop a tree here as well. As luck would have it, a small group of Snow Buntings flew over us, and the white and black of their plumage was set off nicely against the blue sky. They flew off quite far and we were not able to relocate them, but we were very happy to at least have seen them!
To finish off the day we drove along a road, in search of owls, which we did not find. However, Dave and Frances did spot our only Ruffed Grouse for the day, which was a nice way to finish off.
Bird Species: Trumpeter Swan; Mallard; Hooded Merganser; Ruffed Grouse; Sharp-tailed Grouse; Rock (Feral) Pigeon; Eurasian Collared-Dove; Bald Eagle; Red-tailed Hawk; Rough-legged Hawk; Downy Woodpecker; Northern Flicker; Northern Shrike; Clark’s Nutcracker; Black-billed Magpie; American Crow; Common Raven; Horned Lark; Black-capped Chickadee; Townsend’s Solitaire; European Starling; Bohemian Waxwing; House Finch; Snow Bunting; American Tree Sparrow; Song Sparrow; Dark-eyed Junco;
Tales and photographs of the adventures of Avocet Tours
Avocet Tours 