• Designed for people attending the 2012 North American Ornithological Conference in Vancouver, BC. Others may enquire on space availability.

• Fantastic late summer birding in one of Canada's most beautiful regions.

• Okanagan Valley, only spot in Canada for close to a dozen bird species.

• A number of large mammals like Black Bear, Moose, and Bighorn Sheep possible.

Evening Grosbeak

This tour has been designed to accommodate birders attending the NAOC conference in Vancouver in August, 2012. First dibs on signing up for trip will go to NAOC attendees. If room exists other clients may also be desired to fill up space. Please enquire.

We begin in Vancouver at the end of the NAOC conference on Aug 19. We'll make our way E. into Manning Park where vast montane forests cloak the hillsides. We'll then descend down into the Okanagan Valley, a lush place with some of the best birding in all of Canada. Our visit to the valley coincides with fall migration so we should enjoy a lot of birds. Weather during this time of year is often exceptional, however rain can be encountered. We'll explore the sage flats of the South Okanagan before heading N. past Vaseux Lake and its intimidating cliffs where Canyon Wrens and Chukar can be found. As we make our way through Kelowna, a quick stop at Robert Lake for shorebirds will be in order, as long as there is water in the lake. Finally, at the end of our trip we return to Vancouver over beautiful rolling grasslands of the Douglas Lake Ranch.

With a little luck on this trip we may get upwards of 130 – 150 bird species, as well as several potential mammal sightings.

Itinerary

DAY 1 – Aug 19

Group will assemble and be picked up by myself and Dick Cannings this morning. We'll travel from Vancouver, E. through the Fraser Valley, watching for ubiquitous Northwestern Crows, Glaucous-winged Gulls, Red-tailed Hawks and Bald Eagles in the farmlands. At the Hunter Ck exit near Chilliwack we'll have a look in the riparian forest for Black-throated Gray Warbler amongst other things.

Once through Hope we'll take Hwy 5 to Manning Park, an extensive area of high elevation forest. Amongst a forest of several different conifer species we'll track down Boreal Chickadee, Red-breasted Sapsucker, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Varied Thrush, Gray Jay, Pine Grosbeak, Red Crossbill and a list of other possibilities. With luck we'll bump into a Sooty Grouse strutting across the road. This area is also quite good for mammal sightings and we often get Black Bear in Manning Park. We'll carry on E. to Osoyoos where we spend the night.

DAY 2 – Aug 20

This morning we'll begin at Road 22 where sagebrush flats meet riparian woodlands and farm fields. Birding this area is usually fantastic and at this time of year the fall migrants should be moving through in full swing. Extensive wetlands in the area are home to Marsh Wrens, Yellow-headed Blackbird, Sora, Virginia Rail, American Bittern and Common Yellowthroats. In riparian woods we'll search out Yellow-breasted Chat, Willow Flycatcher, Gray Catbird, Bullock's Oriole, Black-headed Grosbeak and Belted Kingfisher. Raptors here are common and we should get Cooper's and Red-tailed hawks, Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier and perhaps Peregrine or Prairie falcon here.

Up in the hills at the base of 'The Throne', we'll have a look at some sagebrush species such as Western Bluebird, Eastern Kingbird, Lark Sparrow, California Quail and Western Meadowlark. We'll turn our attention N., popping in to the cliffs at Vaseux Lake where Canyon Wren, Rock Wren, White-throated Swift, Chukar, Golden Eagle and Lewis's Woodpecker are all possible. This area provides stunning scenery, and again more mammals as we should see California Bighorn Sheep amongst the rocks.

We'll take the Green Lake Road up to White Lake Road, checking the pines as we go for White-breasted and Pygmy nuthatches, Evening Grosbeak, Cassin's Finch and who knows, maybe even a Northern Pygmy-Owl. Once at White Lake, we'll run into the usual suspects such as Western Meadowlarks, Vesper and Brewer's sparrows, and American Kestrel. Sometimes, Gray Partridge are encountered here.

As we make our way N. we'll visit a hummingbird feeder if we haven't already seen Black-chinned, Rufous and Calliope hummingbirds. Passing through Kelowna, a quick stop at Robert Lake should provide some interesting shorebirds such as Baird's, Pectoral, Semipalmated, Western and Solitary sandpipers, Long-billed Dowitcher, Greater & Lesser yellowlegs, Wilson's & Red-necked Phalaropes. Most years a Stilt Sandpiper shows up during this time.

The drive to Vernon will take about 45 mins from Robert Lake. Asides from incredible scenery as we drive alongside Wood and Kalamalka lakes, we may see a Swainson's Hawk in this area. Night in Vernon.

DAY 3 – Aug 21

We leave Vernon this morning and make our way to the Douglas Lake Plateau where rolling grasslands are home to many interesting species such as Horned Lark, Northern Harrier, Vesper Sparrow and Mountain Bluebird. Raptors are often numerous along the route and with many lakes and ponds, the chance of an unusual waterbird exists. The route is good mammals with sightings of Yellow-bellied Marmot, Mule Deer and Coyote fairly common.

We'll carry on W. back towards Vancouver, arriving in the late afternoon.