December 2020 The Central Okanagan Naturalists' Club January 2021 www.okanagannature.org

Central Okanagan Naturalists’ Club Monthly Meetings, second Tuesday of the month.

Unfortunately, this is not a normal year. In-person regular second-Tuesday meetings remain suspended. Know Nature and Keep it Worth Knowing CONC MEMBERS ARE NOW MEETING VIA ZOOM. Join us on 8 December 2020 at 7:00 pm. via Zoom for the following presentation:

Bumble Bees of British Columbia: Big, Bumbly and Beleaguered Speaker: Syd Cannings

Index Club Information. 2 Activities Cancellation Notice 3 2020-2021 Photo Contest. 3 Birding report. 4 January Meeting 5 Beringia Interpretive Center 5 Mission Creek Biodiversity Challenge 6 Rare Birds from the Photo: courtesy of Syd Cannings Central Okanagan.. 11 This bee is a Gypsy Cuckoo Bumble Bee, a species listed as Endangered under the federal Species at Risk Act. It remains common in the north, but one of the last places that it has been found in southern Canada is .... Kelowna!

The Presentation: A short introduction to bumble bees, the bumble bees of British

Columbia, and specifically some common bumble bees of the Okanagan. Some species are at risk and are listed under the federal Species at Risk Act. Syd will discuss the declines of these species and the probable causes of the declines, and what we can do to change things. Many of you may participate in bird monitoring programs, and

naturalists can help monitor the status of bees as well.

The Speaker: Syd Cannings grew up in the Okanagan but has migrated north to Yukon (the Far North Okanagan), where he is a species-at-risk biologist for the Canadian Wildlife Service. In an earlier life, he was curator of the insect collection at the University of British Columbia, and then Program Zoologist for the BC Conservation Data Centre in Victoria.

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Central Okanagan Naturalists’ Club. www.okanagannature.org P.O. Box 21128, RPO Orchard Park, Kelowna, B.C. V1Y 9N8 EXECUTIVE FOR 2020-21 President Rick Gee 250-763-0124 [email protected] Vice-president Douglas Graham [email protected] Secretary Robbie Bowers [email protected] Treasurer Margaret Ramsay [email protected] Past president Craig Lewis 250-765-2511 [email protected] Directors for 2020-2021 BC Nature Francisca Fisher 778-478-7478 [email protected] Birding Dave Palsat 778-478-4224 [email protected] Botany Peter Green 250-765-1737 N/A Conservation vacant Hiking vacant Membership Karen Pedersen 250-869-4932 [email protected] Programs Ian Walker 250-807-9559 [email protected] Special Projects Peter Courtney 250-860-9765 [email protected] Committee Contact Persons Avocet program Les Gyug 250-769-5907 [email protected] Ecological Reserves and Okanagan Highlands TrailDon Guild 250-768-3334 [email protected] Hosts Bev Thomas 250-762-7610 [email protected] Liz Daley 250-764-2310 [email protected] Library Jen Matthews [email protected] Newsletter Teresa Smith 250-860-9133 [email protected] Ornithology Gwynneth Wilson 250-762-6876 [email protected] Howard Braun 205-768-4339 [email protected] Publicity Rick Dewar 250-769-9494 [email protected] Website: www.okanagannature.org Rick Gee 250-763-0124 [email protected] NatureKids Kelowna Kate Kutzner 250-859-9877 [email protected]

MONTHLY MEETINGS: Held on the 2nd Tuesday of each month, September to June at 7 p.m. in Evangel Church, 3261 Gordon Drive, Kelowna. Visitors are welcome. Hosts: Bev Thomas 250-762-7610, Liz Daley 250-801-1286. Please bring your own cup. MEMBERSHIP: Karen Pedersen, [email protected]. 250-869-4932. Annual dues: single $35, family $47, students $14, includes Newsletter (except January, July & August). There is a $10 for charge for newsletters to be sent by mail. Membership form and waiver form can be found on CONC website www.okanagannature.org. Send your name, address, telephone number, email address, waiver form and dues to: CONC Membership, Box 21128, Orchard Park P.O., Kelowna, B.C. V1Y 9N8. Honorary Life Members: Hugh Westheuser, Pat Westheuser, Eileen Dillabough, Cec Dillabough, Arthur Hughes-Games (deceased), Brenda Thomson (deceased), Muriel Westwood (deceased), and Harry Almond (deceased). NEWSLETTER: Editor: Teresa Smith. Deadline date for submissions is the fourth Tuesday of each month. Send submissions to Teresa Smith, [email protected], 250-860-9133. Mailing address is, 292 Rio Drive South, Kelowna, B.C. V1V 2B1. Email distribution: Karen Pedersen [email protected] REGULAR ACTIVITIES: All activities are seasonal. If in doubt, check with the contact person. Or phone any of the executive. BIRDING: Howard Braun 250-768-4339 and Gwynneth Wilson 250-762-6876. TIMES SUBJECT TO CHANGE Monday Birding meet at 8:00 a.m. April-June, September and October at the Apple Bowl* Thursday birding meet 8 am (April-Sept.) or 9 am (Oct-March) at St. Charles Garnier Church, 3645 Benvoulin Rd. Saturday Birding: 2nd Saturday of the month 7:30 am (April-Sept). 8:30 am (Oct – March). Meet at the Apple Bowl* BOTANY: Peter Green 250-765-1737. Friday Botany trips: Meet 9:15 am (departure 9:30 am) at the Apple Bowl* Spring to Fall. HIKES. (Bring a lunch). General information Sherrell Davidson 778-478-1956 or [email protected]. All Hikers meet at the Apple Bowl* - "Sole Survivors" Wednesday and Saturday Hikes: Times as per schedule, see www.okanangannature.org - Wednesday Ramblers: Contact Merle Auty, 250-861-4500 or [email protected]. *1555 Burtch Road, the Apple Bowl parking lot, corner of Burtch and Bernard

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Important Notice

In response to recent COVID-19 outbreaks, the BC Provincial Health Officer (PHO) has implemented new Province- wide restrictions for individuals to significantly reduce their level of social interactions and travel.

These restrictions are effective November 19 through midnight Monday December 7. As a result, CONC Monday Winter Birding Walks are suspended for the remainder of the 2020 calendar year. Monday Winter Birding Walks will restart in January, if safe. Watch for notices in the New Year.

More information on these restrictions can be found at: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/emergency-preparedness-response-recovery/covid-19-provincial- support/restrictions

Please note that these restrictions apply to all BC residents, so other group activities are also restricted; no walks with people who are not in your household.

Please be safe. Rick Gee, CONC President

2020-2021 PHOTO CONTEST Entry is open to CONC members only. Entrants may submit up to four (4) total photos maximum - with no more than one per category.

There are four categories:

1) Flora (Plants, lichens, mosses, algae, fungi) 2) Fauna (Animals of any sort, big or small, from weevils to whales. Protozoa, too!). 3) Landscapes 4) People in Nature

This year the photos will be temporarily posted for judging on a website. Each photo, as displayed on the website, will have a maximum dimension (height/width) of 1000 pixels. Note: Given the dimensions of most computer screens, this may favour photos presented in landscape format. Entries will not be posted on the website until after the submission deadline passes. A mock-up of the judging website is posted at: http://paleolab.ca/PhotoContest/index.html for members to review.

Judging will be conducted by CONC members, with voting via email to [email protected]. Each member has one vote in each category. The voting members' name must be included in the email.

The winners and two runners-up in each category will be announced and displayed at the CONC meeting on 9 March 2021. Photos will be removed from the website once voting is complete.

Entries must:

1) have been taken in 2020 or 2021 2) be emailed to [email protected], together with the entrant's name, the category for each photo, and the title/location for each photo. 3) not include any watermarks or other indicator that would identify the entrant. 4) be received by [email protected] no later than 10:00 am, 5 February 2021.

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The Birding Report by Margaret Bryan

Up until November 17, the birding group continued to hold Monday Birding Walks under Covid-19 Safety Rules - Masks for meeting and sign up, driving yourself, no car-pooling; and proper distancing on the trail. Numbers were limited and we broke into two subgroups.

On October 26 we visited Kalamoir Park where two groups of seven walked the snow-free trails with one group heading south and the other north. Birds seen included Steller's Jay, Downy and Hairy Woodpecker, Western and Mountain Bluebird, Varied Thrush and both Cedar and Bohemian Waxwing. The total number of species was 42. Red-breasted Nuthatch

On November 2, the group checked out Bear Creek Park and the Canyon Trail. Fifteen participants broke into two groups with one going uphill and one down into the camping area. Birds found included Common Loon, Bald Eagle, Clark's Nutcracker, 12 Red-breasted Nuthatch, Varied Thrush, Western Grebe and Belted Kingfisher with a total of 33 species.

On November 9, we explored Mission Creek Sutherland Hills Park. Again, we broke into two groups with one traveling upstream and one downstream from The Environmental Centre for the Education of the Okanagan (ECCO) sighting Downy Woodpecker, many Northern Flicker, plentiful Mallards, Red-tailed Hawk and Cooper's Hawk. The cooling weather reduced the species count to 17.

On November 17, we again explored the area near the ECCO with the Great Gray Owl groups trading directions from last week. The highlight of the morning was owls with the downstream group finding both a Western Screech-Owl and a Great Gray Owl. Mike’s team found the Great Gray and located Dave's team to give them a chance to view this bird...The exact local will not be made public to protect this shy bird from too much attention. Other sightings included Common Merganser, Belted Kingfisher, Brown Creeper and Sharp-shinned Hawk with a total of 25 species.

CANADA GOOSE: We see them all the time - large greyish birds with long necks and white cheek patches. They are the Canada Goose. They feed in hayfields and park lawns in large groups. These same groups rest on the lake or local ponds such as Munson Pond. They are so common we take them for granted. Due to a history of people feeding these birds, we now have a non-migratory population in the valley so we see them year round and they have now developed a tendency to over-population. The extra Western Screech-Owl population is now being controlled by the practice of egg addling - a system photos Wikipedia of shaking unhatched eggs which causes damage to the embryo and prevents hatching.

Birds that escape the attention of the egg addlers usually raise four to seven young with up to ten in their annual brood. They are incubated for 25 to 30 days on ground nests. The precocial young fledge at 40 to 73 days. The mated adults are famous for their strong pair bond. With a lifespan of over thirty years they usually start breeding in their third year.

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CONC JANUARY MEETING: 12 JANUARY 2021:

Green Wildlifing (or The Lockdown Naturalist) (7:00 pm. via Zoom)

Speaker: Richard Gregson

The Presentation: Richard Gregson has been an early advocate of Green Birding which means travelling to see birds by human power modes of transport such as walking, cycling and canoeing. The presentation will discuss the value of this approach to local birding, consider ways to maximise your species lists, and will look at some of the interesting species to be found on the edges of a major eastern city simply by walking up to them. Since Covid- 19 has constrained our abilities to travel anyway I have been discovering many plants, insects and other non-avian groups close to home that previously I never spared a moment to stop and look at - perhaps you are finding the same?

The Speaker: Having been born in England, Richard immigrated to Canada in 1998 and is based in the west of Montreal. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology. He originally expected entomology Photo: courtesy of Richard Gregson to pay the rent but got sidelined into a career in mammalian pathology and physiology. He is a former President of Bird Protection Quebec - Canada’s oldest bird conservation charity. He has now retired and has returned to unpaid field biology projects. He leads educational activities in a nearby arboretum owned by McGill university and has published field guides for local birders.

The Beringia Interpretive Center, Whitehorse, Yukon.

For those of you who attended last month’s presentation given by Grant Zazula of the Yukon Beringia Interpretive Center (www.beringia.com) in Whitehorse, more information or literature can be obtained from Grant at [email protected].

Direct flights from Kelowna to Whitehorse are now offered by Air North.

Photo: Yukon Government, Travel Yukon.

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MISSION CREEK BIODIVERSITY CHALLENGE by Ian Walker

The Mission Creek Biodiversity Challenge, a collaborative effort involving our club, the Friends of Mission Creek, Central Okanagan Regional District Parks, and many members of the public, has rapidly documented a broad cross-section of local biodiversity. As of this writing, there have been 3223 observations submitted for the Challenge. This constitutes 18% of all iNaturalist observations ever submitted for the Central Okanagan Regional District; thus, the Challenge has significantly boosted overall knowledge of our local biodiversity. The Challenge documents over 650 species (349 plant species, 26 lichens, 49 other fungi, 144 bird species, 12 mammals, 5 reptiles, 2 amphibians, 2 fish, 97 insects, 9 arachnids, 4 crustaceans, 4 molluscs, and several algae, slime moulds and protozoans). To view the full, up-to-date lists, see the iNaturalist statistics for the Challenge and checklists for the individual eBird hotspots along the Greenway. https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/mission-creek-greenway-biodiversity-challenge?tab=species),

With respect to birds, 144 species were recorded through iNaturalist and in checklists submitted to eBird during the Challenge period (June 2020 until now). This represents 74% of the 195 species ever recorded from the Greenway. Two species were new Greenway records: a Wild Turkey reported many times in Sutherland Hills Park (perhaps an escapee, given its tame behaviour), and a Purple Finch, reported from Sutherland Hills in September/October.

We had issued a special challenge within the Challenge to document breeding birds along the Greenway. Prior to June 2020, 43 species were recorded in eBird as confirmed or probable breeders along the Greenway (this excludes species recorded only with singing males or present in suitable habitat). During the Challenge period 27 species were recorded as breeding including 10 first records for the Greenway. Notable among these newly recorded breeders were American Kestrel, Hammond’s Flycatcher, Dark-eyed Junco, MacGillivray’s Warbler, and Lazuli Bunting.

The Challenge inventory has created a permanent on-line repository, a virtual museum. It will serve as a significant educational resource for local educators, visitors and park interpretive staff. It may also facilitate enhanced park management by documenting the occurrences of both rare and invasive species. The Mission Creek Greenway serves as an important corridor for wildlife movements in the Kelowna area. Maintaining that connectivity is essential to preserving its biodiversity.

Although the challenge formally ends with the New Year, iNaturalist and eBird will continue to collate records for the Greenway and elsewhere long into the future.

To date, the contributors include over 60 observers, and 370 identifiers. You can contribute remotely, from the comfort of your armchair, by helping to confirm or correct the many tentative identifications entered into iNaturalist. We especially need help with identification of plants, insects and fungi. If you would like to help, please contact Ian ([email protected]).

Conifers of the Mission Creek Greenway

To illustrate some of the Greenway’s biodiversity, we can consider the conifer species, (technically, the order Pinales). Conifer species that naturally occur along the Greenway include:

Ponderosa Pine (Pinus ponderosa Lawson & C. Lawson) Lodgepole Pine (Pinus contorta Douglas ex Loudon) Douglas-Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) 6

White (& Hybrid) Spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss, and Picea engelmannii x glauca) Western Larch (Larix occidentalis Nutt.) Western Redcedar (Thuja plicata Donn ex D.Don) Rocky Mountain Juniper (Juniperus scopulorum Sarg.) Common Juniper (Juniperus communis L.) Western Yew (Taxus brevifolia Nutt.)

In addition, there are at least a dozen other conifer species that have been planted and are persisting at points along the Greenway corridor (most notably near the spawning channel, and along the short trail leading from Mantle Court to the peak of Layer Cake Mountain).

Conifers produce two kinds of cones, male cones which produce pollen, and female cones which are fertilized by the pollen and produce seeds. The pollen cones are often small, inconspicuous and are only present briefly in spring. The seed (mature female) cones are much larger and are one of the most distinctive features used to distinguish our conifer species.

Ponderosa Pine

Ponderosa Pine is an iconic species for dry southern interior BC landscapes. It has exceptionally long needles (up to 8 inches/20 cm long), with the needles clustered in groups of three (tightly bound together at the base of each needle). The reddish bark breaks apart into thin sheets that often resemble the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. Ponderosa Pine have long taproots that allow the trees to access water deep in our dry landscapes, and thick bark. This thick bark often facilitates the tree’s survival following forest fire. They are common throughout Mission Creek, Sutherland Hills, and Comparison of Ponderosa Pine and Lodgepole Scenic Canyon Regional Parks – the parks connected by the Pine cones from the Rock Ovens, Mission Creek Greenway Corridor. Greenway. Both species produce very sturdy cones, but Ponderosa Pine cones are much Lodgepole Pine larger.

Lodgepole Pine are much less common on the Greenway, being a species much better adapted to mid- to high- elevation forests, such as those prominent along the Kettle Valley Railway near Kelowna. The needles are shorter (up to 3 inches/8 cm long), with only two needles arranged in each cluster. The bark is thin, and greyish in colour. The roots do not penetrate deeply into the soil.

Note that trees of this species seldom survive fire, but thrive on its infrequent occurrence. The cones are serotinous, meaning that they open, releasing their seeds following fire; Douglas-fir cone from the Rock Ovens, Mission thus, although the thin bark may doom the parental trees to Creek Greenway. Note the three-toothed bracts a fiery death, the post-fire landscape will be littered with projecting from beneath the cone scales. lodgepole pine seeds, ready to initiate the next generation of trees. 7

Douglas-fir

Douglas-fir are widely distributed at low elevations throughout southern BC, and like Ponderosa Pine, are well adapted to dry climates, and to survive fires. Like Ponderosa Pine, they have deep taproots to access water, and thick bark protecting the trunks from the intense heat generated by fire.

Unlike pine, the needles are not borne in clusters; the base of each needle is distinctly separated from those of other needles on the same branch. The needles are short (up to 1.5 inches/4 cm long) distinctly flattened, and the twigs end in sharply pointed, chestnut-coloured buds. The cones are covered in thin scales and bracts, unlike the much more robust cone scales that protect pine seeds.

Douglas-fir can be found along the length of the Greenway, but are most common in the more forested, upstream parts of the corridor.

White (and Hybrid) Spruce

There are very few White Spruce along the Greenway corridor, and most are very close to the stream, near the upper end of the corridor. They are not especially well adapted to fire or drought; their bark is thin, and their roots do not penetrate very deeply.

Like fir, needles of spruce are short (up to 3/4 inch/2 cm long) and borne singly (not in clusters), but one feature that readily distinguishes most spruce species from fir is the square cross-section of their needles. Consequently, if you place a white spruce needle between your fingers, you can readily roll it between your fingers. In contrast, the flat needles of fir will not roll. Also note, the stiff sharply pointed needles of this spruce species contrast with those of the softer fir foliage; giving a white spruce bough a firm handshake can be Comparison of White Spruce (top), Engelmann a painful experience. (bottom), and Hybrid White-Engelmann Spruce (middle) cones. White spruce cones At higher elevations, white spruce readily hybridize with have neatly overlapping cone scales with Engelmann spruce; thus, distinguishing these two species is smoothly rounded margins; Engelmann spruce often difficult. Some of the spruce in the Scenic Canyon part cones are thinner and more ragged; the hybrid of the Greenway are hybrids. spruce are intermediate.

The most distinctive feature of white spruce is the smoothly rounded margin of each cone scale; the scale margins of Engelmann Spruce are thin and ragged; the hybrids… well, there lies the problem… they are intermediates. 8

Western Larch

Larch are rare anywhere along the greenway, but there are at least a couple of trees, very close to the Rock Ovens in Scenic Canyon. Of course, the most distinctive feature of larch is their deciduous habit. Every fall, unlike our other conifers, the needles turn yellow and fall to the ground. Also, the needles are commonly borne in clusters of a dozen or more needles on short spurs off of the older twigs.

Although three species of larch are native to BC, this is the only species native to the Central Okanagan. An October pilgrimage to Myra Canyon, to view their spectacular fall colours, is a common annual habit among our members. Western Larch from the Mara Canyon. Note the bracts projecting from beneath Western Redcedar the cone scales.

Western Redcedar are poorly adapted to our climate, but they manage to persist close to Mission Creek where they can tap into near-surface groundwater. Their thin bark offers little protection from fire. They are most common, forming a few stands, upstream of East Kelowna Road, where the narrow canyon creates a humid microclimate, more akin to their favoured coastal rainforest home.

Western Redcedar produce small, woody cones, but their needles are very short, forming greenish scales covering the cedar’s delicate branches.

Rocky Mountain Juniper and Common Juniper

The collective common name we use for all species mentioned in this article is “Conifers” (technically the Pinales). This name, of course, refers to their cones, but conifer cones are very diverse in structure, and sometimes the Western Redcedar from the mature female cones more closely resemble berries. In the case of junipers, Mission Creek Greenway. the “seed cones” take the form of small, waxy, blue berries.

There are two native juniper species along the Greenway (and at least a couple of persistent non-native species). The Rocky Mountain Juniper is a tall shrub or small tree; its needles are tiny scales covering the branchlets.

Common Juniper is a low, spreading shrub; the needles are longer (about 1 cm) and uncomfortably sharp. Both species occur primarily in dry open, grassy areas along the Greenway. If forest develops around the plants, they soon succumb to the dense shade of the taller trees

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Comparison of Common Juniper (left) and Rocky Mountain Juniper (right) from the McDougall Ridge.

Note that there are separate male and female juniper plants. Only the female plants produce berries. Juniper berries are used in making gin.

Western Yew

Like juniper, Western Yew produces berries; but the berries are bright orange-red. Their “berries” form an inverted cup, containing a single seed. Technically these fruits are known as arils. Yew can be very challenging to recognise, because they rarely bear these distinctive berries, and the branches otherwise look very much like those of fir boughs.

Western Yew is uncommon in the Central Okanagan, only occurring near streams in cool, humid canyons, like the lower reaches of Mill Creek and KLO Creek. The trees are much more common in cooler, wetter Western Yew from the Scenic Canyon. Note the orange- red berries. areas of the province, for example, on the coast and in the Monashee Mountains. Western Yew is the source of the anti-cancer drug, Taxol.

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RARE BIRDS FROM THE CENTRAL OKANAGAN OCT.-NOV. 2020 by Douglas J. Graham

Rare bird records from the Regional District of Central Mission Creek. Chris Charlesworth reported a Sabine’s Okanagan (RDCO) are reported through eBird and Gull on 8 October at The Cove (a handsome juvenile other sources. This note covers rare birds reported molting into first winter plumage: from 1 October to 29 November. https://ebird.org/checklist/S74568366).

Before getting to the season’s highlights, its Starting on 6 October and for at least a few days, a first remarkable to note that this year saw the addition of winter Lesser Black-backed Gull was seen by many no less than three new species for the Central observers at the mouth of Powers Creek and then again Okanagan: a Black Phoebe at Carney Pond in mid-May at Sutherland Bay on 20 October. A rare kumlienii form of (first found by Michael Force); a Purple Martin in mid- Iceland Gull was seen on 2 November at the Maude- June at Robert Lake (David Bell); and a Philadelphia Roxby Wetland. An Arctic Tern was seen from 6-17 Vireo on 16 September at Chichester Marsh (M. October by many observers at the mouth of Powers Force). Creek.

A Red-throated Loon was seen on 17 October at the Old Ferry Dock. Logan Lalonde found no less than two Yellow- billed Loons in this period, a confirmed individual on 19 October and an immature bird spotted by many off Kelowna City Park on 21-22 November; the latter was very cooperative and a “lifer” for many observers, including me!

A late Osprey was seen on 29 October at Munson Pond; Ospreys are unknown here after the first week of November. Rick Gee was on a streak with Great Gray Owls with one seen the first week of November at the Nordic Ski area and another during a CONC outing, as reported

elsewhere in the newsletter. Amazingly, an Anna’s A hybrid Eurasian Wigeon x American Wigeon (see Hummingbird returned in early November to the same photo) was reported from Carney Pond on 15 October residence where it wintered last year. by CONC’s Mike Howard (and companions). At least in eBird, that was the first district report of such a hybrid Arguably, the most remarkable bird of the period was a from any season other than the spring. For some large falcon photographed in Kelowna on 14 November reason, Eurasian Wigeons are reported here fairly that escaped the attention of most birders since it was commonly in the spring but very rarely in the fall. An submitted to iNaturalist and not eBird. After some obliging White-winged Scoter was at Robert Lake on 10 debate, it was determined to be a Gyrfalcon. This was October through to 14 November. Confirmed Long- perhaps the first district eBird record of that species in the tailed Ducks were present at various locations on the last 10 years. lake through to 1 November. https://inaturalist.ca/observations/65085040).

A Wild Turkey has been reported as of 16 August A late Cassin’s Vireo was seen on 15 October and a through to at least 24 November in Sutherland Hills confirmed Blue Jay was present on 19-20 October at Park. It is unknown if this is a wild bird or an escapee, Bear Creek Provincial Park, seen by Chris Charlesworth but the bird is reportedly quite tame. and by many observers. A very late Barn Swallow was

seen on 18 October over Lake Okanagan and a late Dunlin were seen as late as 14 November at Robert House Wren was seen on 10 October at Robert Lake. Lake and a very late Spotted Sandpiper was noted on

14 October at Maude-Roxby Wetland. A Hermit Thrush was seen as of 17 November at

Sutherland Hills through to at least 28 November. An A Jaeger sp. was seen on 3 October at the mouth of extraordinary Swainson’s Thrush was reported on 28 11

November (by Michelle Hamilton) in the company of noted 24-29 October. Chris Charlesworth reported a the Hermit Thrush; there are no previous eBird Bobolink on 1 October at Green Bay, one of only very Regional District of Central Okanagan (RDCO) records few district Bobolink records. of this species after the first week of October. A very rare Chestnut-sided Warbler was noted on 15 Purple Finches are very scarce in the Central October (M. Force) and Chris Charlesworth found a Okanagan: they were recorded at a number of Wilson’s Warbler in Sunset Drive Park on 28 different locations from 15 October through to 4 November. Although not in the Central Okanagan, a November. Prairie Warbler has been present in Vernon since 27 October and remarkably, was still present as of 26 A number of sparrow species lingered in the district: November. A Prairie Warbler has never been recorded Swamp Sparrows (to 17 October) a Chipping Sparrow in the RDCO, but if this bird ever decides to migrate, it (12 October); a Vesper Sparrow (15 October); and a will presumably fly over us!? And finally, a late Fox Sparrow (4 November). A Harris’ Sparrow was Western Tanager was seen on 15 October.

Notice of the CONC Annual General Meeting

The Annual General Meeting of the Central Okanagan Naturalists’ Club

(CONC) will be held on

Tuesday, 9 February 2021 at 7 p.m. via Zoom.

Regarding the AGM:

We have volunteers for a nomination committee who will be contacting members asking if they would like to serve on the executive.

Thus the AGM will include an election, a discussion on the club finances, and a short presentation on club activities in 2020.

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC There will be no newsletter in January. We will be back in February 2021 Wishing you all a very happy Christmas and all the best for the new year. your Editor

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