The group followed the leaders and waited while they searched for the owl. Within five minutes they had located it and Mike had it in his scope. I took this first photo with my phone through the scope.
Western Screech-owl - Mission Creek Regional Park, Kelowna BC - 2017 Bird #96
I'd seen this owl the year before and heard it on a golf trip in 2014. This was my first clear photo of one. Now that I'd seen it with the scope I could locate it with the Nikon and zoom in on it.
Western Screech-owl - Mission Creek Regional Park, Kelowna BC
Our next stop was Robert Lake in Kelowna, located near the garbage dump. It's a good place for ducks and marsh birds including this Yellow-headed Blackbird.
Yellow-headed Blackbird - Robert Lake, Kelowna BC - 2017 Bird #97
I saw a few other year birds but with my scope but did not get photos:
Ruddy Duck - 2017 Bird #98
Redhead - 2017 Bird #99
Cackling Goose - 2017 Bird #100
We stopped for a quick Tim Horton's break and then crossed into Lake Country on Beaver Lake Road. Last year we'd seen large numbers of migrating Bluebirds shortly after heading south off Highway 97. Once again we saw them, but fewer than last year. There were no Western Bluebirds seen from our vehicle.
My only good photo was this female Mountain Bluebird.
Mountain Bluebird - Beaver Lake Rd, Lake Country BC - 2017 Bird #101
We also saw and heard Western Meadowlarks (2017 Bird #102) but not close enough for a worthy photo.
Each vehicle had a walkie-talkie. The guides were in the lead vehicle and Chris announced there was an Accipiter on a post near his Jeep. I took a few long-range shots with the Nikon. The guides concluded it was a Sharp-shinned Hawk rather than a Coopers, probably based on size and head shape.
Sharp-shinned Hawk - Beaver Lake Rd, Lake Country BC - 2017 Bird #103
In the same area Chris spotted a Golden Eagle far off in the distance. I had a good look through his scope, but could not locate it to take a photo. This was 2017 Bird #104.
We carried on up the road and stopped after gaining some altitude. Chris tried his Northern Pygmy-owl call which will attract small birds as well as possibly a Owl itself. He did attract a number of Mountain Chickadees.
Mountain Chickadee - Beaver Lake Rd, Lake Country BC - 2017 Bird #105
Further up the road we stopped for lunch. Monica, one of the birders from Vancouver, spotted another Accipiter off in the distance. I was able to take a long distance photo with the Nikon before anyone got a scope on it. The white eyebrow (supercilium) was conclusive that it was a Northern Goshawk.
Northern Goshawk - Beaver Lake Rd, Lake Country BC - 2017 Bird #106
The Goshawk took flight and I was able to get some shots with the Canon.
Northern Goshawk - Beaver Lake Rd, Lake Country BC
After lunch Chris tried to call in a Red-naped Sapsucker and was successful very quickly. The light was poor with the sun behind the bird. I took a couple of acceptable photos.
Red-naped Sapsucker - Beaver Lake Rd, Lake Country BC - 2017 Bird #107
Red-naped Sapsucker - Beaver Lake Rd, Lake Country BC
We made our way up to the Beaver Lake campground hoping to see Clark's Nutcracker, but at this altitude the place was pretty well frozen over.
As we headed back down the mountain, Chris stopped and called that there was a Ruffed Grouse on the side of the road. We briefly saw it as it ran into the bush. I've substituted a photo from the tour I took in 2014 with Avocet.
Ruffed Grouse (2014) - 2017 Bird #108
We headed down the mountain and Chris announced that was it for the day. We'd meet for supper and then head south the following morning.
Mary-Jean and I stuck around and found a few more bluebirds. I got this photo of a male Mountain Bluebird, still not the quality I was hoping for.
Mountain Bluebird - Beaver Lake Rd, Lake Country BC
This ended day one of our tour.
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