- It details two separate 2016 visits to the Okanagan. The first was in April when my friend Mary-Jean and I took part in a guided tour with Avocet Tours of Kelowna. This is detailed in the second half of the blog. The second visit was a seven day combined golf and birding trip in the first week of June. The first five days were devoted to golf, but many birds were seen on and around the golf courses. The last two days were strictly birding in Kelowna, Oliver, Osoyoos and other parts of the South Okanagan.
- The other difference is that most blogs have newest posts first. In this one the posts are in chronological order. I do this for storytelling purposes. I have to trick Google Blogger with fake dates to accomplish this.
I'll skip most of the details about the golfing, as this is a birding and nature blog. Our golf tour is a real marathon, we play 8 rounds in 5 days at 8 different golf courses in the Kelowna/Vernon area. We stay in a cottage at Predator Ridge in Vernon. It is situated on one of the two golf courses in a very natural area with birds and other wildlife. Day 4 will feature some of that wildlife.
Day 1 started at home with a very early wakeup call. I was on the road by 5:30 as our first round was in West Kelowna at 11:00 AM. I had hoped to make a quick birding stop at Hope Airport, but there was no time.
The first course we played was Two Eagles. It has some nice marshy areas and I did see some Brewer's and Red-winged Blackbirds but I was walking and left my camera in the car.
Our second round was in the same area at the Shannon Lake Golf Course, a 3:30 start time. I've always had good luck at this course with wildlife and today was no exception. First up was a Yellow-bellied Marmot, a common Okanagan sight.
Yellow-bellied Marmot - Shannon Lake Golf Course, West Kelowna BC
Part of the golf course borders on Shannon Lake and this is where most of the good sightings occur. On the way down to the lake I spotted a Northern Flicker in a dead tree.
Northern Flicker - Shannon Lake Golf Course, West Kelowna BC
After hitting my drive on the 8th hole, I spotted a Red-necked Grebe in the Lake. Fortunately, I had my own golf cart so I could wander a bit while the other guys were looking for their shots. The "crest" was caused by quite high winds on the lake.
Red-necked Grebe - Shannon Lake Golf Course, West Kelowna BC
I always see Yellow-headed Blackbirds near the lake and found this one in the reeds.
Yellow-headed Blackbird - Shannon Lake Golf Course, West Kelowna BC
The last birds were a Bald Eagle being chased by two Ravens. Not too bad for the first day in the Okanagan.
Bald Eagle and Common Raven - Shannon Lake Golf Course, West Kelowna BC
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