Subject: Re: WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS bonanza
Date: Dec 31 21:57:56 1997
From: "Ruth Sullivan" - GODWIT at worldnet.att.net


Hi There, i am glad to hear someone tried to see all this good Birds.We are
going on the 3rd over to Okanogan Highland's, or you think we should not
try, because the roads are to bad?We all like to go desperate to see the
WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL bonanza.
Ruth Sullivan
GODWIT at WORLDNET.ATT.NET

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> From: Streiffert <streif at televar.com>
> To: tweeters at u.washington.edu
> Subject: Re: WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS bonanza
> Date: Wednesday, December 31, 1997 7:37 PM
>
> Today we drove up to the Okanogan Highlands area so aptly described by
> our fellow-tweeter, and found the bonanza just as promised. We saw at
> least 150 white-winged crossbills.
>
> We saw a merlin who flew in just to check us out. Ms. or Mr. Proud
> perched in the tiptop of a tall spruce overhead and through the scope
> all I could see was talons and tummy, so I pished. Big, disconcerted
> eyes immediately looked down, and I was thoroughly looked-over for at
> least a minute. The best look at a merlin I've had.
>
> We also saw the following:
> red-breasted nuthatches, in abundance
> mountain chickadees, in abundance
> red crossbills
> rough-legged hawks, many
> hairy woodpecker
> red-tailed hawk
> ravens
> northern shrike
>
> We made a neat clockwise loop from the Hungry Hollow Road/Kipling Road
> intersection (were most of the action occurred) to Grange Road to Nealey
> Road and back to Kipling Road. We stopped at each bunch of evergreens
> and found birds every time. The cold, icy fog --especially at the
> snowpark -- drove us out by 3. To those making the EXPEDITION, make
> sure you are well-provisioned before you leave Tonasket.
>
> Kristi and Tom Streiffert
> Coulee Dam, WA