Many thanks to Meredith Spencer for her posting last week!

Janet and I visited Leavenworth last weekend for a little X-C skiiing and
snowshoeing.

Before our return, Sunday the 17th, we headed east following Meredith's
instructions and were rewarded with numerous sights of Snow Buntings. The
stretch of highway 172 between Mansfield and Simm's Corner was especially
nice. The plateau was clear and bright perhaps looking like the Russian
Steppes. The wind was blowing behind us as we headed east. After scaring
up some flocks we would stop the car before getting to them. Then they
would slowly work their way up wind until they were almost in front of our
parked car. Just excellent views for our first Snow Buntings. We
probably saw about 10 different flocks.

Also visible on some rocks just south of the road just east of the farm
mentioned below was one Snowy Owl.

A pickup truck pulled up beside us. Sure enough it was Meredith!

Thanks again,
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Dan Victor, Seattle, WA <dvictor at u.washington.edu>
Snowy Owl = http://weber.u.washington.edu/~dvictor/snowy.html

On Thu, 13 Feb 1997, Richard D. Spencer wrote:

> Feb. l3th Eastern Wash. has Snowy Owls too! Maybe I should say
> North-Central Wash. East of Mansfield today we saw 2 Snowies and
> over l,000 Snow Buntings. We were at the intersection of l4 and O streets
> approx. l mile from Simms Corner, which is East of Mansfield. All were
> within a 1/4mile stretch. On one side of road is a house with a yellow
> airplane. On other side of road are several grain silos.

> Meredith and Dave Spencer
> merdave at televar.com
> Bridgeport, WA