Hi Tweeters,

I just returned from a great 4th of July trip to the Okanogan...We birded
the mountains on either side of the Okanogan River Valley (Omak-Tonasket).
Very hot in the valley and kind of quiet, but great looks at American
Kestrel, nesting Eastern and Western Kingbird, and Red-throated Grebe, as
well as an assortment of sparrows, including Grasshopper Sparrow and
Vesper Sparrow. Near the junction of 20 and Aeneas Valley Road (DeLorme p
115) we saw nesting Bobolink, and a little farther up Aeneas Valley Road
(Cole Creek), Northern Waterthrush, Yellow Warbler and Warbling Vireo
singing in a beautiful riparian grove. Highlights in the mountains
included:

Three-toed Woodpecker
N. Goshawk
Wild Turkey
Williamson's Sapsucker
White-headed Woodpecker
Golden Eagle
Cassin's Finch

We also experienced a great thunderstorm (with amazing lightning show)
coming over horse springs coulee road.
Also, no 4th would be really complete without sharing in the magnificent
Conconully celebration and parade.
One screw-up was that we didn't know that forest service road 37 from
Conconully up to Roger lake and Tiffany Spring (DeLorme p 114, and
suggested in Wahl & Paulson's WA guide) is closed by an impressive rock
slide about 10 miles short of Roger Lake. There may be a way to get around
on another road, but we didn't try. You can still get up there by going
around and up by way of Toats Coulee Road and Long Swamp, but our 'loop
concept' didn't work out. The Mexican food was great at Tequila's in
Omak. The Thrifty Lodge was noisy


Rick Romea "We're gonna need a bigger boat"
Seattle, WA - Jaws

rromea at stioptronics.com
206-523-5831 (Home)
206-827-0460 X 316 (Work)