Several of us decided to squander a little 300 million year old
fossilized sunshine and head down-valley (Methow) to see what was
happening in the pothole-lake country east of the Okanogan River.
The high point of the trip was when the cop in Brewster told me I
owed him $95 worth of good driving instead of giving me a ticket for
hurrying through town. The other high point was watching a mature
Bald Eagle strafe a raft of Coots at 'Lake Methow"- the impounded
confluence with the Columbia. It looked coreographed, as if all knew
their parts- the raft of coots would progressively melt away under
water as the eagle passed over, talons outstretched. S/he came up
empty after four passes, but the effort looked somewhat half-hearted.

The lakes on the plateau were still frozen. We saw 33 species
getting there and back, including numerous Savannah Sparrows and
Horned Larks on the wheat stubble, several male Common Loons
half-way into their breeding plumage, numerous Ring-necked Ducks, and
a few each of Readheads, Canvasbacks, and Greater and Lesser Scaups.

Migrants are making a effort to recolonize the Methow, but snow still
abounds.

Ciao,
Dana Visalli
Methow Valley