Good afternoon Tweets --

Here's an interesting update on WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS. I received a very
interesting and informative message from Richard J. (Dick) Cannings yesterday
from the adjacent Okanagan^*^ areas of south-central British Columbia. Andy
Stepniewski has apparently been forwarding some of my Washington Okanogan^*^
related posts to him.

Dick sent me results of the CBC's for Penticton and Vaseux which so far I have
been unable to translate or convert into readable format. Nor is it in
'French' either '-) He did note that "White-wings are common on both sides of
the valley [there]; the hundreds seen on the Vaseux count were all seen by one
observer (!) on the east side" despite the fact that "the 'high country'
wasn't covered very well." Dick also notes that during a short skiing holiday
west of Penticton (Apex), that "both WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS and PINE
GROSBEAKS were common." The Oliver-Osoyoos CBC along the international border
across from Oroville is being conducted 'today' and that expectations were
optimistic for good high country coverage. So perhaps another update may be
forthcoming shortly.

All this inspired me last night to pull out my copy of "Birds of the Okanagan
Valley, British Columbia" 1987, by R.A., R.J., and S.G. Cannings, which I read
from cover to cover again last night until 2am. The 'Forward', 'Preface', and
'Introduction' first, then the rest "Japanese style" from reverse, finch
first. This is a brilliant and inspiring piece of work, all 420 pages of it!
I had kind of forgotten some of the species specific details when I've been
going on and on and making generalizations about birding possibilities up in
the Washington Okanogan these past few years or so just on instinct. It seems
that perhaps my instincts are not at all off the mark. I maintain my thoughts
and ideas on the three northern owls and Hoary Redpoll (refer again to the
original WWCB Tweeters posting on 12/29).

As for the WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS, even up in the BC Okanagan and as of 1987
publication, the WWCB is described as "rarely seen in the Okanagan" preferring
spruce forests further north and above elevations of 1000 m. However, there
are periodic and irregular irruptions, and the winter 1997-98 is beginning to
look like one of those in a very big way!

PINE GROSBEAKS are very much similar and this may prove to be a Washington
irruption year for them as well but perhaps on a much smaller comparative
scale. HOARY REDPOLLS, as 'the Okanagan bible' further notes, "are most often
seen during the cold weather of late winter", mixed in with flocks of Commons,
and my guess is that in Washington, Chesaw *is* the place!

If this doesn't get Washington birders from around the state excited, then
just getting your hands on the remarkable works of the Okanagan born and
raised Cannings family most certainly should. No one knows this special area
more intimately then they. Just the first sentence and first page in the
'Forward' says it all and should light a fire under even the most timid of
adventurist winter birders. Then, there is all the rest of the Okanogan year
to consider as well!

Anyone keenly interested in the birds of the Okanogan and Washington must have
this book in their library. I think I may have heard once that the book may
actually be out of print, but I'm not certain. Best place to check would
probably be downtown Seattle's "Flora & Fauna Books" in Pioneer Square and
perhaps Michael Price has ideas and suggestions in Vancouver.

On that note, anyone know how or where I might be able to obtain a copy and
become a proud owner of Jewett, et.al. 1953, "Birds of Washington State".
I'll gleefully accept it even a belated Christmas present :-)) Reply
*privately* please '-)

*^*NOTE*^* I only discovered this minor little detail this morning.
All Washington references to this area spell it "Okanogan" with an 'o'.
All BC and Canadian references spell it "Okanagan" with an 'a'.
Which is it or are both okay? I've spelled it interchangeably in the above
message in the vein to which country, USA vs Canada, I was referring at the
time and to try and keep everyone happy. You know how grumpy and incensed we
can get over such the tiniest of things '-) Oh brother! No wonder everyone
who listens to insomniac late night radio "Art Bell" too much in the North
Cascades and the Okanogan/Okanagan is panicked about 'black helicopters' and
an international conspiracy, eh '-)

Richard Rowlett (Pagodroma at aol.com)
47.56N, 122.13W
(Seattle/Bellevue, WA USA)