Previously I suggested that perhaps the PINE GROSBEAK may be staging a slight
winter irruption along with all those White-winged Crossbills, referring to
the sighting at the Highlands Snow Park near Havillah, and Dick Cannings
comments with regards to the Penticton (Apex) report in British Columbia.
What has apparently fallen through the cracks and has not been reported nor is
widely known is that six (two groups of 3) Pine Grosbeaks were seen on the
Twisp CBC on 12/27, one group down in the Methow Valley lowlands between Rt.
20 and the Methow River, between Twisp and Winthrop, the other a little higher
up on the ridge forests.

These four now accumulated reports led to my suggestion of a possible small
scale incursion which might expand later in the winter. However, these few
isolated incidences in and of themselves remain insufficient at this time to
make any broad generalizations in that regard. If you find yourselves up
there in the Okanogan areas this winter, watch for Pine Grosbeaks and report
back with your findings. Just driving the freshly plowed roads is a good way
to find them when they often settle in the roadway to pick around in the grit
and salt and sometimes gather there in quite large flocks of 20 or 30 or more.

I have already received word from Dick Cannings this evening with the results
of the Oliver-Osoyoos CBC held today. The count logged 93 species including
400+ White-winged Crossbills in the Mt. Kobau area which is on the *west* side
of the Okanagan River in addition to a Gyrfalcon seen along the Similkameen
River in a Washington portion of the count circle WNW of Oroville. There were
590 White-winged Crossbills logged by a single observer on the earlier Vaseux
Lake CBC (date?).

I haven't heard a peep from birders in far eastern Washington (Spokane) or
Idaho for quite awhile. What's going on over there?? Any White-winged
Crossbills or Pine Grosbeaks? I am contemplating a week-long Washington far-
corners (SE/NE) exploratory expedition sometime in the coming weeks, schedule
flexible to fit into a projected good weather window when or if one appears.

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