Day 5, Saturday, January 24, 1994 --

Another fairly quiet day up here in the north woods. A few more forest birds
and fewer water birds than the yesterday. Nothing seen or staked out to leave
home and miss the Super Bowl for. A few small roving flocks of White-winged
Crossbills (44) were seen up around Big Meadow Lake, Pend Oreille Co (~3600'),
~8 miles west of Ione. These birds were all seen in the Douglas Fir / cedar /
'shortleaf' pine (I forget the exact name) forest. Many of these back
mountain roads in this part of the state are snow/slush covered and very
narrow between the plowed snow banks and not recommended on a week day when
there is considerable logging truck activity. Fortunately yesterday being
Saturday, there were none. I hooted up a Barred Owl at the Big Meadow Lake
area and we went on and had a wonderful conversation for about 10 minutes
before moving on.

The only Bohemian Waxwings (55), American Robins (60), and European Starlings
(13) seen were all in one flock feeding on rotting apple laden trees along the
rt.26 roadside at Bossburg, Stevens Co. The current thaw rendered this little
clump of apple trees quite pungent with the odor detectable at considerable
distance.

Earlier, at Northport, Stevens Co., on the east bank of the Columbia River and
yet another of those seemingly 'birdless' towns of which there seem to be so
many up in these parts, I was standing on the west bank looking at a
Townsend's Solitare and a little flock of 6 Red-breasted Mergansers (first of
the trip) when I heard a familiar call coming from somewhere way across the
river in Northport. That sounds like a Blue Jay! I made my way north, back
across the bridge, and started poking around Northport. Sure enough, a BLUE
JAY was found about 20 minutes later, the only bird in the entire town! So,
it should be 'easy' to find '-)

Today, northern Ferry Co. including Sherman Pass (5,575') and points north to
the Canadian border. It looks like a dry one, but maybe areas of fog given
the unseasonable balmy temperatures.

Richard Rowlett (Pagodroma at aol.com)
(on the road -- Kettle Falls, WA)