Day 7; Monday, January 26, 1998 --

Talk about an *email junkie*! I can't believe I'm actually doing this! Here
I sit, in the car, 10pm, Highlands Snow Park near Havillah, Okanogan County.
Windows down, sunroof ('star-roof') open, and writing up today's notes while
listening to the evening chorus of owls, and patiently waiting, waiting,
waiting, hopefully to hear the full hoot of the Great Gray. So far,
occasional 'whoops', soft but short rapid and incomplete series of 'hoos', and
some other very strange noises they make. All in all, any GGOW sounds are
very infrequent and I have had no visual sighting yet. Otherwise, it's me on
this calm rather 'balmy' (low 20's) night under the starlit skies with the
coyotes yelping, several Great Horneds around, two Barred way far away in the
distance in the direction of Mt. Bonaparte, and at least two totally obnoxious
Saw-whets nearby calling right now with such fervor and urgency as to just
about drown out everything else. "Oh shut up already!" They are driving me
crazy! :-)) This is all natural -- no tapes, no imitations. I won't allow
myself to do that here. If I see the Great Gray, fine, if not, that's fine
too. It will be at least a day delay in posting this as I am camped here for
the night. Sorry, no field direct satellite internet link yet. ;-))
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Now, back to Curlew and northern Ferry County ---

Another glorious day and full of more of those incredible White-winged
Crossbills. Once again, I ended up all morning and longer than I planned up
in the high country east of Curlew on the Boulder - Deer Creek Road and Summit
(4600 ft), having become totally addicted to the snow country birding and the
wealth of life up there. Once again, my friend, the "sandman" (snow plow) had
been through thoroughly 'seeding' the otherwise deserted and 100% snowpacked
roadway. Deja vu! It was just like yesterday all over again on Sherman Pass.
Assessing the current 1997-98 White-winged Crossbill 'irruption' is becoming
an obsession -- a passion. I systematically and thoroughly covered the area
from near the summit to milepost 18 (about 6 miles) on the gradual downside
east slope, logging every encounter and numbers in my field note book. The
highlights along this stretch of roadway produced the following between 0830
and noon:
BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER (3) -- near summit, both sides
Gray Jay (5)
Common Raven (2)
Mountain Chickadee (38)
Red-breasted Nuthatch (27)
PINE GROSBEAK (13) -- flocks: 6, 3, 1, 2, 1 (see note below)
Red Crossbill (45)
WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL (~160) -- flocks: 30, 20, 55, 20, 35
Pine Siskin (~850) -- enormous swarms!
COMMON REDPOLL (5) -- (>5??) - with siskins on the roadway

**PINE GROSBEAK identification tip: If you're up in the high country in the
winter and you hear something sounding vaguely like the "pit-i-tic" call of a
Western Tanager, you're likely hearing the Pine Grosbeak. This call is
usually given from the tippy-top of the conifers where often conspicuously
perched and can be located by just scanning tree tops with the bins. When
viewed, this bird is really quite striking with it's plumpish almost robin
like and sized appearance, short stubby beak, and especially the longish
deeper notched tail. They respond nicely along with the White-winged
Crossbills to the Pygmy Owl tape playback. Another distinctive call note is
sometimes heard in flight; a sort of Greater Yellowlegs-like "teu teu" or "teu
teu teu". But! Beware! Red Crossbills sometimes give a similar call up in
these parts as part of their repertoire, so if you hear this call, try to get
a visual on the bird until you are reasonably confident with the two.

By late morning, the day was heating up rapidly in the bright warm sunshine as
the snowy cloaked conifers were shedding a constant cascade of huge thundering
lumps of snow. It would be a hazardous time to be cross-country skiing in the
forest I would think!

***** SPECIAL ACCOUNT *****
Now, a 'rare' bird I suppose that should be mentioned. I hate being in this
kind of situation and have thought about just skipping it. Disquiet in my
conscience is nudging otherwise. Before making the ascent east of Curlew, a
single bird which I believe was a HOARY REDPOLL was seen just on the outskirts
of Curlew. I had stopped to check out a Song Sparrow heard along the
roadside, when this single redpoll flew over and alighted for a couple of
minutes to nibble around in an alder. Good light from behind, the sun had not
yet reached the valley, but I still had an excellent view at about 60 feet.
The bird was larger and much paler than a 'normal' Common Redpoll although
there was nothing for direct comparison, and possessed a more fluffy or puffed
out look with fairly clean white breast and pale rose blush (a male), and a
little faint streaking on the sides, flanks, and none (maybe a slight fleck or
two) that I could see on the undertail coverts. The bird's appearance struck
me as having a large fluffy-headed look and possessed a very short stubby
yellowish darker tipped bill. At rest and when flitting around in the alder,
the rump was snowy white minus even a hint of streaking, and when the bird
flew away, directly straight away from me, the fluffy pure white *unstreaked*
rump was truly a most striking part, like with a 'marshmallow' or something.
It flew off to the southwest after which I lost sight of it and figured I'd
search for it again and other redpolls after my trip to the high country.
Unfortunately, that was to be the ONLY redpoll I was going to find in the low
country. Those few seen up on the Boulder - Deer Creek Summit area all were
associated with the swarms of Pine Siskins which often carpeted the roadway at
times. Those birds were clearly Common Redpolls, smaller, darker and more
streaky including rumps and undertail coverts. There was never any reason to
even think twice about those.

I've seen the Hoary Redpoll (there's at least two types -- this NOT be the
larger and paler Greenland version) several times including Arctic Alaska and
I photographed one in Maryland many years ago which as I recall was also seen
eventually by many other observers, so I do have some previous familiarity
with this bird, although none no more recent than about 5 or 6 years ago. The
feature that is really striking about this species apart from the white rump
as mentioned, and especially when compared to Common Redpoll, is the
proportionally larger puffy head coupled with the stubby smaller bill that
looks like it was just sort of stuck on there as an afterthought. This gives
the Hoary Redpoll a very rather weird yet distinctive look I think.

I feel extremely confident in submitting this one to the WRBC for evaluation.
(Hey! a first ever!! :-)) -- I hate this. However, given this as being
reported by a single observer, no corroborating photos or other observers, and
little likelihood that this one will ever be seen again, it's official status
I'd guess could only be listed as 'hypothetical'. I am comfortable with that.
Or toss it; that's okay too. Maybe I'm leaving out a critical ID detail? I
kind of absent-mindedly left home and forgot my field guides so I'm at a loss
for reference access at the moment.
**********************************************************

Much more down to earth and back to normal, the town of Curlew turns out to be
a rather birdy place, thanks to two very active feeders which keep ALL the
birds in town thriving and happy. Behind the post office and very nearly
hidden from casual view, much less casual discovery by a visiting birder, is
one of those huge multi-gallon screened sunflower finch feeder which was
packed with American Goldfinches. About a block east and across the railroad
tracks is another active multi feeder arrangement equally full of birds.
Every bird in town, except the Hoary Redpoll (for now) comes to these feeders.
I must write the postmaster of Curlew and thank him/her and encourage a
continued interest and effort.

Otherwise, the afternoon was pretty slow and uneventful. The thaw in progress
limited my exploring to main paved or gravel and non-primitive roads. I would
have liked to have gotten up in the hills some between Curlew and the Danville
border crossing, but those 'primitive' roads are not worth the risk of getting
stuck and/or stranded when the bottom goes out during the thaw. What little I
tested out were really sloppy and mucky and I aborted before I found myself
getting in trouble. Those roads are great when they are snow covered and
frozen.

About 8 miles NW of Curlew along West Kettle River Road, there is a large and
intense cattle feeding station. Such places in winter can be amazing for
birds and this one in particular I'd like to check out every day. At this
site amongst the cattle and incredible dung heap were 850 Mallards and 19
Mourning Doves. I know... doesn't sound like a big deal... but it seems
noteworthy to me at this location. Even several locals with whom I spoke
along the way thought it remarkable having all these Mallards over-wintering.
As for the Mourning Doves; these were the first I've ever found up in this
higher country in the winter (elev. here ~2150 ft). Otherwise, winter
encounters are scarce and usually down in the more populated lowland valleys
(e.g. Okanogan) where often associated with cattle feed lots.

After the Hoary Redpoll near Curlew this morning, I'm hot to check out the
Redpoll flocks that are hopefully still around Chesaw as they were in late
December. G'Night. You too Saw-whets -- now go to sleep!!

Richard Rowlett (Pagodroma at aol.com)
(on the road -- Highlands Snow Park, Havillah, Okanogan Co.)