Hello Tweets,

Ken Knittle,Dave Beaudette, and myself birded in E WA covering 9 Cos.,
working on "our" county lists from August 28th-31st. The weather was great,
but too hot at times with temps. rising to the high 90's and lows in the
upper 30's at night with great views of Jupiter and its moons, which we
were able to see 4 of the 13, and Venus near dawn, as we rose every
morning. We started out on 8-28(Friday)at Confluence S.P. in Chelan Co.,
where we walked the paved trail along the Columbia River, which produced
several shorebirds on the exposed mudflats at 11am including 2
GR.YELLOWLEGS, 9 LEAST SANDPIPERS, and 5 WESTERN SANDPIPERS. Several
passerines were also present including several GRAY CATBIRDS, 2 PURPLE
FINCHES, 6 SAVANNAH SPARROWS,1 Say's Phoebe, and good numbers of migrant
Warbling Vireos, and Wilson's,Yellow, and MacGillivray's Warblers(2). A
quick brief check at Atkins Lake in Douglas Co. produced very FEW
shorebirds with only 20 GR.YELLOWLEGS, and several Western and Least
Sandpipers present at 1pm. Our next stop was at the Davenport cemetery in
Lincoln Co. at 3pm, where migrant songbirds included: 1 PACIFIC-SLOPE
FLYCATCHER, 3-4 DUSKY FLYCATCHERS, 2 M.CHICKADEES, 1 R.B.NUTHATCH, 17
CHIPPING SPARROWS, and several Y.R.Warblers with a G.H.Owl and 1 S.S.Hawk
also present. The Reardan ponds were high, so No real good variety of
shorebirds present except 3 Gr.Yellowlegs, and waterbirds including 6
BUFFLEHEADS, and 55 EARED GREBES present at 4:30pm. We travelled back to
Davenport, and north on Hwy.25 to Fort Spokane C.G. on the Lincoln Co.
side, where a good movement of songbirds were present including: 8 LEWIS'
WOODPECKERS, 1 W.BLUEBIRD, 7 T.SOLITAIRES, 50+ CHIPPING SPARROWS, 1 P.S.
FLYCATCHER, 4 W.TANAGERS, and 2 O.C.WARBLERS among notables at 5:45pm.
Further north in Stevens Co. we crossed the Gifford-Inchelium Ferry across
the Columbia River(Lake Roosevelt), where a single RED-NECKED GREBE was
present. We travelled west, then south to a remote camping spot along
Ninemile-Hellgate Rd. in Ferry Co. We were able to hear 1 BARRED OWL, 1
N.SAW-WHET OWL, and a distant G.H.OWL as we camped. Early the next
day(Sat.the 29th)we headed north towards Curlew Lake, stopping at the NW
arm of Lake Roosevelt in Ferry Co., where 9 Least Sandpipers and 1 Western
Sandpipers were present along the exposed flats, which were observed along
Silver Creek Rd. near Hwy.21. Further north on Hwy. 21 along the Sanpoil
River a AM.DIPPER was seen near Twenty-Mile C.G. On a small, nearly dried
up pond, just south of Sanpoil Lake, accessed from Hwy.21 3 SOLITARY
SANDPIPERS, 2 BAIRD'S SANDPIPERS, 3 Gr.Yellowlegs, 3 W.Sandpipers, 6
L.Sandpipers, 2 C.Snipe, and 1 AM.PIPIT were present. At the Kettle River
C.G., we had 3 L.Sandpipers on a small pond also in Ferry Co. In Stevens
Co. we travelled up to Calispell Peak from the Stevens Co. side along
Tacoma Creek Rd., accessed from Hwy. 20, east of Colville. The road is
dirt/gravel and mainly in good condition, where we saw 1 N.GOSHAWK 3 miles
east of Hwy.20, until the last 2.7 miles, which is steeply uphill to the
top with rather large rocks and many ruts, but driveable with 2WD. The view
is great at the top in claer weather, with nearly a 360 degree view of Usk,
Cusick, the Pend Orielle River, and Calispell Lk. to the east, and
surrounding forested areas and lower mountains the remaining areas. We
arrived at 5pm to the top, and were able to tally the following highlights
until dark: 1 MERLIN, 3 COOPER'S HAWKS, 1 S.S.HAWK 12 BLUE GROUSE, 35
AM.PIPITS, 1 LAPLAND LONGSPUR, and 28 HORNED LARKS. At 9pm we attempted for
BOREAL OWL with NO LUCK, in the scattering Sub-alpine fir forests at the
top. This is a good spot to look for this species, as well as a good spot
for migrant raptors being one of the highest driveable spots in Stevens Co.
The next morning(the 30th)we were treated to a bull MOOSE, spotted by Dave,
walking up a hillside to north of us. We travelled east to Hwy. 20, then
north to the Hwy. 31-Sullivan Lk.Rd. jct., where 1 PECTORAL SANDPIPER, 1
V.RAIL, and 2 SORA were observed in a marshy area. We birded the Noisy
Creek C.G. in Pend Orielle Co. at 9am with some notables: 1 singing
RED-EYED VIREO(late), 2 CASSIN'S VIREOS, 2 PILEATED WOODPECKERS, 3
B.CREEPERS, and 5 R.N.GREBES. On Salmo Mtn. we were able to observe a small
movement of all 3 accipiters at the lookout with: 1 N.GOSHAWK, 2 S.S.HAWKS,
and 5 COOPER'S HAWKS along with excellent views of sorrounding mountains in
Idaho and BC. Further down several FOX,WHITE-CROWNED, and LINCOLN'S
SPARROWS, and only 1 BOREAL CHICKADEE were present. At Millpond C.G. a
single SOLITARY SANDPIPER, and was noted, north of Sullivan Lk. at 2pm.
Further south at Calispell Lk.several shorebirds were observed on the
exposed west shore including: 4 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, 6 PECTORAL
SANDPIPERS, 15 BAIRD'S SANDPIPERS, 4 W.SANDPIPERS, 7 L.SANDPIPERS, 1
L.B.DOWITCHER 3 GR.YELLOWLEGS, 1 L.YELLOWLEGS, and 2 C.SNIPE all of which
were chased up by a MERLIN. 3 TURKEYS were observed along S.R. 211, just
south of Calispell Lk. At 7pm we arrived at Mt.Spokane S.P. in Spokane Co.,
where we camped 3 miles below the top at the campground. Our last day(the
31st)Dave had a LONG-EARED OWL at fly around our campsite at around 5am,
but Ken and I missed it, until I located 1 bird as I walked up the road
past the campground towards the top at 6am. A rather notable movement of
songbirds was also observed as we walked the road approx. 1/2 mile from the
campground including: 8 G.C.SPARROWS, 17 T.SOLITAIRES, 2 CASSIN'S VIREOS, 1
N.WARBLER, 7 MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLERS, 8 TOWNSEND'S WARBLERS, 2 WILSON'S
WARBLERS, 1 W.B.NUTHATCH, 2 R.N.SAPSUCKERS, 1 DUSKY FLYCATCHER, 2 HAMMOND'S
FLYCATCHERS, and good numbers of WHITE-CROWNED and CHIPPING SPARROWS. At
the top 12 BLUE GROUSE and 1 C.NUTCRACKER were observed, and travellind
back down within 1 mile of the top 1 OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER, 2 COOPER'S
HAWK, and 1 S.S.HAWK were visible. near the bottom, just in the park
entrance 1 C.B.CHICKADEE was heard, but not seen, as it is a VERY local
species in Spokane Co. We stopped at a few other locations, but with NO
highlights before heading west for home.

Patrick Sullivan
GODWIT at worldnet.att.net