Tweeters,

This morning on L NE on the eastern outskirts of Moses Lake, my Mother was
first to spot a Snowy Owl 50' off the road on an irrigation wheel in a dirt
clod brown snow-free fields. It was perched atop a plastic case that
shields the motor that drives these movable irrigation lines. It turns out
this case was bright white; the owl was thus fairly well camouflaged. As
soon as we stopped, the owl flew directly to the next irrigation line east
and guess where it landed? On the bright white shield covering the motor
drive unit! Coincidence?

This experience reminds me of some recent ptarmigan photos I saw. If I
remember correctly, it was of a White-tailed Ptarmigan in winter plumage
perched on the one small patch of snow in the picture, the rest of the
mountainside was a scene of grayish boulders.

I wonder if both owl and ptarmigan need to acquire behavior to remain as
inconspicuous as possible through repeated (and possibly dangerous)
encounters with predators, or is it innate?

We also stopped on I-90 as it crosses Moses Lake and set the scope on an
immature and adult Bald Eagle, side by side on the shores. This took 2nd
place behind the Snowy Owl sighting to my Mom, as she said "Because I was
first to spot the white owl."

Mom even hinted this Birding business might be a little interesting.

Though my Mother has lived in south-central Washington for 26 years, she
had never seen Frenchman Coulee north of Vantage (Exit 143 off I-90, then
left .6 mile, then left down the coulee). She was very impressed . I
didn't tell her (she's not a birder) the experience there is more
impressive in spring after the White-throated Swifts arrive. At that time,
the observer can watch, hear, and just about feel the swifts as they cut
through the air just a few feet away on those awesome cliffs.

Andy Stepniewski
Wapato WA