Last weekend we birded Okanogan county. We got a late start
Saturday (9.30 am) birded until 8.00 PM and on Sunday from
6:30 am until 8.05 PM (that is when we crossed the county
line) We traveled 311 miles of which 266 were in Okanogan
county.

Our target birds were White-headed Woodpecker, Williamson's
Sapsucker, Northern Waterthrush and Red-eyed Vireo. (all
lifers for us) Surprise birds for us were LEAST FLYCATCHER,
CLAY-COLORED SPARROW and BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER. Worst miss
was ROCK DOVE. Total species seen - 97.

We would like to thank Ruth and Patrick Sullivan and Gene
Revelas for directions to some of the good birding spots.

Saturday morning we started on hwy 155 and headed for Lyman
Lake/Moses Meadows road to look for the White-headed
Woodpecker. At Nespelem there was a female BELTED KINGFISHER,
2 VEERYS and a WARBLING VIREO. A few miles up Lyman Lake/Moses
Meadows road we saw a pair of WESTERN TANAGERS. About 15.7
miles up the road where three power lines cross the road, we
stopped, and Sandy said, "look what is that?" I said "It is a
Downy Woodpecker" she said "no--over there." You guessed it.
It was a WHITE-HEADED WOODPECKER. I got some photos. It was
almost too easy. :) Continuing on we stopped at Lyman Lake
where we had a SORA, RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER, NORTHERN GOSHAWK,
and again Sandy said " what is that on the other side of the
lake" and before I even saw it she said "it is a BLACK-BACKED
WOODPECKER!" It flew to our side of the lake and foraged for
food as low as 6 inches off the ground and as close as 30feet.
I hope the photos turn out.

At Aeneas Valley there were several Bobolinks. From there we
headed for Ellisforde (north of Tonasket) to try and locate
the NORTHERN WATER THRUSH. We heard at least 2, maybe 3
between the railroad track and the bridge. After about one
hour we got a brief glimpse of one of them in the thick brush.
There were also several GRAY CATBIRDS in the area.

Since the river is so high, some of the lower woodlands are
flooded and made great habitat for waterfowl. There were at
least 7 WOOD DUCKS.

Getting late, so headed for Palmer Lake to stay for the night.
Sunday morning we drove north to Chopaka road. In this area we
saw GRAY CATBIRD, WILLOW FLYCATCHER, female HOODED MERGANSER
with little mergansers close behind. More WOOD DUCKS. We also
got a good look at a CLAY-COLORED SPARROW sitting on a fence
post about 20 feet away (no photo) (saw one last year near
Spokane) and 7 LONG-BILLED CURLEWS in the field on the right
side of the road if you are heading west.

Onward to the Havillah Sno-park to try and locate the
WILLIAMSON'S SAPSUCKER. We pulled up and parked and "super
ears" Sandy no sooner got out of the truck when she said "
listen--listen!" That's right-- a male WILLIAMSON'S SAPSUCKER
was drumming in the distance, within a couple minutes it was
right there in the open area drumming and calling. :) He even
came down low enough for me to get some photos. Well that is 3
out of 4. :)

We headed for Okanogan and the Cameron Lake road. This road
climbs up to the top of the world and comes out near Brewster.
There are hundreds of small lakes along the way. Some of the
ducks we saw were, REDHEAD, RUDDY DUCK, NORTHERN SHOVELER,
GADWALL, and one lake had several EARED GREBES.

At the confluence of the Okanogan and Columbia rivers we were
looking for the RED-EYED VIREO. Couldn't locate it, but we did
see a LEAST FLYCATCHER, recorded its call and went back to the
truck and compared it to Peterson's CD--right on! and as a
EXTRA bonus we located a NORTHERN FLICKER nest cavity that was
only 2 feet above ground level. There were 5 chicks that had
just hatched (naked and eyes closed) and 2 remaining eggs.

That's it. :)
--

Jerry and Sandy Converse
Grand Coulee, WA

Never be afraid to try something new.
Remember, amateurs built the Ark and
Professionals built the Titanic.