Hi. I did my BBS survey yesterday morning, a week later than usual but
the birds seem to be there. This survey goes from near the Canadian
border east of Hwy 395 and starts in wet western red cedar/Douglas fir
type (north of Pierre Lake for those of you who know the country), drops
into open grassy range fields and fringes of hardwoods, then goes in and
out of ponderosa pine type before following along the edge of Columbia
River (or Lake Roosevelt) above Kettle Falls. It is hard to identify
strictly on the basis of sound in three minutes all the birds,
especially in the dawn where sight is not possible to use as a backup.

Question to you birders, before dawn, in a riparian habitat surrounded
by coniferous forest (Douglas-fir, cedar, hemlock) we heard a low
"woosh" sound that to me sounded like wing noise, my recorder wanted to
call it an owl note, but there were no other hoots heard. We heard it on
three successive stops before light broke through the canopy, also it
was broken clouds and overcast. I'm tempted to call it nighthawk, but I
did not hear the peeping call note of nighthawk when they fly, and it
was a longer single call, not repeated quickly. In past two years we
have had great horned owl hoots at same location, could this be the end
call of same?

Anyway we had 49 species, 349 bird totals, highlights for me were the
Lazuli buntings, and Veery. I never tire of the Veery call. One stop had
both the Veery and Swainson Thrush calling together which made an
interesting song.

Another stop I watched Western Kingbirds flying back to a nest in
ponderosa pine tree (adjacent to fields) and heard the higher chirping
of nestlings. I did not see the nest, do they nest in trees or on the
ground? If I had more than a minute I could have found it from the
sound, but I also did not want to disturb the nest or delay my route.

Finally, after the route was all done, we saw what we first thought was
a hawk flying through the ponderosa pine trees at Kamloops Campground,
but it landed in a midlevel branch and had a fuzzy head, it was an owl.
We located it down the road as it moved, it had the beginnings of ear
tufts, a triangular mark down the forehead, yellow eyes, and very downy
chest feathers, almost white to light yellow, we decided it was an
immature great horned owl, very large size. Again, as it flew it had the
rusty tinge on tail and was as large as a red tail hawk.

I do not class myself as expert, been birding about 5 years after work,
not full time at this. Love doing this survey even though it leaves you
bleary eyed the rest of the day!! Comments or your input valued. And if
you're birding here and want company please let me know. Thank you.

--
Connie Smith
Kettle Falls, WA
(northeast WA, Stevens County)