We bought a 5th wheel trailer from our neighbors and decided to take
it on a shakedown cruise this last week end. When we got up Saturday
morning we were going to head south to the Potholes area and then we
read the post about the BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE and BALTIMORE ORIOLE in
Northern Idaho. Our direction of travel changed immediately!

The first thing we did was call Dr. Bob and Georgene Bond and ask
permission to hunt for the birds. They said the Black-legged Kittiwake
was gone but we would be welcome.

They have been birding for over 40 years and we were very impressed by
their abilities to recognize the many birds by sound alone.

We were surprised by the variety of wildlife in the 8 tenths of a mile
strip that we hunted for the BALTIMORE ORIOLE. There are Deer, Bear, a
large male Moose and lots of birds!

This is private land and one needs to stay on the road.

We arrived at Coolin, Idaho (south end of Priest Lake) about 1:30 pm.
It was overcast with frequent heavy showers and wind. We searched
until dark and did not see the oriole. Up at 5:30 Sunday am to more
overcast clouds and light infrequent showers. about 10:00 am the sky
started to clear and more birds began to come out and sing. At about
11:00 am we saw the BALTIMORE ORIOLE in the top of a snag and when a
BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD landed in the same snag below the oriole, the
oriole chased it off as if it was on territory.

We did hear its' song and call and it matched the one on Peterson's
CD.

If we had more time we would have stayed and checked all the boat
docks and campgrounds around Priest Lake for the BLACK-LEGGED
KITTIWAKE. If someone in that area has the time it might pay off.

Here is a list of the birds we saw from that 8 tenths of a mile
stretch of road that we kept walking.

COMMON MERGANSER
GREAT BLUE HERON
TURKEY VULTURE
OSPREY
BALD EAGLE - 3, 2 imm. in nest
NORTHERN HARRIER
NORTHERN GOSHAWK possible sighting
COMMON SNIPE on top of VERY tall snag
SPOTTED SANDPIPER
KILLDEER
VAUX'S SWIFT
RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD
BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD
BELTED KINGFISHER
RED-NAPPED SAPSUCKER
NORTHERN FLICKER
OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER
WESTERN WOOD-PEEWEE
WILLOW FLYCATCHER
LEAST FLYCATCHER
STELLER'S JAY
COMMON RAVEN
RED-EYED VIREO***LIFER several in area.
WARBLING VIREO
CEDAR WAXWING
EUROPEAN STARLING
SWAINSON'S THRUSH several
AMERICAN ROBIN
GRAY CATBIRD several in area
RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH
WINTER WREN
TREE SWALLOW
VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW
NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW
BARN SWALLOW
CLIFF SWALLOW
BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE
PINE SISKIN several in area
RED CROSSBILL several in area
EVENING GROSBEAK
ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER
YELLOW WARBLER several
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER
TOWNSEND'S WARBLER
AMERICAN REDSTART several
NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH several
MACGILLIVARY'S WARBLER
COMMON YELLOWTHROAT several
FOX SPARROW
SONG SPARROW
BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK
BALTIMORE ORIOLE****LIFER
BULLOCK'S ORIOLE
BREWER'S BLACKBIRD
A total of 54 species.
Would you believe there are NO House Sparrows in that area!!






--

Jerry and Sandy Converse
Grand Coulee, WA
mailto:sanjer at televar.com
http://ConverseCorner.com