A Youth Birder Convention took place this past weekend at Fort Collins
Colorado, and about 10 birders between the age of 17 and 21 are doing a
roadtrip from Colorado, stopping in Washington for about a week, before
heading south to California. Unfortunately I could not make the conference,
but I am meeting up with the group whenever I am not working. Jason Starfire
and I decided to get some birding in before we met up with the group on
Tuesday. Here's the report:


Jason Starfire and I headed out Saturday night and arrived at Liberty,We
traversed the forest roads in the area and about 2AM on Sunday, we had
calling: (FR 9705)
COMMON POORWILL - several birds
SPOTTED OWL - about 6 birds total, about every mile or so we heard one squawk
FLAMMULATED OWL - we only heard 1 bird, very faint call.
After a quick stop at denny's we headed up to the Okanogan area, stopping at
Aeneus Valley road and picking up BOBOLINK and RED-NAPED SAPSUCKERS among
many calling WILLOW FLYCATCHERS. We then
headed to the Okanogan river at the Ellisforde bridge, and saw a pair of
NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH in a small bog, among several GRAY CATBIRDS We then
went up Forest Road 39 (Toates Coulee Road to start off) and climbed in
elevation, seeing
many flycatching LEWIS'S WOODPECKERS along the way, and a LEAST FLYCATCHER
calling in an aspen grove. driving the forest roads, we picked up both
Bluebird species, OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER and a HAIRY WOODPECKER in the burns.
After about a 3 hour nap at Tiffany Springs campground, we awoke to the
sound of a calling female THREE-TOED WOODPECKER, the first of about 10 we
would see that day. Parachute Meadows produced 1 BLUE GROUSE, and of course
many GRAY JAYS and CLARK'S NUTCRACKERS. We then drove the forest road a bit
more, looking for Spruce Grouse, with no luck, all of a sudden, my back right
tire popped....so I had to put the donut spare on and drive about 50 miles to
the nearest town the next day. Oh, our last highlight of the day, a pair of
BOREAL CHICKADEES feeding at Tiffany Springs campground. We lazily attempted
to owl for Boreal and Great Gray Owls, but fairly late (3:30 AM, could see
the suns rays peeking through the darkness) since we were both very sleep
deprived from the night before, so we didn't get anything that night.

Monday:
As we drove out of the Okanogan down to Omak to hit Les Schwabb tires to get
my tire replaced, we saw a fleeting look at a NORTHERN GOSHAWK in the Thunder
Mountain burn, a life bird and a very large accipiter indeed. That was
basically it for the birding monday since we spent most of the afternoon with
other car problems, including replacing another tire which went flat after
having my oil changed at the texaco.

Tuesday Jason and I met the roadtrip group at Wilson Creek, the site of the
only known Tricolored Blackbird colony in the state, We all obtained
excellent looks at the Trikes, and also had a soaring FERRUGINOUS HAWK across
the valley. Our next stop with good quality birds was at the Quilomene
Wildlife area, where the group observed SAGE THRASHER and SAGE SPARROW.
Heading down to Wenas Campground, we saw LEWIS'S WOODPECKER, WHITE-HEADED
WOODPECKER, tons of both Bluebird species, more SAGE THRASHERS, heard
CASSIN'S VIREO'S, and in the campground itself, we had VEERY, GRAY
FLYCATCHER, and many RED CROSSBILLS & PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHERS (it was
amazing to see the group go crazy for these birds, you don't realize what
birds you can take for granted living here until you bird with people from
out of state).

wed:
best birds of the day (make this last part shorter since I am beat, Jason and
I left the group early today since we both have to work tommorrow and till
saturday, so we will meet back up with them at MT Rainier on Sunday, in the
meantime, they will be birding the Okanogan area for Boreal species and then
to Whidbey Island and the Peninsula for Alcids and such)
CASSIN'S VIREO, VAUX'S SWIFT, BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER, CALLIOPE
HUMMINGBIRD, RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER - family group of 4, observed young being
fed by adults. HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER, LAZULI BUNTING, AMERICAN DIPPER,
CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEES (these birds may not be *good* birds for
Washington standards, but it was still fun to see everyone thrilled with
there life Chestnut-backed chickadees and Red-breasted Sapsuckers) then
whatever else they saw after we left...

Observers -
Nick Block - 19 Texas
Cameron Cox - 20 Texas
Graham Gipps - 17 Texas
Evan Obercian - 17 New Jersey
Mike Andersen - 18 New York
Justin Rink - 21 Illinios
Mike Retter - 19 Illinios
Josh Engel - 18 (I think) Illinios
Dan Stoebel - 21 California
Jason Starfire - 19 Washington
Stephanie Dosch - 17 Washington
Ryan Shaw - 20 Washington


Ryan Shaw
Lacey, WA
RTShaw80 at aol.com
http://hometown.aol.com//rtshaw80/index.html