We spent the weekend (10/14 and 10/15) birding Grant, Okanogan, and Ferry
Counties. As reported by several others, Clark's Nutcrackers and
Red-breasted Nuthatches were in large numbers throughout the Ponderosa
Pine, Douglas Fir, and Engleman Spruce zones. We also saw several flocks
of Red Crossbills, but no White-winged Crossbills. The crossbills were
always on the move. Rarely did we see them foraging. The cone crop to us
appreared to be poor. There were few other northern specialties.

Some highlights were as follows:

A Sage Thrasher was still at the northern end of Potholes in Grant County.
This was our latest fall sighting. The bird had finished its basic molt
with buff/rufous tones on its flanks. The large numbers of Great Egrets,
Great Blue Herons, and Double-crested Cormorants that are typical during
the summer were no longer present. There was still an Osprey.

At Lenore and Blue Lakes (etc.) some Eared Grebes remained with smaller
numbers of Horned Grebes (4) and Red-necked Grebes (2). There were 42
Common Loons. The waterfoul numbers were otherwise very low.

Along the Cameron-Wakefield Road on the Colville Plateau in Okanogan County
there was a group of 13 Tundra Swans. Few other waterfowl. In the
Ponderosa Pines, there were 2 White-breasted Nuthatches in the large flocks
of Pygmy and Red-breasted and a White-headed Woodpecker. The
White-breasted Nuthatch and the White-headed Woodpecker were our first for
Cameron-Wakefield Road.

Our first Northern Shrike of the season was along Mary Ann Creek near
Chesaw. Beaver Lakes still had several Barrow's Goldeneyes.

Near the border of Okanogan and Ferry Counties there was a male Pileated
Woodpecker. Along the Kettle River we found a road-kill Ruffed Grouse.
North of Curlew there was a Merlin.

Bill and Nancy








Bill and Nancy LaFramboise
Richland, WA
wlafra at owt.com