Hello Tweets,

My mother and I birded June 29th through July 2nd mainly in Okanogan Co.,
with some additional birding in 5 other nearby counties, as we also attended
the WOS field trip at Hart's Pass/Slate Peak on the 30th of June led by Ken
Knittle and Marv Breece. We encountered a total of 189 species, with 850
miles of driving, as we covered some of the same areas than last weekend
during our 4 day excursion, combined with camping. Weather conditions were
very favorable at most locations with above normal temperatures throughout
our trip, with overnight temperatures being coldest at Hart's Pass on the
30th, but well above freezing, and only occasional wind at times in some
locations. Skies remained mostly sunny, with some minor cloudiness to
overcast skies on the 29th through the 1st of July. Some notable highlights
included 7 species of owls, with 6 species in Okanogan Co., 11 species of
woodpeckers, and increased waterbird species numbers at a few previously
visited locations. An intinerary of our trip follows below by date followed
by notable highlights on listed dates and locations.

June 29th, 2001

We birded Hwy.20 from Skagit Co. to Okanogan Co. at Mazama, then up to
Hart's Pass Campground at 10:30am, with the remainder of the day spent
exploring and hiking around Slate Peak, and the general Hart's Pass area,
where we were later joined by Ken Knittle, and other birders for the
following field trip on the 30th. Camped overnight at Hart's Pass CG.

June 30th, 2001

We attended the WOS field trip to 11am, then we headed east to Cameron Lake
Rd., where we birded until dark, then camped overnight along the northern
portion of Cameron Lake Rd. in a extensive Ponderosa Pine forest. We made a
brief stop at Fort Okanogan State Park and the mouth of the Okanogan River
upon arriving at Cameron Lake Rd. at 3pm in addition to birding the
remainder of the day along this route.

July 1st, 2001

We started our day by birding the remainder of the north section of Cameron
Lake Rd. to Hwy.97, then continued north to Oroville, then east to the
Molson area. We birded several hours within the Molson-Chesaw area, then
birded the entire Kipling Rd., including Muskrat Lake, then we headed to the
Havillah area, where we camped overnight. In addition, we ran into several
birders enroute before the day was over at the latter locations.

July 2nd, 2001

We birded our way home stopping at Fort Okanogan S.P., being our first stop
of the day, then continued south into Douglas Co. along Hwy.17, and
continuing south into Grant Co. to Soap Lake, where we extensively checked
Lake Lenore, which proved to be the most productive of the all the Sun
Lakes, both in diversity and numbers of individual birds. We then made a
brief stop at the S.R.283/I-90 interchange, just east of George.


A list of the most notable highlights follows:

Common Loon
1 pair at Osoyoos Lake State Park at Oroville,Okanogan Co.(OK) on the 1st
1 at Sidley Lake,OK on the 1st
3 at the mouth of the Okanogan River/Fort Okanogan S.P.,OK on the 2nd

HORNED GREBE
2 at Muskrat Lake,OK on the 1st

Eared Grebe(high count)
223 at Lake Lenore,GR on the 2nd
82 at Soap Lake,GR on the 2nd

CLARK'S GREBE
2 at Lake Lenore,Grant Co.(GR) on the 2nd

Am.White Pelican
3 at the mouth of the Okanogan River,OK on the 30th with 18 there on the 2nd

Double-crested Cormorant
3 at Fort Okanogan S.P. on the 30th, with 14 there, and at the nearby mouth
of Okanogan River,OK on the 2nd, being locally uncommon at this location.
62 at Lake Lenore,GR on the 2nd(high count)

Black-crowned Night Heron
1 immature at Fort Okanogan S.P.,OK on the 30th

Canvasback
4 females at Molson Lake,OK on the 1st(with one female with 4 young, and
another female with 5 young)

GREATER SCAUP
6 at Molson/Sidley Lake,OK on the 1st
13 at Muskrat Lake,OK on the 1st
22 at Lake Lenore,GR on the 2nd

Harlequin Duck
1 pair along the Methow River at Mazama,OK on the 30th

COMMON GOLDENEYE
4 females at Molson/Sidley Lake,OK on the 1st
1 female with 7 young at the east section of Molson-Summit Rd/Mary Ann Creek
Rd. at Molson,OK on the 1st
18 at Muskrat Lake,OK on the 1st
14 at Lake Lenore,GR on the 2nd(with 1 female with 5 young)

Barrow's Goldeneye(high count)
102 at Lake Lenore,GR on the 2nd(with 2 females with 5-7 young each)

BUFFLEHEAD
1 female at Molson Lake,OK on the 1st
4 females at Muskrat Lake,OK on the 1st

Bald Eagle(unusual location)
1 adult above Hart's Pass CG,OK on the 29th at an approxiamate elevation of
8,500 feet, then gliding southwest into Whatcom Co.

Swainson's Hawk
3 at Molson,OK on the 1st
1 along Oroville-Toroda Creek Rd.,west of Chesaw,OK on the 1st
2 along Kipling Rd.,north of Muskrat Lake,OK on the 1st
1 along Tonasket-Havillah Rd.,OK on the 1st
1 along Tonasket-Havillah Rd.,4 miles east Tonasket,OK on the 2nd
1 along Hwy.17, north of Leahy, Douglas Co. on the 2nd
6 along South Frontage Rd.,east of George,GR on the 2nd
3 at George,GR on the 2nd
1 along I-90 at Kittitas,Kittitas on the 2nd

Golden Eagle
1 at MP 170,Okanogan Co. along Hwy.20, just east of Washington Pass on the
1st
1 at Fort Okanogan S.P.,OK on the 2nd

Prairie Falcon
1 at Ryegrass Pass,east of Kittitas,Kittitas Co. on the 2nd

BLACK-NECKED STILT(locally rare)
1 along Cameron Lake Rd.,OK on the 30th

Am.Avocet
1 pair along Cameron Lake Rd.,OK on the 30th(being a presumed probable
breeding pair, with distractive breeding behavior observed, as they
attempted to attack two nearby Coyotes, with continuous alarm and
distraction call notes noted)
1 along Hwy.17, east of St.Andrews in Douglas Co. on the 2nd
12 at Lake Lenore,GR on the 2nd

GREATER YELLOWLEGS

11 along Cameron Lake Rd.,OK on the 30th
9 at Muskrat Lake,OK on the 1st

LESSER YELLOWLEGS
4 along Cameron Lake Rd.,OK on the 30th
1 at Muskrat Lake,OK on the 1st

Wilson's Phalarope
53 along Cameron Lake Rd.,OK on the 30th
5 at Muskrat Lake,OK on the 1st
3 at Lake Lenore,GR on the 2nd

FRANKLIN'S GULL
1 subadult at Lake Lenore,GR on the 2nd

Caspian Tern
4 at Fort Okanogan S.P.,OK on the 30th
2 at Lake Lenore,GR on the 2nd

Black Tern
46 at Molson/Sidley Lake,OK on the 1st
5 at Muskrat Lake,OK on the 1st

Common Poorwill(unusual location)
1 calling bird at Hart's Pass CG,Whatcom Co. on the 29th,(being possibly the
second Whatcom Co. record, with the first record coming from this location,
as well)

Black Swift
32 at Hart's Pass CG,WC-OK on the 29th

Black-chinned Hummingbird(very unusual location)
1 adult male at Slate Peak,OK on the 29th(being a well presumed migrant, as
it was noted flying into Whatcom Co., and being a very probable first
Whatcom Co. record)

White-headed Woodpecker
1 near Havillah,OK on the 2nd

Northern Three-toed Woodpecker
1 at Hart's Pass CG,WC-OK on the 29th

Black-backed Woodpecker
1 calling bird along FR 700,below Hart's Pass CG,WC on the 30th(WOS field
trip)

LEAST FLYCATCHER
1 well presumed and probable breeding pair along Tonasket-Havillah Rd.,OK,
east of Havillah in an isolated aspen grove at the same location, where 1
bird was heard only on the 24th. These birds were accessed by permission
onto private property, after one bird was heard again on the 1st, then later
upon searching two birds were noted, with only one bird occasionally singing
and calling, possibly indicating that the bird is NOT on territory, but
successfully bred, but NO other breeding activity was noted, but breeding
conditions are favorable.

Gray Flycatcher
8 along Cameron Lake Rd.,OK on the 30th-1st

BOREAL CHICKADEE
2 at Hart's Pass,WC on the 29th

Gray Catbird
2 along Oroville-Toroda Creek Rd.,OK on the 1st
5 along Kipling Rd., north of Muskrat Lake,OK on the 1st

Sage Thrasher(locally uncommon)
2 along Cameron Lake Rd.,OK on the 30th

Am.Pipit
12 at Slate Peak,OK on the 29th, with 7 there on the 30th

Loggerhead Shrike(locally uncommon)
1 along Cameron Lake Rd,OK on the 30th

Red-eyed Vireo
7 along Hwy.20 at the Skagit-Whatcom Co. line "ponds" on the 29th
5 at MP 118 along Hwy.20,WC on the 29th

AM.REDSTART(locally uncommon)
3 at the Skagit-Whatcom Co. line "ponds" on the 29th
2 at MP 118 along Hwy.20,WC on the 29th

NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH
5 along Kipling Rd., north of Muskrat Lake,OK on the 1st

Yellow-breasted Chat
2 at Fort Okanogan S.P.,OK on the 2nd

Grasshopper Sparrow
5 along Cameron Lake Rd.,OK on the 30th
1 along Molson Rd., south of Molson,OK on the 1st

"Gambel's" White-crowned Sparrow(locally uncommon breeder)
8 singing adults at Slate Peak,OK on the 29th, with 5 there on the 30th

"Slate-colored" Fox Sparrow(localized breeding subspecies)
43+ at Hart's Pass/Slate Peak,WC-OK on the 29th, with 30+ there on the 30th

Gray-crowned Rosy Finch
2 at Slate Peak,OK on the 29th, with 3,possibly 4 there on the 30th

Pine Grosbeak
3(2 males,1 female)at Washington Pass,CH on the 29th

White-winged Crossbill
1 pair at MP 170 along Hwy.20,OK(east of Washington Pass)

Good birding,

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
GODWIT at worldnet.att.net