Hello Tweets,

My mother and I birded June 23rd-25th in eastern WA, with the most
concentration in Okanogan County in search of breeding specialties, where we
had great success in all our target species, with a total of 168 total
species, and 790 miles of driving. We birded at a few other location to and
from our destination in neaby associating counties, mainly for additional
species.Weather conditions varied from partly to mostly sunny skies
throughout most areas, with moderate to heavy rain showers, with moderate
winds at times, after 12pm on the 24th-25th in Okanogan Co., turning to
mostly sunny skies the remainder of the trip to our home. As mentioned
before, our main purpose was to locate specialty species, including NORTHERN
WATERTHRUSH, AMERICAN REDSTART, GRASSHOPPER SPARROW, and BOBOLINK, being all
the main species, despite the rather late date in locating all these nesting
species in appropriate habitats. Two areas in Okanogan Co. noted
considerable low water levels, which probably resulted in the dispersing
some waterfowl nesting species, including Little Beaver Lake, which was
completely dry, except for minor puddles at the eastern portion of the
Beaver Creek along Oroville-Toroda Creek Rd., and Bonaparte Lake, which
noted much lower water levels than most years. All road conditions during
our excursion were passable, including the recently widened Aeneas
Valley/West Fork Sanpoil Rd.(Okanogan-Ferry Cos.), despite most of the
backroads we travelled consisting of normal dusty condition, but the entire
Cameron Lake Rd. complex was nearly dust-free, due the recent rains, as we
extensively searched this very rewarding, and productive part of Okanogan
County, which is accessed from Hwy.97 at two locations, stretching for
nearly 27 miles from Okanogan to Monse. This area, along with Muskrat Lake
near Havillah produced the highest concentration and diversity of waterbird
species, with a total of 19 species of waterfowl, and good numbers of Eared
Grebes at most locations along this route. Another noted location was Molson
and Sidley Lakes on the 24th, with several waterfowl species, and our
largest concentration of Black Terns, with a colony of 60 birds noted along
the extensive wetland at the east end of Sidley Lake, as all birds were
noted flying and calling above the marsh, being our personal highest count
at a location in WA. We also encountered a total of 5 species of owl, being
all noted near Havillah, and 8 species of shorebirds, being mostly observed
along Cameron Lake Rd.

The entire Cameron Lake Rd. is very well recommended for any Okanogan Co.
birding excursion throughout the year, despite being a long, gravel,dusty
road, and being generally underbirded. Winter travel would probably be the
least productive, with NO or minimal travel, depending on snow conditions,
but the remainder of the year should and can produce a good diversity of
species, with diverse habitat conditions, with isolated Ponderosa pine
forests, open grassland and Sage fields, thickets of native deciduous
tress, and undergrowth, rimrock outcropings scattered throughout, and vast
open to wooded freshwater lakes to name a few existing habitats, with many
of the lakes hosting reed marshes, as well, but only a few of these lakes
closest to the road are accessible by vehicle, as mnay of the "pothole"
lakes are well of the main road, so driving the main Cameron Lake Rd. is the
most recommended, with a possible adsitional excursion to Big Goose Lake,
located east of Cameron Lake Rd. The lakes are probably the most productive,
especially in migration with the presence of waterbirds, and shorebirds,
with the latter depending on water level for most diversity.

A list of our most notable highlights follows at listed locations:

Common Loon
2 south of Pateros along the Columbia River,Okanogan Co.(OK) on the 23rd
1 at Sidley Lake,OK on the 24th
2 at the mouth of the Okanogan River,OK on the 25th

HORNED GREBE(rare summer resident/breeder)
2 at Muskrat Lake,OK on the 24th

Eared Grebe
3 at Muskrat Lake,OK on the 24th
20 at Sidley Lake,OK on the 24th
127 along Cameron Lake Rd.,OK on the 24th and 25th

Am.White Pelican
2 at the mouth of the Okanogan River,OK on the 25th

Double-crested Cormorant(locally uncommon to rare summer resident/breeder)

BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON(locally rare)
3(1 adult,2 immatures)at Fort Okanogan State Park,OK on the 25th

CANVASBACK(locally uncommon to rare breeder)
3 females at Molson/Sidley Lake,OK on the 24th(with 2 females with a total
of 11 young combined)
4(2 pair)at Duley Lake,OK on the 25th

Redhead(high count)
57 at Muskrat Lake,OK on the 24th
158 along Cameron Lake Rd.,OK on the 24th and 25th

GREATER SCAUP(very rare in E WA during the breeding season)
6 at Muskrat Lake,OK on the 24th
7 at Molson/Sidley Lake,OK on the 24th

COMMON GOLDENEYE(rare breeder)
1 female, with 6 young along Aeneas Valley Rd.,OK on the 23rd
1 female with 1 young at Beaver Lake,OK on the 23rd
7 females at Muskrat Lake,OK(with 1 female with 6 young)on the 24th
2 females at Sidley Lake,OK on the 24th

BUFFLEHEAD(very rare breeder/rare summer resident)
1 female at Muskrat Lake,OK on the 24th
3(2 females,1 immature male)at Duley Lake,OK(Cameron Lake Rd.)on the 25th

Ruddy Duck(high count)
87 at Muskrat Lake,OK on the 24th
325 along Cameron Lake Rd.,OK on the 24th and 25th

Swainson's Hawk(locally uncommon)
1 at Molson,OK on the 24th

Golden Eagle
1 adult along Hwy.97 at MP 177(Camas Creek Rd.),Chelan Co.(CH) on the 23rd
1 immature along Cameron Lake Rd.,OK on the 24th

BLACK-NECKED STILT(locally rare)
1 along Cameron Lake Rd.,OK on the 24th

GREATER YELLOWLEGS
1 along Toroda Creek Rd, north of Wauconda,OK on the 23rd
4 at Duley Lake(Cameron Lake Rd.),OK on the 24th, with 1 at this location on
the 25th

LESSER YELLOWLEGS
1 along Cameron Lake Rd.,OK on the 24th
4 at Duley Lake,OK on the 24th

BAIRD'S SANDPIPER(early fall migrant)
2 at Duley Lake,OK on the 24th

Wilson's Phalarope
1 pair at Muskrat Lake,OK on the 24th
26 along Cameron Lake Rd.(with 9 at Duley Lake),OK on the 24th

Band-tailed Pigeon(locally rare)
1 at Leavenworth,CH on the 25th

BLACK SWIFT(very high count for location, and personal high count)
42 at Fort Okanogan S.P.,OK on the 25th
315 along Hwy.97 between MP 262 and 264,(combined with the Fort Okanogan
lookout),OK on the 25th

Northern Three-toed Woodpecker
1 near Havillah,OK on the 24th

LEAST FLYCATCHER
1 at Havillah(calling from an aspen grove at the Tonasket-Havillah Rd/W.Lost
Lake Rd. intersection),OK on the 24th

EASTERN PHOEBE
1 at Leavenworth,CH on the 25th

Gray Flycatcher
1 along Cameron Lake Rd.,OK on the 24th

Gray Catbird
2 along Oroville-Toroda Creek Rd, south of Molson,OK on the 24th
3 along Hwy.10 near Teanaway, Kittitas Co. on the 25th

AMERICAN REDSTART
6 along Aeneas Valley/W.Fork Sanpoil Rd., Ferry Co.on the 23rd

NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH
10(9 heard,1 seen)along Aeneas Valley/W.Fork Sanpoil Rd.,OK on the 23rd
1(heard only)along Kipling Rd., north of Muskrat Lake,OK on the 24th

CLAY-COLORED SPARROW(very rare summer resident/breeder)
1 along Cameron Lake Rd.,OK on the 24th(noted near the same previous
location than in June1996 and 1997, but on the west side of the road in a
small rose thicket)

GRASSHOPPER SPARROW
2 along Aeneas Valley Rd.,OK on the 23rd
10 along Cameron Lake Rd.,OK on the 24th and 25th

BOBOLINK
12 along Aeneas Valley Rd.,OK on the 23rd
3 along Hwy.21,south of Republic, Ferry Co.on the 23rd

Purple Finch
1 along Hwy.10 near Teanaway,KT on the 25th

Good birding,

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
GODWIT at worldnet.att.net