Monday (11/26/01) and today (11/27/01) I birded with Mark Houston in Lincoln
and Spokane counties. My target bird was a BOHEMIAN WAXWING which we did
not find in either county.

On Monday at 9:00AM we were north of Wilber in Lincoln County. Along
Sheffels Rd about 2.5 miles north of Hwy 2 we drove beneath a Gyrfalcon
which was perched on a telephone pole. As we watched this bird, it flew to
the ground near us and began to eat a previously killed duck (a Mallard, I
believe). The bird was very alert and wary of a nearby RAVEN and
ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK. After several minutes of watching this bird, we drove
south along Sheffels Road and turned left (east) on Alderson Rd.
Immediately after crossing Hwy 174, a second GYRFALCON flew north from a
pole. We were able to relocate this 2nd Gyr on a fence post about a mile
to the north. After studying this bird we returned to the site of the first
bird, which was still there. Both were very large birds, with wings falling
far short of the tail. Both had distinct malars, one more so than the
other. Neither bird had a yellow cere. Both ceres were bluish. Both birds
were between gray and brown in color. Both were very light in front with
streaked breast and spotted belly.

Other birds seen Monday in Lincoln county:
Northern Shrike -3
Sharp-shinned Hawk -1
American Kestrel -2
Cedar Waxwing -15
Rough-legged Hawk - several
Red-tailed Hawk -several
Northern Harrier
Pine Siskin -1
Short-eared Owl -1
Great Horned owl -4
Gray Partridge -5

This morning (11/27) on Mt Spokane (Spokane County) we observed:
Common Redpoll -1
Evening Grosbeak -27
Gray Jay -3
Steller's Jay -2
Wild Turkey -9

On the way home at 2:30 this afternoon I had a flock of 40 COMMON REDPOLLS
in Lincoln County at Hwy 2 and Sheffels Rd.

Marv Breece
Seattle, WA