Hello Tweets,

My mother and I birded in eastern WA over a three day period from January
10th-12th mainly in search of winter specialties with a total of 1015 miles
of driving. Our main route covered from northcentral WA on the 10th and
11th, then south to Walla Walla Co. on the 11th, then birding our way home
on the 12th. The weather during all three days was fairly good with mostly
cloudy to mostly sunny skies, with a few snow/rain showers near Twisp on the
11th, and heavy wind on the 12th. We encountered several highlights,
including the HOARY REDPOLL which was observed and well photographed on the
10th among other birders during our visit south of Electric City in Grant
County. We encountered relatively few Common Redpoll flocks on the 10th and
11th, including a few lighter, very pale individuals at Dave Dunn's feeder
in Twisp on the 11th, which some birders could attempt to consider calling
them Hoary Redpolls, but ALL the major field marks beyond just the overall
paler areas were unapparent. The Yellow-throated Warbler was still present
at Twisp, although observed away from Dave Dunn's feeder, but at another
nearby residence within the trailer court in a small feeding flock of
Black-capped Chickadees. We were able to get 4 out 5 of our target birds for
the trip, with the only major miss being the adult Lesser Black-backed Gull
at College Place in Walla Walla Co. on the 12th. Our highlight list at
selected locations includes:

Eared Grebe
25 at Soap Lake,Grant Co.(GR) on the 11th

American White Pelican
5 at Wallula,Walla Walla Co.(WW) on the 12th

Great Egret
1 at the Walla Walla River Delta,WA on the 12th

CATTLE EGRET
2 near Burbank,WW on the 12th

Snow Goose
3 over Bateman Island,Benton Co.(BE) on the 12th

Eurasian Wigeon
1 at Columbia Park,BE on the 12th

Northern Goshawk
1 immature along E Chewack Rd., north of Winthrop,Okanogan Co.(OK) on the
10th

Rough-legged Hawk
2 along Hwy.174 near Four Corners,DO on the 10th
1 near Leahy,DO on the 11th
5 along Hwy.17(Leahy Junction to Hwy.2),DO on the 11th
2 along Hwy.17 north of Othello on the Grant/Adams Co. line on the 11th
1 south of Scooteney Reservoir,Franklin Co. on the 11th
1 along Hwy.12, west of Lowden,WW on the 12th
1 at Touchet,WW on the 12th
2 along I-90 east of Ellensburg,Kittitas Co.(KT) on the 12th
1 at Ellensburg,KT
1 along I-90 west of Ellensburg,KT on the 12th
1 along I-90, west of Thorp,KT on the 12th
1 along I-90 east of Cle Elum,KT on the 12th


Golden Eagle
1 along Hwy.20, east of Twisp,OK on the 11th
1 along Hwy.153, south of Methow,OK on the 11th

Merlin
1 at Wallula,WW on the 11th

Prairie Falcon
1 along E Chewack Rd. north of Winthrop,OK on the 10th

Chukar
1 along Lookout Mountain Rd.,(Twisp)OK on the 10th

Sage Grouse
38 near Leahy,Douglas Co.(DO) on the 11th

Sharp-tailed Grouse
10 along Bridgeport Hill Rd.,DO on the 10th

Wild Turkey
57 along Lookout Mtn. Rd.,OK on the 10th

Dunlin
43 at the Walla Walla River Dlta,WW on the 11th

Mew Gull
1 first-year bird at Columbia Park,BE on the 12th

Herring Gull
32+ at the Walla Walla River Delta,WW on the 11th

THAYER'S GULL
3 at the Walla Walla River Delta,WW on the 11th

Glaucous Gull
2 first-year birds at the Walla Walla River Delta,WW on the 11th
1 adult at Wallula,WW on the 12th

Rock Wren
1 south of Electric City,GR on the 10th

American Dipper
2 along Twisp River at the Twisp River Rd./Poorman Creek intersection,OK on
the 10th

Western Bluebird
8 along Twisp River Rd.(Twisp),OK on the 10th

Townsend's Solitaire
2 at Electric City,GR on the 10th
1 at Grand Coulee,GR on the 10th
3 at Bridgeport,Douglas Co. on the 10th
1 at Brewster,OK on the 10th and 11th
1 at Carlton,OK on the 10th
3 at Twisp,OK on the 10th and 11th
1 at Winthrop,OK on the 10th
1 at Methow,OK on the 11th

Hermit Thrush
1 at Madame Dorian Park,WW on the 11th

Bohemian Waxwing
300 at Twisp,OK on the 10th
210 at Bridgeport,DO(with 85 Cedar Waxwings) on the 11th

Northern Shrike
1 north of Grand Coulee along Hwy.174,GR on the 10th
1 along Hwy.153 along the Methow River,OK on the 11th

YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER
1 at Twisp,OK on the 11th

Yellow-rumped Warbler
2 at Bridgeport,DO on the 11th

American Tree Sparrow
8 near Electric City,GR on the 10th

Harris' Sparrow
2 at Madame Dorian Park,WW on the 11th

"Slate-colored"Junco
1 at Twisp,OK on the 11th
2 along E Chewack Rd.,OK on the 10th

Yellow-headed Blackbird
14 at Wallula,WW on the 12th

RUSTY BLACKBIRD
1 at Wallula,WW on the 12th

Brown-headed Cowbird
7 at Wallula,WW on the 12th

Pine Grosbeak(photographed)
48(3 adult males, 12 immature males,and 33 females)along E Chewack Rd.,
north of Winthrop,OK on the 10th

Purple Finch
1 at Twisp,OK on the 11th

Common Redpoll
28 near Electric City(Hoary Redpoll location),GR on the 10th
4 along E Chewack Rd., north of Winthrop,OK on the 10th
30 at Brewster,OK on the 11th
12 near Leahy,DO on the 11th


Good birding,

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
GODWIT at worldnet.att.net