We went cross-country skiing in Mazama from 1/31 to 2/4. The distance
is 280 miles one-way, so we planned only two brief stops to look mostly
at waterfowl, but California Quail flocks on Hwy 153 stopped us, too. We
recommend Los Camperos restaurant in Brewster, on US 97, six miles north
of the Methow/Columbia junction. Skiing was the main thing, so we didn't
take the scope, but we did end up with 42 species. Close encounters
with Blue Grouse and Red Crossbills (beautiful colors!)

Horned Grebe
Western Grebe
Canada Goose
American Wigeon
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Ring-neckied Duck
Greater Scaup
Lesser Scaup
Common Goldeneye
Barrow's Goldeneye
Common Merganser
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle (at least 8 along the Methow)
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Cooper's Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk (c 6, including 1 dark phase bird near Carlton)
Golden Eagle
American Kestrel
Blue Grouse (1 feeding on Ponderosa bough at Sun Mountain)
California Quail (c 50 on Hwy 153 near Carlton)
American Coot (multitudes on the Columbia)
Ring-billed Gull
Common Loon (2 in Columbia)
Rock Dove
Mourning Dove
Hairy Woodpecker (2 at Sun Mountain)
Steller's Jay
Black-billed Magpie (6 on deer carcass at Sun Mountain)
Clark's Nutcracker
American Crow
Common Raven (2 competing with magpies at deer carcass)
Varied Thrush (c 20 in a flock at Sun Mountain)
American Robin
European Starling
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper (on a frosty Ponderosa in Mazama)
Black-capped Chickadee
Mountain Chickadee
House Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Pine Siskin
Red Crossbill (2 flocks at Sun Mountain, c 40 at Mazama -- beautiful
colors!)

Paul Webster
Seattle
paul.webster at attbi.com