Hello Tweets,

My mother and I enjoyed another great weekend birding in Douglas Co. and points beyond,including primarily portions of the Waterville Plateau and the Bridgeport area. We managed to observe many highlights that we have encountered during our past visits two other visits,although this was our slowest trip of the three. Although travelling over Snoqualmie/Blewett Pass yesterday morning was a little slow due to the recent mountain snows we had good birding conditions during the rest of our trip,except for windy conditions that limited our birding at times(from rather stiff northerly winds). We were unable to locate any Snow Buntings on this trip as many of snow-covered fields on the Waterville Plateau are melting,but we did not extensively look for this species. We ran into several birders again this weekend from a few locations who may also report their sightings. As mentioned this was our slowest weekend as far as bird diversity,but we still enjoyed birding on the Waterville Plateau and beyond. Our five main highlights of the trip include the following:

Sage Grouse
1 male observed on the 23rd of February west of Leahy Junction in the same vicinity than in previous visits.

Long-eared Owl
1 bird on the 23rd of February along Heritage Rd.(L Rd.,Woods Rd.)south of S.R.172

Bohemian Waxwing
150 remaining birds near Bridgeport State Park observed on the 22nd of February roosting in popular trees on the golf course immediately north of the entrance to Bridgeport S.P.

Sage Sparrow
6 singing males on the 22nd of February along Hwy.2 between MP 171 and MP 172(Moses Coulee)in extensive stands of Sage. This is the furthest north we have encountered this species in WA,although this location host appropriate habitat for this species and it may be possible to find them even further north as wandering birds. They have been observed along Cameron Lake Rd. in Okanogan Co. in appropriate although limited habitat in past years,where this species is very rare.

SWAMP SPARROW
1 at the west end of the Bridgeport Bar(accessed from west end of Grange Rd.)amongst 3 Song Sparrows in a large,extensive weedy area bordering the Columbia River.



We spent considerable time birding the Bridgeport area on athe afternoon of the 22nd,after we birded the Waterville Plateau despite the windy conditions as we checked many of the same locations we checked in past visits on the Bridgeport Bar along Grange Rd.,then we checked the wooded area at the top of Central Ferry Canyon Rd. on the morning of the 23rd with a few additional species before we continued back onto the Waterville Plateau via Hwy.17, then working our way home. A note to birders visiting Bridgeport SP near Bridgeport,which is now open and a $5 charge is required if accessing the park no matter how brief the visit.

Other notable species that we countered for both days included:

Pacific Loon
1 lingering bird along Cranes Rd. along the Columbia River on the 23rd

Red-necked Grebe
7 birds along the Columbia River at MP 135, south of Orondo on the 22nd

Eared Grebe
1 along the Columbia River at Pateros on the 23rd

Western Grebe
2 along the Columbia River south of Orondo

Sharp-shinned Hawk
1 at Bridgeport Bar on the 23rd

Golden Eagle
2 west of Leahy Junction on the 23rd

Merlin
1 along Hwy.17 at Soap Lake,Grant Co. on the 23rd

Gray Partridge
5 along Heritage Rd. south of S.R.172 on the 23rd

Killdeer
4 at Bridgeport SP on the 22nd

Great Horned Owl
1 at Bridgeport SP on the 22nd, 1 calling bird along upper Central Ferry Canyon Rd. on the 22nd

Downy Woodpecker
1 at Bridgeport SP on the 22nd

Barn Swallow
3 immatures perched along telephone wires along Hwy.17 at the south end of Blue Lake at Blue Lake Resort,Grant Co. on the 23rd

Pygmy Nuthatch
8 along upper Central Ferry Canyon Rd. on the 23rd

Brown Creeper
1 at Bridgeport SP on the 22nd

Winter Wren
1 along Longview Rd.(accessed from Hwy.97/2)south of Orondo on the 22nd
1 at Bridgeport Bar on the 23rd

Ruby-crowned Kinglet
1 along Bridgeport Hill Rd. on the 23rd

Townsend's Solitaire
1 at Bridgeport Bar on the 22nd

Hermit Thrush
2 along Longview Rd.(south of Orondo)on the 22nd

Cedar Waxwing
6 along Longview Rd. along Hwy.97/2 on the 22nd
22 at Bridgeport Bar on the 22nd
15 at Oasis Park(south of Ephrata)in Grant Co. on the 23rd

Northern Shrike
1 adult along Hwy.2 at the town of Douglas on the 22nd
1 adult along Hwy.17(northof Hwy.2)on the 22nd
1 adult along Hwy.17 south of Bridgeport on the 22nd
1 calling and singing immature along Bridgeport Hill Rd. on the 23rd

Yellow-rumped Warbler
1 at Bridgeport Bar on the 22nd

Fox Sparrow
1 along Longview Rd. south of Orondo on the 22nd

Golden-crowned Sparrow
2 along Longview Rd. south of Orondo on the 22nd(with 1 Spotted Towhee)
1 at Bridgeport Bar on the 22nd

Lapland Longspur
23+ west of Leahy Junction amonsgt large numbers of Horned Larks with most of the lonspurs heard calling as well as singing in flight

Red Crossbill
6 along upper Central Ferry Canyon Rd. on the 23rd


Our mammal highlight of the trip was a Snowshoe Hare observed west of the Leahy Junction on the 22nd


Good birding,

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
godwit at worldnet.att.net


















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