Tweeters,

A few bird notes on a tour just completed:

1/6 Yellow-billed Loon imm. still at Wanapum Dam spillway area
1/6 Bohemian Waxwings - a flock of a couple dozen flew over the junction of
Hwys. 17 and 2 late afternoon; the only Bohemian Waxwings seen in three days
despite careful searching of many orchards, the Bridgeport Bar,
Twisp/Winthrop, and Pearrygin Lake State Park
1/7 A total of about 1000 Snow Buntings seen in two large flocks along Hwy.
2, between mile markers 184 and 182 (more or less in the Atkins Lake area).
One flock numbered 250+, the other was breathtaking, conservatively 700+.
Both the large flocks swirled up and down from the roadway, barely stopping,
and then headed off into the countryside. A single Snow Bunting with a
flock of 40 Horned Larks hung around for long scope views.
1/7 Lots of Gray Partridge in roadside coveys on the Waterville Plateau.
Snow cover is nearly complete in all high areas of the Plateau covered.
Lots of Rough-legged Hawks along Hwy. 17 from Hwy. 2 north to Hwy 17.
1/7 American Tree Sparrows - along Grange Rd. on Bridgeport Bar
1/8 Townsend's Solitaire - Pearrygin Lake State Park
1/6 - 1/8 remarkable numbers of Varied Thrushes in isolated apple trees and
apple orchards in many areas - several hundred seen and many more heard

Good frosty birding, Bob

Bob Sundstrom
ixoreus at scattercreek.com
Tenino, WA