Subject: WOS weekend to the Waterville Plateau
Date: Feb 15 20:14:15 2004
From: Ruth Sullivan - godwit at worldnet.att.net


Hello Tweets,

This weekend(February 14th and 15th)my mother and I lead a rewarding two day winter field trip to the Waterville Plateau area of Douglas Co.(with additional areas covered in Okanogan Cos.) with a total of 78 species encountered during the 2 day field trip with additional species encountered to and from destinations. The weather during our 3 day visit to the Waterville Plateau was quite good overall with just a few scattered light snow flurries on the 14th and 15th with cooler conditions on the Waterville Plateau itself and milder conditions along the Columbia River with some clearing at times. We had a total of 10 participants of which all helped locate many highlights we encountered with the added help of two way radios that came in very handy. We began our field trip at 6:30am on the 14th in Bridgeport then proceeded onto Bridgeport Hill Rd.,where we searched for Sharp-tailed Grouse with NO luck,despite 4 attempts during a 3 day period along Foster Creek. We traveled onto the Waterville Plateau covering areas such as the Leahy Junction area,where up to 9 Sage Grouse were observed,which was a treat for everyone. Continuing onto the Waterville Plateau we checked along S.R.172 from Hwy.17 to Bridgeport Hill Rd.,including checking several areas within the town of Mansfield. Very large numbers of Snow Buntings,Horned Larks were encountered along S.R.172 between Wood Rd. and Hwy.17,of which produced 5+ Lapland Longspurs,as the flocks roamed and swirled close to the highway and in nearby snow covered fields. We traveled back towards Bridgeport along Bridgeport Hill Rd.,then a visit made to Bridgeport State Park in Okanogan Co. near Chief Joseph Dam. We ended the day checking several areas at Bridgeport Bar along Grange Rd.,then a drive made along Central Ferry Canyon Rd. We encountered our largest flock of Bomemian Waxwings along the lower portion of Central Ferry Canyon Rd. that actively foraged within nearby fruit orchards to several stands of Lombardy Popular tree stands,which allowed good scoping views on our return trip down from the upper portion of road. We estimated an impression flock of 1500+ Bohemian Waxwings that were counted,as they swirled and scattered due to a nearby Sharp-shinned Hawk. This was our second large flock of Bohemian Waxwings for the day with another flock that contained 300+ birds along S.R173 south of Bridgeport Bar were observed and heard calling as they flew over.Very large numbers of waterfowl and Am.Coots were observed from several locations both days along the Columbia River,primarily at Bridgeport Bar and from the Fort Okanogan area,which consisted of Redhead,Ring-necked Ducks,Ruddy Ducks and Am.Wigeon among other species in lesser numbers. Later in the evening several of us that stayed overnight in Pateros owled along the upper portion of Central Ferry Canyon Rd.,where we were entertained with good looks with the help of flashlights at one fairly cooperative Northern Saw-whet Owl,which was one of three heard that evening. My mother and I observed 2 Northern Saw-whet Owls on the evening of the 13th at the same location with 2 additional birds heard nearby.

On the 15th 6 of us checked several area in the Bridgeport areas,including additional checks made at Bridgeport Bar,the Fort Okanogan State Park area in Okanogan Co.and our last check of the trip made along Bridgeport Hill Rd.,which produced up to 15 Common Redpolls,which were highly searched for at other areas and made the trip back to this location very worthwhile. We were standing along the roadside searching for Sharp-tailed Grouse scanning the Water Birch trees along Foster Creek until Ginger Rebstock spotted a flock of birds(that turned out to be Common Redpolls)foraging in a lone stand of Water Birch. We quickly watched the flock flying along the creek until landing briefly in trees then continued further along the creek until we finally were able to get good scoping views of a portion of the entire flock,as the foraged within the Water Birch trees. These birds were observed well by all of us and to most was a exceptional species and made up for not seeing any Sharp-tailed Grouse. The birds remained foraging in the trees until an immature Northern Shrike landed in the same tree and flushed the birds,where they were observed flying overhead to the west side of the road. At that point 2 participants continued with my mother and I towards the Fort Okanogan area then a stop made on our way home at Chelan in Chelan Co.,where a Yellow-billed Loon was observed by Hugh Jennings and others during a field trip on the 14th. We were told about this sighting by Hugh Jennings during the morning at Pateros and we decided to follow up on his sighting on our way home,specifically for photographs of the bird. Ginger Rebstock and Susan Fallat joined my mother and I to Chelan on their way home in search of the Yellow-billed Loon,which we almost immediately located at 12:45pm along the south shore of Lake Chelan(Spaders Bay)from the Riverfront Park in Chelan. The bird eventually foraged alone west along the south shore of Lake Chelan,where my mother and I watched and photographed the bird at very close range at several vantage points near the marina area,where we left the bird.A very good bird for Chelan Co. and for anywhere in eastern WA,so hopefully the bird will remain and be seen by others. A big thank you to Hugh Jennings for telling us about this sighting,which we all enjoyed seeing. A list of our main highlights encountered during our field trip consist of the following at selected locations:

Am.White Pelican
1 overwintering bird observed from Washburn Island at Fort Okanogan,Okanogan Co.(OK)on the 15th

Double-crested Cormorant
1 observed at Cassimer Bar(Fort Okanogan area),OK on the 15th

Tundra Swan
1 along the Columbia River at Pateros,OK(with 4 birds observed at Pateros on the 13th)

Eurasian Wigeon
1 male at the mouth of the Methow River at Pateros,OK on the 14th

Long-tailed Duck
1 at Bridgeport Bar,Douglas Co.(DO)on the 14th

Bald Eagle
fairly good numbers encountered from several areas,primarily along the Columbia River

Sharp-shinned Hawk
1 along Central Ferry Canyon Rd.,DO on the 14th
1 at Bridgeport Bar on the 15th

Cooper's Hawk
1 along Cranes Rd. near Bridgeport,DO on the 14th
1 along S.R.173 neat Bridgeport,DO on the 14th
1 at Bridgeport Bar,DO on the 15th

Rough-legged Hawk
2 along Hwy.17,DO(north of the junction of S.R.172)on the 14th
8 along S.R.172 west of Mansfield,DO on the 14th

Golden Eagle
2 soaring above the hills near Pateros,OK(observed from the lower portion of Central Ferry Canyon)on the 14th

Merlin
2 at Bridgeport Bar,DO on he 15th
1 at Bridgeport,DO on the 15th

Sage Grouse
9 near Leahy Junction,DO on the 14th

Great Horned Owl
2 at the Mansfield Cemetery,DO on the 14th
1 along Central Ferry Canyon Rd. on the evening of the 14th

Short-eared Owl
1 flying along the Columbia River south of Pateros,OK(being harassed by 3 Black-billed Magpies)

Northern Saw-whet Owl
4(2 birds seen,2 birds heard only)along the upper portion of Central Ferry Canyon Rd. on the evening of the 13th with 3(1 bird seen,2 birds heard there on the 14th)

Horned Lark
We observed good numbers of Horned Larks at several locations within the Waterville Plateau on the 13th between Moses Coulee and Atkins Lake along Hwy.2,then larger numbers observed on our field trip on the 14th observed primarily along S.R.172 east of Mansfield of the "Arctic" and the local resident breeding subspecies,which allowed good comparisons. We also observed small flocks near the Leahy Junction on the 14th and small flock along Bridgeport Hill Rd. west of Hwy.17 on the 15th.

Steller's Jay
3 at Bridgeport,DO on the 14th(with 5 there on the 15th)
1 at Bridgeport Bar,DO on the 14th

Mountain Chickadee
1 at Bridgeport S.P.,OK on the 14th
3 along S.R.173 near Bridgeport,DO on the 15th

Pygmy Nuthatch
30+ along the upper portion of Central Ferry Canyon Rd.,DO on the 14th

Winter Wren
1 at Bridgeport Bar,DO on the 14th

Townsend's Solitaire
1 at Bridgeport Bar,DO on the 14th
1 at Bridgeport,DO on the 15th

Varied Thrush
2 along Central Ferry Canyon Rd.,DO on the 14th
3 at Bridgeport Bar,DO on the 15th

Bohemian Waxwing
300+ along S.R.173,DO(south of Bridgeport Bar)on the 14th
35 at Bridgeport Bar,DO on the 14th(with 10 there on the 15th)
1500+ along the lower portion of Central Ferry Canyon Rd.,DO on the 14th
20 along Bridgeport Hill Rd.,DO on the 15th

Cedar Waxwing
12 along the lower portion of Central Ferry Canyon Rd.,DO on the 14th
6 at Bridgeport Bar,DO on the 14th(with 50 there on the 15th)

Northern Shrike
1 adult near Leahy,DO on the 14th
1 adult along Hwy.17,DO(south of S.R.172)on the 14th
1 adult along S.R.172 east of Mansfield,DO on the 14th
1 adult near Bridgeport S.P.,OK on the 14th
1 adult along Hwy.97 north of Pateros,OK on the 14th and 15th
1 immature along Bridgeport Hill Rd.,DO on the 15th
1 adult along Hwy.97 near Fort Okanogan,OK on the 15th

Yellow-rumped Warbler
10 at Bridgeport Bar,DO on the 15th

Am.Tree Sparrow
25 at Bridgeport Bar,DO on the 14th(with the same amount encountered there at the same location on the 13th)

Harris' Sparrow
1 at Washburn Island,OK on the 15th

Lapland Longspur
5+ amongst large numbers of Snow Buntings and Horned Larks along S.R.172 east of Mansfield,DO on the 14th

Snow Bunting
2 near Leahy,DO on the 14th
800+ along S.R.172 east of Mansfield,DO on the 14th

Western Meadowlark
30+ at Bridgeport Bar,DO on the 14th(with 15 there on the 13th)

Red Crossbill
10 along the upper portion of Central Ferry Canyon,DO on the 14th

Common Redpoll
15 along Bridgeport Hill Rd.,DO on the 15th



Additional species of note encountered to and from destinations on our way to Pateros on the 13th and on our way home on the 15th included the following:

Red-necked Grebe
1 along Hwy.97 south of Daroga S.P.,DO on the 15th

Eared Grebe
10 along Hwy.97 south of Daroga S.P.,DO

Western Grebe
2 along the Columbia River(Lake Pateros),OK on the 13th

Cooper's Hawk
1 along Hwy.17 at Bridgeport,DO on the 13th

Rough-legged Hawk
8 birds observed along S.R.970 at Swauk Prairie,Kittitas Co.(Teanaway area)on the13th

Merlin
1 at Waterville,DO on the 13th

Prairie Falcon
1 along Hwy.97 north of Daroga S.P.,DO

Steller's Jay
12 along Hwy.2 east of Orondo,DO on the 13th

Hermit Thrush
6(with 3 Varied Thrush)along Longmire Rd.(accessed along Hwy.97/2 south of Orondo,DO)on the 13th

Bohemian Waxwing
1 at Bridgeport S.P.,OK on the 13th

Cedar Waxwing
30 along Longmire Rd.,DO on the 13th

Yellow-rumped Warbler
1 along Longmire Rd.,DO on the 13th

Spotted Towhee
1 along Longmire Rd.,DO on the 13th

Golden-crowned Sparrow
3 along Longmire Rd.,DO(with 2 additional birds noted along Hwy.97/2 immediately south of that location)on the 13th



Good birding,

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
Tacoma,WA
godwit at worldnet.att.net