Hi Tweets,

We camped this weekend at Winthrop for some biking and outdoor family
fun. We were at a very nice place called Big Twin Lake Campground. We
were basically the only ones there, which was a real treat. My dad and
I saw some interesting birds over the weekend. When I first went out
about at 7am on Saturday (Oct 9), an AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN flew in to
shore. It allowed me and others to approach to within 10 feet without
disturbing it. I got some good pictures. Sunday morning, my dad saw it
circle around the lake a few times and then head south down the valley,
maybe leaving this time for good. The camp "hosts" that live there said
that it's been there for about a week.

A lone BONAPARTE'S GULL was far out on the lake for a little while on
Saturday morning. Ducks on the lake included tons of coots, a Western
Grebe (joined by two more on Sunday), a Pied-billed, Mallards, pintails,
Ruddy Ducks, Blue-winged Teals, an Eared Grebe on Sunday, Canada Geese,
Ring-necked Ducks, Common and Hooded Mergansers, and Common Goldeneyes.
A Wilson's Snipe flew high calling and headed south from the lake Sunday
morning. At least a thousand Starlings and Red-winged Blackbirds roost
in the marsh each night. They fly in in small to large groups all
evening, and then fly out mostly in two very large flocks come morning.

The marsh along the shore had some very interesting birds. The best
were 2-3 SWAMP SPARROWS (lifer!) that my father and I had good looks of
on Saturday morning. I was only able to get a few photos toward the
sun, but the bird is identifiable from them. Their call was slightly
different from any I've heard from other birds. Also in the marsh and
the surrounding area were Lincoln's, Song, Savanna, and White-crowned
Sparrows, and a Marsh Wren. We also found a 1st-winter WHITE-THROATED
SPARROW by the hosts' house. It made the same call that I heard from
the WTSP that was at our place a little while ago. I obtained a few 800
ISO (yikes!!!!) photos.

Birds seen:
Pied-billed Grebe
Eared Grebe
Western Grebe
American White Pelican
Double-crested Cormorant (on the Columbia River near Pateros)
Great Blue Heron
Canada Goose
American Wigeon
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Blue-winged Teal
Ring-necked Duck
Common Goldeneye
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier (Juvenile patrolling the lake shore)
Cooper's Hawk
Golden Eagle (an adult and imm along the road to Sun Mtn)
American Kestrel
California Quail
American Coot
Wilson's Snipe
Bonaparte's Gull
Northern Pygmy-Owl (Tooted twice, seen by the whole family along the
trails from Chickadee Trailhead)
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Marsh Wren
Western Bluebird
American Robin
Black-capped Chickadee
Mountain Chickadee
Pygmy Nuthatch
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
Steller's Jay
Black-billed Magpie
Clark's Nutcracker
American Crow
Common Raven
European Starling
Red Crossbill
American Goldfinch
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Red-winged Blackbird

Birds heard only:
Great Horned Owl
American Pipit
Pine Siskin


Thanks,
Michael Woodruff
Spokane WA
elkmtn5 at asisna.com