Six of us (incl. Steve and Casey Mlodinow, Doug and Barb Schonewald, Bob Flores) welcomed the new year with a quick check of some birding spots, mostly in the Potholes area of Grant County, before the snow started coming down heavier around 11:30 and chased us. The highlights included 2 Snowy Owls in the field southwest of Road K SE and Road 4 SE, 4 scattered Northern Shrikes, and a mixed feeding flock at Potholes State Park that included ~10 GC Kinglets, a Brown Creeper, 10+ Mountain Chickadees, 2 Black-capped Chickadees, and 2 CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEES, to my knowledge a county first.

Randy Hill
Othello