I birded in 8 counties from 2/11 to 2/16. Since others have recently reported from some of the areas I visited, I will mention a few highlights which may be of interest to birders. Many thanks to all those who have shared their sightings.


Saturday, 2.11.06

PRAIRIE FALCON - at the elevator at Withrow in Douglas county


Sunday, 2.12.06

SAGE GROUSE - 1 at Leahy in Douglas County
TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE - 1 on Bridgeport Hill Road
SORA - on Bport Hill Rd, I heard the into, but not the whinny; a few minutes later, same thing. There were European Starlings at this site, and they are great imitators. Still, odd as it may seem, it sounded very good for Sora.
EURASIAN COLORED DOVE - 2 at Mansfield, west of the elevator
SNOWY OWL - saw most likely the same 7 birds that Meredith Spencer reported earlier. Near Lamoine in Douglas County. On Road F between 8th (Sprauer) and I think 11th. Most were perched on plowed snow piles at the road's edge. 5 were seen at the same time.
NORTHERN SHRIKE - Sprauer Rd & Hwy 172
CANYON WREN - 1 seen at Moses Coulee
CHUKAR - heard at Moses Coulee
PRAIRIE FALCON - near Coulee City
ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK - dark morph on Hwy 2 in Lincoln County
GRAY PARTRIDGE - 4 seen on Detour Rd in Linclon County
SNOWY OWL - on Carstens Road on the Spokane/Lincoln County line. Thanks to Ron Dexter; never would have found this without his help.
AMERICAN TREE SPARROW - 2 along Ladd Road, Spokane Co
SHORT-EARED OWL - McFarlane Road, Spokane Co


Monday, 2.13.06

MERLIN (Black race) - at 7th and Smith in Spokane. Did not see the Blue Jays at this location.


Wednesday, 2.15.06

WESTERN MEADOWLARKS - 4 in a tree singing at Bridgeport Bar in Douglas Co.
NORTHERN SHRIKE - 1 at BPort Bar chasing sparrows
SNOW BUNITNG - 10 at Dyer and Division in Douglas Co (accessed from Central Ferry Canyon Rd)
WILSON'S SNIPE - flew up from a small wet area in Coulee City
SAY'S PHOEBE - Wilson Creek in Grant Co
MERLIN - perhaps even more unusual than the SORA at Bridgeport Hill Road. Perched atop trees to the south of Gloyd Seeps park area on J street 6.8 miles north of the Moses Lake city limits sign were 4 Taiga Merlins. All 4 within about a 100 yard diameter. All appeared to be males. I watched them from 5:00 to 5:30PM. Occasionally, a bird would fly at another and replace it on a perch.


Thursday, 2.16.06

SNOW GOOSE - 1 juv at Moses Lake seen from Dogwood St. At 8:00AM it flew to the NE with a few Canada Geese.
CANADA GOOSE - large very mixed flock on 6th St near Perch Point south of Moses Lake. Contained 3 interesting small geese of mixed parentage.
CANYON WREN - a singing bird on the Columbia NWR
TRI-COLORED BLACKBIRD - 2 or more males; not a lot of blackbirds in the immediate area; no Yellow-heads.
RING-NECKED PHEASANT - 2 roosters fighting along Lower Crab Creek Road
PRAIRIE FALCON - 1 perched on a wire in stiff wind, along the Vantage Hwy east of Ellensburg.
BUSHTIT - a flock of 24 birds in South Cle Elum

Did not see BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS anywhere in 6 days. (I was looking)

Once again, I thank all those who have shared their sightings with the rest of us.

Marv Breece
Seattle, WA