Since checking out the Gifford Campground Burn (just
north of Gifford Ferry in Stevens County; DL Pg. 103,
B7) was on my birding"To Do" list, I decided venture
up there today (1/05/06). On this overcast, but
relatively mild day, Gary Kuiper and I saw interesting
birds. On the higher benches of both Lincoln County
and Stevens County, there was up 2 inches of fresh,
but slushy snow.

As daylight hours are so limited, we didn't have time
to check the Snowy Owl route. However, we did see a
ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, AMERICAN KESTREL, several
RED-TAILED HAWKs, and a NORTHERN HARRIER on the West
Plains of Spokane County. However, we did not see any
Tree Sparrows that had been reported on Ladd Road a
couple of weeks earlier.

In Davenport, we dipped on the Eurasian Collared
Doves, but there were several hundred BOHEMIAN
WAXWINGs in town. North of Davenport, we had our first
NORTHERN SHRIKE.

At the Porcupine Bay Campground, we saw a respectable
sized flock of RED CROSSBILLs and RED-BREASTED
NUTHATCHES. As we drove through Fort Spokane, we
noticed quite a few Mule Deer milling around.

In Stevens County, we scored a NORTHERN SHRIKE near
Enterprise and a lonely Robin in Cedonia. In and
around the Hunters Campground of the Lake Roosevelt
NRA, we encountered BALD EAGLE-4, HORNED GREBE-6, and
flock of WILD TURKEY-70+. Several of the Toms were in
faned-out display mode, and they looked quite
impressive. On one of the lake view pull outs, we saw
MOUNTAIN CHICKADEEs and BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEEs.

When we reached the Gifford Campground, it seemed all
too quite. From the northern most parking lot, we
hiked into the burn (over a hundred yards to the
northeast). In nearly the exact spot where Terry
Little had reported seeing Black-backed Woodpeckers,
we began to encounter woodpeckers. Our first
woodpecker, was a DOWNY WOODPECKER. Our next species
was a HAIRY WOODPECKER. In quick succession, we picked
up NORTHERN FLICKER, PILEATED WOODPECKER, RED-BREASTED
NUTHATCH, and WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH.

Finally, I saw a female BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER fly
over our heads. Her yellow-crowned mate, quickly
joined her. As the pair of Black-backs flaked off bark
from the trunks of the charred Ponderosa Pines, we
enjoyed fantastic views of these unwary woodpeckers.

Satisfied with our finding our primary target species
of the day, we checked out the waterfowl off Gifford
Ferry landing, and noted GREATER SCAUP, LESSER SCAUP,
RINGED-NECK DUCK, BUFFLEHEAD, COMMON GOLDENEYE, and
PIED-BILLED GREBE. Farther north, we spied a couple
of flocks of gulls off Rickey Point, and were pleased
to see a first year MEW GULL, and adult
GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL, as well as the more expected
RING-BILLED GULLs.

Our last notable bird of the day, was a SHARP-SHINNED
HAWK in Kettle Falls. Unfortunately, the waning light
made finding Bohemian Waxwings or Rough-legged Hawks
on the return leg of the trip impossible.

Gina Sheridan
Spokane, WA



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