As several others have already posted reports on on
WOS 2006 field trips, I will just touch on a few
personal highlights. In particular, I thoroughly
enjoyed birding within the environs of the virtually
unspoiled Ferry County and the Okanogan Highlands.

Some of my favorite trip moments were discovering a
nest of THREE-TOED WOODPECKERs on Albian Hill (East
Sherman Pass) that many other birders were
subsequently able to see, having great views of Veerys
in three different counties(Stevens, Ferry, and
Okanogan Counties), viewing nesting WHITE-HEADED
WOODPECKERs and WILLIAMSON'S SAPSUCKERs on W. Lyman
Road (Okanogan Co.). surprising a Black Bear on the
road to Togo Mt., seeing scores of Snowshoe Hares,
observing perennial favorite Redstarts and
Waterthruses near Northport, Fox Sparrows singing from
the tops of subalpine scrub, breeding Common Loons in
several locations, Ruffed Grouse with chicks, showing
a Virginia Rail to several folks who needed it for a
lifer, having close views of both LONG-EARED OWL and
GREAT GRAY OWL in the Highland Sno-Park, Poorwill near
Chesaw, and picking up my state lifer ALDER FLYCATCHER
north of Muskrat Lake (thank you Sullivans!).

Although I only had two and half hours sleep on Sunday
night and I led a day trip on Monday, I couldn't help
but bird more in Ferry County. As I followed up on the
WOS field trip find of several rarities, I was running
out of daylight. However, I did see a pair of BEWICK'S
WREN (which was a first county record on the WOS field
trip), a hundred yards east of the Bridge Creek bridge
off Hwy 21, and the LEAST FLYCATCHER on the west end
of Friedlander Meadows. As the light waned, I had to
bag trying for woodpeckers. Instead, I briefly tried
in vain for owls.

Friedlander Meadows held a herd of over seventy Elk.
They were all cows with calves. The Elks' bugling and
mewing calls resonated through the crisp mountian air.


Fortunately, I did see at least four different
POORWILLs from Watson Ridge down into the valley
(Silver Creek Road to along Hwy 21). I practically ran
over the first bird. It simply wouldn't flush! I
watched it hop on the ground and chase insects, and
then it would fly to another position some ten yards
away.

After crossing over on the Kelly Ferry into Lincoln
County, I had the unexpected pleasure of finding a
Great Basin Gopher Snake and Night Snake on the rocky
grade above the ferry. In the shrubbery bordering the
guard rail, I flushed a LONG-EARED OWL and a Great
Horned Owl. Apparently, this location is rich in
wildlife.

Gina Sheridan
Spokane, WA

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