I spent this weekend birding in Eastern Washington, and the highlight of my trip was seeing three flocks of BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS in the Brewster / Bridgeport areas. The first group of 300~ birds was seen near the intersection of Hwy 97 and Hwy 17 which is about 4 1/2 miles east of Brewster. The second group of 175~ birds was seen at Bridgeport State Park, where I met Charlie Wright and a friend. The third group of 200~ birds were seen from the Central Ferry Canyon Road about 1 1/2 miles from the intersection with SR-173. It is possible that this last flock of birds may have been part of the first group which were seen about an hour earlier in the day.

Another highlight of my weekend was a short trip up the Indian Dan Canyon Road, which is located off of Hwy 97 about 2 1/2 miles south of Brewster. At the Indian Dan Unit of the Wells Wildlife Area (see Opperman page 435) there is a small pond that was nearly completely frozen over and had 30+ Bald Eagles sitting on the ice and in nearby trees. A small portion of the pond was not frozen over and a variety of ducks (about 50) were clustered together. Additional birds seen on the trip were:

RED CROSSBILL - 12 birds seen at Elk Heights Road - east of Cle Elum

NORTHERN SHRIKE - 1 along the Old Vantage Hwy MP 13, 3 along the Indian Dan Canyon Road, 2 along Central Ferry Canyon Road, and 1 at Withrow

MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD - 2 along the Old Vantage Hwy MP 18 & MP 20

GREAT-HORNED OWL - 1 along the Old Vantage Hwy near MP 22

SAGE SPARROW - 2 Along the Old Vantage Hwy at MP 23

ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK - 7 on the Waterville Plateau (4 of them in the vicinity of Withrow)

SNOWY OWL - 2 birds seen in the Mansfield area (one sitting on a telephone pole along Hwy 172 just west of Mansfield)

CHUCKAR - heard, about 1.5 miles up the Indian Dan Canyon Road

REDHEAD - 4 birds seen in the small pond at the Indian Dan Unit of the Wells Wildlife Area

NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL - 1 at Bridgeport State Park

LONG-EARED OWL - 2 in the Mansfield area

MERLIN - 1 in town of Bridgeport

SNOW BUNTING - flock of 50~ birds along Dyer Hill Road - Waterville Plateau

GRAY PARTRIDGE - 4 at Withrow

Good Birding;



Michael Fleming

Ballard, WA

michaellf AT myway.com

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