Hello Birders,

We led another great weekend trip to the Waterville Plateau from January 13th-15th with a total of 86 species with 13 participants,including a few birders with an entirely first time visit to the unique winter birding area in both Douglas and Okanogan Cos. The trip with well despite not getting all of our target species,but everyone was very satisfied. Conditions remained bitter cold at times,especially on the upper plateau areas itself,but everyone was bundled up and staying close to our warm vehicles helped alot too! Temperatures at times were biting to bone-chilling cold,but all of us managed in a positive manner with good spirits! The trip was more or less an experimental trip for the month of January since all out other previous winter trips to this area have been in February,but all in all it was a great trip! Overall the weather was great with just a few snow flurries on occasion today,but on an excursion from the upper portions of Central Ferry Canyon Rd. to Dyer Hill. Here, we had glorious bright blue skies filled with sunlight with the entire ground covered in a deep blanket of snow as far as the eye could see. It was also here the scenery was most superb like last year's visit to this same area,but we extended the drive all the way to Bridgeport Hill Rd. All roads we drove on during the trip were in good condition with only a few upper plateau areas having plowed compact snow,which were very drivable. Areas lower in elevation such as the Bridgeport Bar were quite productive in itself,but overall we had a good assortment of species from every area. The Columbia River proved to be the main body of water holding good numbers of various species of waterbirds since both the Okanogan and Methow Rivers were completely frozen! Large numbers of Am.Coots were the most abundant waterbird species ranging at times in the hundreds,especially numerous from the widest portion of the Columbia River near Brewster.

Our main highlights of the trip included the following:

GYRFALCON

1 bird observed in flight along Gallaher/Dyer Hill Rd. on the 14th observed in flight by Gina Sheridan and a few other lucky participants. The bird apparently kept flying low over the snow landscape and could be the same bird present during the Bridgeport CBC this past December. Today(January 15th)upon working our way home all of us were treated with great views of a subadult intermediate morph bird atop a telephone pole at around 12:30pm 1 mile west of S.R.172 along Sprauer(8 NE)Rd.,which is northwest of the town of Withrow. The bird remained perched atop the telephone pole before flying off to another telephone pole further north of the Sprauer Rd. with good scope views,where we were soon joined by Michael Schroeder,who also enjoyed good scope views of the bird. It was a great bird for all our group to see!


Northern Goshawk

1 adult male observed along the lower portion of Central Ferry Canyon Rd. on the 14th. This bird offered great views in flights to some and glimpses to others in our group,as it wheeled around pursuing a flock of California Quail in an apple orchard. It was nonetheless a great bird to see at nearly the same location we had an immature bird on last year's WOS field trip to the Waterville Plateau,so perhaps the same bird that matured. This bird added to our 3 accipiter trip with multiple numbers of both Sharp-shinned and Cooper's Hawks from various locations.


Gray Partridge

5 birds present at the Mansfield grain elevators on the 13th,where our entire groups was treated to fairly good views,as the bird eventually ran nervously towards cover near machinery. 2-5 birds present along the shores of the Columbia River behind the Lake Pateros Motor Inn in Pateros,where they have been wintering and attracted to feeders. Although these birds were quite shy a few of us were able to see them resting in rocks along the water's edge,but observations were made in flight,where they showed off their dark rust outer tail feathers. 5-6 additional Gray Partridges were noted by a few of our participants while driving along S.R.172 west of Mansfield on the 15th.


Wilson's Snipe

Our only shorebird of the trip and an unexpected species at that considering the time of year for this part of Washington! The bird was first detected in flight by one of our keen participants before being observed by the rest of our group,as it wheeled around over fruit orchards between the lower portion of Central Ferry Canyon and the Columbia River.


SNOWY OWL

2 immature birds present from different locations along S.R.172 west of Mansfield on the 13th. Our first bird was noted north of S.R.172(just east of MP 16)near Lone Butte followed by a second bird observed further to the southwest along the west side of S.R.172 north of Kai Rd. On the 15th a Snowy Owl was observed east of S.R.172 just south of the McNeil Canyon Rd. cut-off,which could be the latter bird that we observed on the 13th or perhaps a different bird. All 3 birds were observed resting atop rock outcroppings or low obstructions in open fields.


Barred Owl

1 bird photographed at Bridgeport State Park on the 13th that surprised many of us for this location. The bird was first detected roosting in a tall spruce tree,where it remained for some time until it flew to other trees,but offered good views for us all. One of 4 Great Horned Owls of our trip was also encountered from this location,as well as 2 Brown Creepers.
7+ Brown Creepers were noted from the forest or upper portion of Bridgeport Hill Rd. on the 14th,as well as fairly good numbers of Pygmy Nuthatches and 8+ Red Crossbills.


Bohemian Waxwing

Many moderate to large flocks noted on the 14th and 15th in and around the Bridgeport area(including Bridgeport Bar and the Wells Wildlife area),as well as the Brewster area too. This species was a much sought after and as we anticipated seeing them we had so many! The largest concentrations of Bohemian Waxwings were observed from Bridgeport Bar(accessed along Moe and Grange Rds.),as well as the southern portion of Brewster near the Brewster Marina. Our first Bohemian Waxwings of the trip were encountered along the lower portion of Central Ferry Canyon on the 14th,but views were quite poor since they were in flight and quite brief. In the end everyone was pleased with great views of the Washington winter specialty! Our only Cedar Waxwings of the trip included a flock of 30 birds flying over Pateros on the 15th,then a single bird at the Brewster Marina(with Bohemian Waxwings)followed by 2 birds along Hwy.97/2 at Longview Rd. south of Orondo.


Fox Sparrow

1 bird of undetermined subspecies heard calling only from a dense Russian Olive thicket along Hwy.97/2 at Longview Rd. on the 15th. A single Hermit Thrush,several Varied Thrushes and a Spotted Towhee were also noted from this nice location!


Lincoln's Sparrow

1 bird observed by a few participants on the 14th along the lower portion of Central Ferry Canyon Rd.,which was an unexpected species for this location due to the time of year!


HARRIS' SPARROW

1 lingering immature bird noted only briefly amongst a large flock of White-crowned Sparrows at Bridgeport Bar(accessed at the end of Moe Rd.)on the 14th and 15th. This bird was quite elusive and offered only very brief views by 2 observers and it seems the bird is quite elusive. The bird was present feeding from spilt grain under a thick Russian Olive grove and much time may be required to search for this bird. Nonetheless,a nice bird to see at this location and for Douglas Co!


Snow Bunting

3 birds observed briefly flying west over the Mansfield Airport amongst a small flock of Horned Larks. Due to the single person sighting at the time we were not pleased,as we searched diligently across vast areas throughout the trip primarily north and west of Mansfield. It was until after watching the Gyrfalcon near Withrow on our way home that we decided to drive along F NW Rd. from the intersection of Sprauer Rd. It is here we located a single,but very cooperative Snow Bunting. Yes!!!!! One Snow Bunting and although not in a large flock we felt very happy and relieved to get great looks for all our group including a few participants that this was a life bird for! The bird was first detected scampering across a gravel portion of the road,where all other areas along the road were snow-covered,as well as nearby fields. It seems the bird was drawn to the gravel on the road,which may have been a result of being lost from a group of birds. We watched the bird for a few minutes in our binoculars and spotting scopes before driving further south along the road,as the bird kept ahead of us flying short distances along the road before eventually backtracking and flying back behind our line of vehicles back onto the same road. It was a great sight considering we tried so hard for this species!

Am.Tree Sparrow

1 bird observed along the upper portion of Bridgeport Hill Rd. on the 13th,which offered quick views,as it jumped around near the ground and in several bushes along the side of the road all by itself. We felt fortunate to at least get one bird on the trip since we searched unsuccessfully at other locations!


Common Redpoll

1 bird briefly observed and heard calling by 2 observers along the lower portion of Bridgeport Hill Rd. on the 13th,while searching unsuccessfully for Sharp-tailed Grouse. An additional bird was well observed by our group at feeders on a "stake-out" on Brewster Flats on the 15th. We were quite surprised not to encounter more Common Redpolls on our 3 day trip,but perhaps they are in a different area.



An additional highlight in itself of the 3 day trip included an adult "Black"Merlin pursuing,then catching a Starling in a spruce tree near the Lake Pateros Motor Inn in Pateros on the evening of the 14th. This bird was one of 4 Merlins we observed during the entire trip and seemed enjoyable,as it caught the Starling in the tree. Al we could hear is the Starling squealing from inside the dense tree before the Merlin flew out with it's prey to an unknown location. The following morning before leaving the hotel our group observed presumably the same bird from atop the same spruce tree,as if it were standing ground from a favored winter perch. Our other Merlin sightings of the trip included 1 bird in Brewster,as well as 1 bird from the Brideport Bar area and 1 bird in the town of Bridgeport.

Other highlights included the following:

2 Trumpeter Swans observed along the north shoreline of the Columbia River along Hwy.97 between Pateros and Brewster on the 14th. 2 Greater Scaups were also observed from this same location amongst a large raft of Redheads and various other waterfowl. 3 additional swans of undetermined species were scoped on the 14th looking north from a far distance near Cassimer Bar,as observed from S.R.173.

1 Eared Grebe along the Columbia River at Pateros on the 14th

1 Red-necked Grebe observed flying south along the Chelan Co. side of Columbia River from a large pull-off across from Longview Rd. along Hwy.97/2 on the 15th. This bird was our last species of the trip,as well as a noteworthy species for this location for the time of year.

1 Golden Eagle noted along Leahy Cut-off Rd. on the 14th with additional single birds noted north of Bridgeport along S.R.173,as well as along S.R.172 west of Mansfield.

1 Prairie Falcon observed flying north along Sprauer Rd. near Withrow on the 13th

1 Townsend's Solitaire observed along Valley Rd. on the Brewster Flats on the 15th

10 Northern Shrikes encountered during the entire 3 day trip from various locations with only 1 immature bird noted and the remaining birds being adults.


*****In the end, a BIG thank you to all the participants to sticking it out all 3 days and braving the very cold weather on this trip!*****



We wish to also add on route to Pateros on the 12th of January we did some additional birding from a few locations. In the vantage area we birded from the public boat launch area just north of I-90,where a single LONG-TAILED DUCK was observed alone along the Columbia River. Small numbers of other waterbirds were noted nearby including 3 Eared Grebes. A single subadult NORTHERN GOSHAWK greeted us,as we approached the locked gate at the Gingko Petrified Forest State Park. The bird perched for about one minutes in trees on the grounds of the park area before flying further into the park,where it could not be relocated. Downhill from this location at a small boat launch area we encountered 18 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS foraging in the brushy area near the shores of the Columbia River. 2 Varied Thrushes were also encountered from this same location. 2 Prairie Falcons were encountered in Grant Co. with both birds observed along S.R.283 between I-90 and Ephrata. The end of the day yielded 3 Am.Tree Sparrows followed by a Golden Eagle and an adult Northern Shrike along Leahy Cut-off Rd. in Douglas Co.



Good winter birding,

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
Fircrest,WA
godwit513 at msn.com