Subject: [Tweeters] belated Okanogan trip report
Date: Jun 13 20:33:43 2007
From: Paul Hicks - phicks at accessgrace.org


Tweets,
June 5-7 Bob Sundstrom and I birded the Okanogan Highlands via Snoqualmie &
Blewett Passes. Highlights from the 920-mile trek include:
- Great Gray Owl: near Havilla where they must range over several miles of
territory. This individual we happened to see while driving in waning dusk
on a power line along Havilla-Tonasket Rd 4/10 mi N of Orberg Rd.
- Flammulated Owl: ~1 or 2 mi on FR9712 above Liberty
- Gray Partridge: Faust Rd, south of Smithson and Clark Rds, NW of
Ellensburg
- Black-b Wdpkr: Elk Heights burn along I-90
- Am. Three-t Wdpkr: FR39 above Long Swamp ~mp 16/17
- Northern Goshawk: FR39/Toats Coulee Rd just above Iron Gate Rd
- Golden Eagle:1-3 pair between Loomis and Toats Coulee mp 46
- Golden Eagle: another individual near Tonasket/Omak
- Black Swift: above Brewster via Indian Dan Canyon Rd at end of Getz Rd
where there's a very interesting "oasis"
- Least Flyctr: apparently nesting pair east of bridge at Ellisporte--use
pulloff at east end of this causeway
- Least Flyctr: toward Havilla on Swanson Mill Rd just above Dry Gulch Ext.
Rd.
- Am Redstart (singing 1st yr male): ROUGHLY 6 or 7 mi up Swakane Canyon Rd
off Hwy 97 Alt north of Wenatchee--no pun intended, but 4-WHEEL DRIVE
NEEDED!
- White-h Wdpkr: Swakane Canyon
- Williamson's Spskr: near Havilla and up Iron Gate Rd via FR39
- Lewis's Wdpkr: Many in dead trees on farm property along Toats Coulee/FR39
near mp 48/49 (not far from turnoff from Loomis-Oroville Rd)
- Bobolink: Outside Loomis on Oroville-Loomis Rd (toward Palmer Lk) past
Toats Coulee Rd jct
- Bobolink: North of Tonasket in south part of Fancher Flats, expansive hay
fields off Havilla-Tonasket Rd
I suppose the "lowlight" was seeing the mile-after-mile of shocking
devastation above Long Swamp from last summer's Tripod Fire. The boreal
species were absent, and precious little boreal habitat was even visible
anywhere. We did hear 2 or 3 "suspicious" woodpecker drummings, one which
turned out to be a three-toed; a few juncos, Mtn Chickadees and nutcrackers
were around. About 141 total species, the first 5 listed were lifers or
state birds for me. Great fun!
Good birding!
--Paul Hicks, Tenino
phicks AT accessgrace.org