Subject: [Tweeters] Okanogan birding weekend.
Date: May 29 18:28:40 2007
From: khanh tran - khanhbatran at hotmail.com


Hi Tweeters:

I had a wonderful holiday weekend birding the Winthrop and surrounding
areas. The place was literally dripping with songbirds and provided
excellent photo opportunities. Because of family activities, I was not able
to bird it as much as I would like. Regardless, it was a productive trip
getting to all those beautiful songbirds in sunny light against a bucolic
setting.

It was also nice to meet the helpful and friendly, Libby Schreiner and
Victor Glick. How lucky for them to live in such a scenic county full of
interesting bird species and wildlife.

Near the Sun Lodge, there was one NORTHERN GOSHAWK along with the usual
catbirds, veeries, Bullock's orioles, lazuli buntings, red naped sapsuckers,
and Say's phoebe. There was a very trusting pair of DUSKY GROUSE that were
hanging within a few feet from us near the lodge swimming pool. There was
also a beautiful pair of Barrow's goldeneye at Beaver Pond.

At Perrygrin State Park and the Methow Wildlife Ranger Station, there were
scads of evening grosbeaks, several house wrens, eastern kingbirds, western
kingbirds, gray catbirds, red naped sapsucker and Williamson's sapsucker.
Nearby, a perky laborador retriever helped flush a male DUSKY GROUSE. A
large flock of 20 CASSIN'S FINCHES were busy feeding on the ground near the
ranger's house.

These two places were extremely birdy. Other birds included Say's phoebe,
Bullock's oriole, western wood pewee, chipping sparrow, yellow rumped
warbler, western tanager, lazuli bunting, veery, American goldfinch, pine
siskin, black headed grosbeak, warbling and cassin's vireo, MacGillvray's
warbler, calliope and rufous hummingbird. I heard a male AMERICAN REDSTART
singing but was unable to find it.

On route to Conconully, there was one vocal male BOBOLINK aggressively
displaying and singing its loud, bubbly song near a lush field on Limbelt
Rd. On Happy Hill Rd, some incessantly mobbing chickadees, blackbirds, and
orioles, helped locate one LONG EARED OWL. As I cruised down hill towards
Scotch Creek Rd, I saw this 3 inch critter scurry beneath my jeep but I
couldn't break in time. Oh, s...t!!, I killed the critter.

Upon checking to see if I did (I was feeling horrified-if I did), I reversed
and hesitantly looked on the road. All of a sudden, I heard a loud cat like
call from the near some brush. It was very unbird-like.

Within 10 seconds, a mother RUFFED GROUSE popped out. I remained in my red
jeep while the mother let out some other soft calls. I stopped the engine
and the hen then started to circle around my car. I then heard some faint
peeping sounds.

That little fluffy, critter then jetted across the road. Those little legs
can move! I sat in my car as the mother slowly and safely cross the road
with 4 other chicks. Thank goodness, that bird was not killed.

Towards the early evening near Salmon Meadows, we found one male SPRUCE
GROUSE along Mutton Creek. This is excellent spruce grouse habitat. The
elevation here is roughly 4800-5000 feet. Near the campground, there was one
male pileated woodpecker feeding 5 feet from me, right on the ground. It
was impressive to see the bird that close. I heard it call from a short
distance and all of a sudden it landed right in front of me.

Up the trail, there was one great horned owl, a pair of gray jays feeding
young, several singing Townsends' warblers, and ruby crowned kinglets.

The Havillah Great Grays were no shows. I can't complain since I saw 3
birds on the last trip within a five mile stretch of Havillah Rd; a 50%
failure rate is not too shabby. Otherwise, it was very quiet near the Snow
Park and Hungary Hollow Rd. This strip is very reliable for SWAINSON'S HAWK.
I found 5 birds on telephone poles within 1 mile.

The road to Hart's Pass will be closed for quite a while because of a rock
slide. Access to Tiffany CG via FR37 was blocked because of falling timber.
This will be closed for several weeks in June. I suggest you call the
Forest Service for access to any of these roads prior to travel.

Alot of driving, but the Okanogan is always worth it!! I will post photos
later.

Good birding to you,

Khanh Tran (Portland, Oregon)