Hi Tweeters,
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This past weekend, Bill Bradford and I had a great birding?trip visiting Douglas, Adams, Grant, and Okanogan Counties (aka DAGO).? Weather was great with the exception of snow flurries in the Okanogan Highland. We found up to 140 species and did well seeing 19 species of ducks and tallying 12 raptor species.??
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Nothing rare, but several FOS and county birds for both of us.??We have never seen so many Vesper Sparrows (100 plus), White crowned Sparrows (200 plus), Yellow headed Blackbirds, Barrow's Goldeneye (20 pairs) Black necked Stilts and American Advocets!!? Always a treat see the latter three species in high numbers.? Most loons and grebes were in splendid breeding plumage.?
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We had a GREAT time!
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Here are some of the HIGHLIGHTS and species of interest:
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FERRUGINOUS HAWK: One handsome bird perched on a telephone along the entrance to Wilson Creek Rd.
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MERLIN: One bird perched on a telephone pole along Havillah Rd
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ROUGH LEGGED HAWK; One lingering late bird in the Okanogan Highlands
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DUSKY GROUSE; One displaying bird in Twisp. Very tame and cooperative.? Hooting is quite muffled compared to Sooty.? Barely audible from?50 yards.
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SOLITARY SANDPIPER; An active bird feeding along the muddy edges of Lake Beth along Torada Creek Rd.? Feed next to a Killdeer for size comparsion.
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DUNLINS; Up to a dozen or so birds on County Line Ponds. Love their breeding plumage.
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BONAPARTE'S GULL; Feeding bird on Para Ponds in Othello.? So tern-like?and lovely in?breeding plumage. ?
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LONG BILLED CURLEW; A bird along Six Prong Rd near Alderdale and ?Reynolds Rd in Othello.? Cripping looks at one near the road.?
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LONG EARED OWL; One bird in undisclosed location.
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BURROWING OWL: A romantic pair in Othello.
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WILLIAMSON'S SAPSUCKER: Several birds in near Lake Beth near Chesaw, WA.
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PILEATED WOODPECKER: A very tame bird in Winthrop, feeding on a wooden window pane.? It was about?7 feet from us.? Impressive size.
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LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE; A obliging pair in Dry Falls Park.
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CANYON and ROCK WREN; Along with House Wren at Bridgeport State Park.? Lots of migrants here.? Got to see and hear all three species within a 20?yard stretch.
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SAGE THRASHER; Great looks at one on entrance post to Dry Falls State Park. ?
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TRICOLOR BLACKBIRDS; Several birds at Para Ponds.
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GRAY CROWNED ROSYFINCHES: A surprising late flock of 200+ spring plumaged birds on Havillah Rd feeding in the fields.?
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Snapped a few scant photos.
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http://www.pbase.com/spruce_grouse/recent_photos
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SPECIES LIST:
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LOONS: Common, Pacific
GREBE: Pied billed, Horned, Eared, Red necked grebe
DC Cormorant
GB Heron
Turkey Vulture
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Mallard
TEAL: ?Green winged, Blue winged, Cinnamon
Canvasback
Redhead
Ring necked Duck
Great Scaup
Lesser Scaup
Bufflehead
Barrow's Goldeneye
MERGANSER: Hooded, Common
Ruddy?Duck
Osprey
Northern Harrier
EAGLE: Bald and Golden
ACCIPITER: Coopers and Sharp shinned
BUTEOS: Swainson's, Red tailed, Rough legged, FERRUGINOUS
American Kestrel
MERLIN
Ring necked pheasant
Ruffed Grouse
Dusky Grouse
California Quail
Virginia Rail
American Coot
Killdeer
Black necked Stilt
American Avocet
Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs
SOLITARY SANDPIPER
LONG BILLED CURLEW
DUNLIN
Wilson's Snipe
BONAPARTE'S GULL
Ring billed and California Gull
Caspian Terns
Rock Dove
Mourning Dove
Eurasian collared Dove
OWLS: Great Horned, BURROWING, LONG EARED
Vaux Swift
White throated Swift
Calliope Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Lewis Woodpecker
WILLIAMSON'S SAPSUCKER
Red naped Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Gray Flycatcher
Dusky Flycatcher
Say's Phoebe
Western Kingbird
LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE
Cassin's Vireo
Gray Jay
Steller's Jay
Black billed Magpie
American Crow
Common Raven
Horned Lark
SWALLOWS: Violent Green, NR Winged, Barn, Cliff, Barn, Bank, Tree
CHICKADEES: Chestnut, Mountain, Black capped
NUTHATCH; Pymgy and Red breasted
Brown Creeper
Rock Wren
CANYON WREN
House Wren
Marsh? Wren
Golden crowned Kinglet
Ruby crowned Kinglet
Western Bluebird
Mountain Bluebird
Hermit Thrush
Varied Thrush
American Robin
Sage Thrasher
Cedar Waxwing
European Starling
WARBLERS: Orange crowned, Nashville,Black throated?Gray?and Yellow rumped
Spotted Towhee
SPARROWS: Brewer's, Vesper, Savannah, Song, Lincoln's, White crowned
Dark eyed Junco
BLACKBIRDS: Red winged, TRICOLORED, Yellow headed, Brewers' (all at Para ponds)
Cassin's Finch
House Finch
GRAY CROWNED ROSYFINCHES
Pine Siskin
American Goldfinch
House Sparrows
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Good birding,
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Khanh Tran (Portland, Oregon)