On Tuesday (2/06/09), Kim Thorburn, Tim O'Brien, Jon Isacoff, and I embarked on an ambitious trek across the Waterville Plateau that eventually wound up on the Okanogan Highlands. The weather was calm and sunny with a temperature range from +6 degrees to 37 degrees.

This time the Grand Coulee City Park held Cedar Waxwings and Robins, but nothing unusual. After reading recent Randy Hill's discovery of WW Crossbills in Mansfield, I decided that we should take an extra hour and try for those too. Fortunately, this detour payed off with a flock of SNOW BUNTINGs west of the junction of Hwy 17 & 172, and a beautiful adult male SNOWY OWL about a mile and a half north of 172 on Road H NE.

Entering the town of Mansfield, we began surveying any and all spruce trees for our target WW Crossbill. It appeared that every other spruce tree had House Sparrows or Starlings sitting near the crown of the tree, and they seemed to be taunting us. Other birds of note in town included a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, 8 EURO COLLARED DOVEs, and RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDs.

Thinking that the Mansfield Cemetery might be a favorable spot for crossbills, we stopped in for a visit. We quickly detected bird movement with a couple of the large spruces, but we couldn't discern what was in there. At last, a male WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL perched in the open in full sun on cone laden Blue Spruce. A second male WW Crossbill quickly joined him. The crossbills dropped back from view into the tree interior and once again became hard to detect. Since Jon wanted a photo, I tried imitating a Pygmy Owl, but the birds ignored me. However, when I attempted some desperate pishing, a male WW Crossbill obliged us by perching conveniently in the open for a couple of minutes. It was a delightful way for Tim to have finally connected with his lifer WW Crossbill.

Taking the shortest route down to Bridgeport, we drove down Mansfield Road. Unfortunately, we had no idea that there was No. Hawk Owl a mere three miles west of us that was later discovered by Steve Pink. Around the the orchards west of Bridgeport we picked up TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE and YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER. At MP 10 east of the Bridgeport-Brewster Bridge, we enjoyed views of LONG-TAILED DUCK, COMMON LOON, and a PACIFIC LOON (ABA lifer for Jon), and ran into Steve Pink and Connie. The Pacific Loon straddled the Douglas-Okanogan County line, and it certainly helped out our burgeoning county lists.

After driving up the Okanogan River Valley, we took Riverside Cut-off Road toward Conconully and saw COOPER'S HAWK and STELLER'S JAY, but dipped on our target Chukar. On cue, fifteen catkin-feeding SHARP-TAILED GROUSE greeted us at the U-Bar Ranch overlook in the Scotch Creek Wildlife area. These marvelous chickens are always a big treat to see. Tim and Jon each were pleased to have picked up there ABA second lifer of the day. A nearby ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was a bonus bird.

A brief visit to Conconully, yielded PINE SISKIN, AMERICAN GOLDFINCH, PYGMY NUTHATCH, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, CLARK'S NUTCRACKER, and STELLER'S JAY. Although a small burn with heavily scaled dead Ponderosa Pines appeared, to have been worked over by a Black-backed Woodpecker, we didn't see any that day.

Between Omak and Tonasket, there was an almost embarrassing large number of BALD EAGLEs and half dozen GOLDEN EAGLEs. In Tonasket, we added BOHEMIAN WAXWING and MERLIN for the day.

Although the Okanogan Highlands had long quiet stretches with few birds, there were excellent birds that made our visit quite worthwhile. The drive produced a NORTHERN SHRIKE and a CLARK'S NUTCRACKER. PINE GROSBEAKS were in a couple of different spots (six in riparian patch at m the junction of Tonasket-Heavily Road/Fancher Road, and another 25 near Chesaw at the junction of Chesaw Road & Mary Ann Creek Road). These stately finches are such fun to view.

A stop at the Highland Snowpark gave us our only PILEATED WOODPECKER of the trip, and a distant Pygmy Owl briefly tooted toward my imitation. Another NORTHERN PYGMY OWL was perched on a power pole on the city limits of Chesaw.

A drive up Bolster Road failed to produce any redpolls or crossbills, and we had to make due with BLACK-CAPPED & MT. CHICKADEEs, and a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK. We didn't see much of anything on Mary Ann Creek Road, but we encountered a flock of 700+ SNOW BUNTINGs on Davies Road. Within the swirling avian snowflakes were a couple of LAPLAND LONGSPURs (my 200th Okanogan County lifer)and maybe a dozen HORNED LARKs. It was rather strange to see some of the Snow Buntings perch in the top of a large deciduous tree.

Hoping for Short-eared Owls, we retraced our loop. Even though it was dusk, we didn't see any owls.

As a grand finale, we beheld crippling views of an adult male NORTHERN GOSHAWK. Seeing the Gos, was fabulous way to wrap up a great winter day.

Gina Sheridan
Snowkan (Spokane)