Subject: [Tweeters] Okanogan, Douglas, and Yakima Co.(Bird Report)
Date: Feb 11 21:19:30 2009
From: Khanh Tran - fsprucegrouse at yahoo.com


Hi all,

I apologize for the tardiness of this post but I had a conference to attend in Yakima. Anyhow, here it is...

Bill Bradford (Portland, Oregon) and I had a marvelous trip visiting these counties for wintering owls and finches. Bill got to see 12 'lifers' on this trip. It was thrilling to see Bill's reactions as we extremely fortunate to have great looks of almost all of our target species.

We did extremely well seeing 8 species of owls, encountering good diversity of raptors, and enjoying several flocks of white winged crossbills.

Despite dipping on the Yellow billed Loon, Gyrfalcon, and Great Gray it was a fun, rewarding trip.

************Here is our list of species found*********************

NORTHERN HAWK OWL: The magnificient owl was actively hunting from perch to perch in a kestrel-like manner. The bird was seen throughout this weekend on B NE and 15th.

NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL: Found and heard 3 birds. One at Bridgeport State Park, one on Central Ferry Rd, and a calling bird at Conconully State Park.

NORTHERN PYGMY OWL: (A total of 9 birds) Birds were scattered in the Okanogan Highlands on Davies, Chesaw, Molson, Bolster, and Mary Ann Creek Rd. One bird on Hwy 97 near Crumbacher Rd and one tooting near Conconully State Park.

WESTERN SCREECH OWL; The bird at Sherman Park in Yakima, WA still persists in the cottonwood cavity. Thanks to Richard Rapp for helping us located the cryptic 'Houdini'.

LONG EARED OWL: We had several looks of a flighty bird near the Moxee Agricultural Station near Yakima, WA. Another probable bird flushed near Konnowac Pass Rd.

SHORT EARED OWL: One bird hunting on Conconully Rd near Happy Hill Rd.

BARRED OWL; One bird in the Havillah Sno-Park before dusk.

GREAT HORNED OWL; (10 birds total). Seven birds on Havillah and Nealey Rd in Okanogan Highlands. Two birds on Happy Hill Rd and one bird on Central Ferry Rd.

NORTHERN GOSHAWK; One flighty adult in the Moxee Agricultural Station.

PRAIRIE FALCON: 5 birds near Hwy 24 on Des Marnier and Konnowac Pass Rd near Moxee.

MERLIN: 4 birds in the Moxee area along Hwy 24. I can see why Marv Breece has an affinity for them.

GOLDEN EAGLE: (4 birds total) One in the Havillah Rd, Hwy 97 near Toppenish, and one on Dyer Hill Rd where we had cripping looks of one bird 6 feet from the car.

ROUGH LEGGED HAWK; About 8 birds total on trip.

SHARP TAILED GROUSE: (27 birds in two locations)20 birds near Happy Hill Rd and 7 birds flushed near dusk on Byers Rd near Chesaw in the Okanogan Highlands.

RUFFED GROUSE; (7 birds total) Birds feeding in quaking aspens on Davies, Molson, Mary Ann Creek, and Nine mile Rd.

GRAY PATRIDGE: 3 flocks talling 21 birds total. A small flock found at night on Division Rd near Bridgeport, several on Cameron Lake Rd and one flock on Davies Rd near Chesaw.

NORTHERN SHRIKE: (15 birds total). Birds found in Chesaw, Bridgeport, Mansfield, Moxee, and Toppenish areas. We had one obliging bird burst into full song on Pumphouse Rd near the Toppenish NWR!!

TOWNSEND SOLITAIRE: 5 birds on Salmon Creek Rd near Conconully.

BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS; Only one small flock of 40 birds near Chesaw, WA.

SNOW BUNTINGS: A small flock of 20 birds near Mansfield on Hwy 174 mixed with Horned Larks.

GRAY CROWNED ROSYFINCHES; A flock of 60 birds on Nealey Rd and 3 birds on Davies Rd in the Okanogan Highlands. Flocks consist of both interior and coastal forms. Birds are starting to molt into their breeding plumage.

AMERICAN TREE SPARROW. A group of 4 birds on Happy Hill Rd near Conconully.

PINE GROSBEAKS: (28 birds total in 3 different flocks). A flock of 20 on Toroda Creek Rd and 5 birds on Bolster Rd in the Okanogan Highlands;3 birds on Salmon Creek Rd near Conconully. Numbers have dropped a bit since January.

EVENING GROSBEAKS; A small flock of 10 birds in Conconully. Haven't seen very many birds this past winter. They seem tougher to find that I expect.

RED CROSSBILLS: A dozen birds near the ponderosa pines on Central Ferry Rd.

WHITE WINGED CROSSBILLS; (33 birds total) with 10 birds on First and Walnut in Mansfield. 10 birds on Happy Hill Rd, 3 birds on Salmon Creek Rd, and 10 birds in the town of Conconully.

We had cripping looks of these exquisite crossbills in Conconully where they were perched 15 feet above our heads. The black chevrons on the undertail coverts are really neat and are not depicted very well in several field guides. You can never see too many of these birds!!

I didn't have alot of time to snap photos but here is the link to my updated photos.

http://www.pbase.com/spruce_grouse/okanogan_winter_&page=all

Hope you enjoy and good birding,

Khanh Tran (Portland, Oregon)