A spur of the moment decision led me to head westward with the hopes of finding one or two possible life birds today. I drove directly to Bridgeport with Meredith Spencer's directions in hand and easily found the YELLOW-BILLED LOON (life bird) behind Chief Joseph Dam. Viewed from Murphy Road, I first found the loon just to the west of the booms and then I moved over to the east side of the fishing access area and the loon and its companion COMMON LOON had moved into the little inlet inside the booms. I had killer views of the yellow on the bill (almost school bus yellow near the tip) when it swam to just about 25 yards away. Also, in the inlet were AMERICAN COOT, GADWALL, COMMON GOLDENEYE, AMERICAN WIGEON, RING-NECKED DUCK, BUFFLEHEAD and COMMON MERGANSER.

I then had Gyr on my mind for my next target so I headed south on Bridgeport Hill Road towards Mansfield. At the house just off the highway, I was checking out a flock of RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS at a feeder, when a GREAT HORNED OWL flew into the same tree. The GHOW quickly moved on as it was being mobbed by four COMMON RAVENS. Further south, I easily found the continuing NORTHERN HAWK-OWL sitting on top of an utility pole just south of the intersection of B NE and 15 NE. No other birders were around.

I searched south and east of Mansfield and could only turn up RED-TAILED HAWKS and ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS. I did encounter several small flocks of HORNED LARKS as well.

I then headed back to Grand Coulee and had to stop in Electric City to view a robin-sized bird on top of a tree. Unfortunately, my only view was from far away and my gut is telling me it was a SAY'S PHOEBE, but when I went to confirm it had disappeared. It had the shape of a flycatcher and had a gray color to its breast and belly.

Onward, to Steamboat Rock State Park to search the owl roost thicket. I spent about 3 minutes in the thicket and flushed approximately six LONG-EARED OWLS. When they flushed, one flew directly at me and then evaded at the last minute and another flew up in the same tree allowing me a fantastic look. Also, seen in the trees around the grassy fields or coursing the fields themselves were 2 female and 1 male NORTHERN HARRIERS, several RED-TAILED HAWKS, and one ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK.

Light snow was falling in all over the region today. However, all the roads were bare and wet. Good birding!

Tim O'Brien
Cheney, WA
mailto: kertim7179 at yahoo dot com