Subject: [Tweeters] Conconully & Winthrop - 19 Feb 2009
Date: Feb 25 21:50:45 2009
From: Ryan Merrill - rmerrill27 at gmail.com


Apologies for the late report. In addition to the birds Joel reported
last week, Tom Aversa and I found the following birds of interest
around Conconully and Winthrop last Thursday, 2/19:

Sharp-tailed Grouse - 14 near Happy Hill Road at Scotch Creek WMA

Golden Eagle - 1 near Loup Loup Pass

Northern Pygmy-Owl - 1 heard in Conconully, 1 seen at Pearrygin Lake State Park

Pine Grosbeak - If anyone is looking for up close and personal
encounters with Pine Grosbeaks, Pearrygin Lake State Park may be the
place to go. The scores of birds found by Simone Lupson-Cook, Brendan
McGarry & Co back in mid-January were still present, totaling about 70
birds during our visit.

Purple Finch - 1 in Conconully. Female plumage. Crisp, dark
streaking on white breast and highly-contrasting facial pattern
suggests it may be of the eastern subspecies 'purpureus'

White-winged Crossbill - flock of 60 feeding noisily past Conconully
toward Salmon Meadows where the road is gated off. Heard a second,
smaller flock near there as well.

Evening Grosbeak - three near the WWCR, plus a dozen in Conconully


Some pictures are online here, including one of the Purple Finch:
www.flickr.com/photos/rjm284

Good birding,
Ryan Merrill
Kirkland, WA