Twets:
Birding the Okanogan for a few days. Except for BOREAL CHICKADEES a mile
below Long Swamp along FR 39, nothing particularly noteable was observed.
Today at 11:00am I decided to walk to the Iron Gate trailhead from FR 39,
and then walk up the trail a mile or so if I had any steam left. My hope
was to observe the woodpeckers and sapsuckers Stefan Schlick saw in this
area. Very glad I decided to walk instead of drive to the trailhead. At
approx. .2 miles from FR 39, at a point where there is a large overgrown
clearing, I observed a male INDIGO BUNTING perched near the top of a dead,
leafless tree. Although looking almost directly into the sun, I was able
to see the bird well enough to make a positive ID. However, my brand new
camera (nope, haven't yet read the owner's manual) was not so forgiving of
the terrible lighting. To say my pics turned out marginal would be a gross
overstatement. Hopefully I can do something with my editor.

I left a small cairn on the left side of the road at the point from which
I observed the bird.

Don't hesitate to get back to me with any Q's. Call if you like, but I
will be out of cell range much of the time: 253-720-9675.

Good birding, Mike

--
Mike Marsh
Tacoma, WA
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