Hi all,

There are no tricks or secret, you just get LUCKY!!:)

For 3.5 day trip (Feb.27 to Mar 2) to Northcentral WA, I was hoping to just kick back and focus on getting photos. Well, unfortunately I didn't do too well getting quality photos but the birding was quite AWESOME. I was plesantly surprised to see these lovely and amazing birds in Okanogan and Douglas Co. this weekend and thought my report would be short.

I would have never dreamed of seeing 9 species of owls in one trip and seeing almost all of the target wintering species except for Lapland Longspur!

I fortuitously ran into Mike Marsh (now an official Tweets) and he joined me for part of the trip. Please give Mike a warm Tweeters welcome. I am sure he will dig up some rarities in WA. He is one of kindest, most positive birders around and was a great cataylst for inspiring me to bird again after a ten year break. He will be greatly missed in OBOLand.

While I am at it, I would like to publicly acknowledge some kind birders and individuals who contributed to my success over the the years.

Many thanks to all who have posted but especially to MEREDITH SPENCER for keeping us informed with the Douglas Co. 'Hot Birds'.

As always I wanted to knowledge and thank ANDY STEPNIEWSKI for writing such a FINE and WONDERFUL piece on the Okanogan and Douglas Co in the WA Birder's Guide. Indeed, an outstanding contribution for all birders from around the world!!!

Lastly, thanks to RUTH and PATRICK SULLIVAN for their invaluable trip and photo reports over the years. Generating trip reports takes quite a bit of time. You are a great influence to me and thanks for all your support. I have noticed a LACK of good rarities found since Patrick's death.

Here is my trip report..

****************SPECIES SEEN (Okanogan and Douglas. CO)***************

YELLOW BILLED LOON: Bird was seen on 2/27 on pull out that veers to the left once you enter Murphy Rd from Chief Joseph Dam (Bridgeport, WA). It was not associating with the Common Loons.

LONG TAILED DUCK: One female along Hwy 97 around MP 139 not far from Orondo, WA Hwy 2 and Hwy 97 intersection.

NORTHERN HAWK OWL: Magnificent bird was seen on 2/27 and 3/2 at B NE and 15th near Mansfield, WA.

SNOWY OWL: One striking bird seen about 500 yards from H NE and 14th in Mansfield, WA. Bird seen on 2/27.

GREAT GRAY OWL; Thanks to a pair of mobbing ravens, I located a distant bird near dusk on Pontiac Ridge Rd. Such elusive birds and I had to work to find one! I have yet to find one in the staked-out Sno-Park! All 4 birds birds this winter have been found elsewhere in the Highlands.

GREAT HORNED OWL; (6 birds total). Three birds in Mansfield, including a GIGANTIC, dark colored bird. Three birds in Okanogan Highlands.

BARRED OWL; One vocal bird at Havillah Sno-Park in early morning.

LONG EARED OWL; (2 birds). One bird located near Happy Hill Rd near Conconully, WA and one at seen dusk on Davies Rd near Chesaw, WA.

SHORT EARED OWL; (3 birds). I flushed three birds near the ground and at the base of some aspen trees on Mary Ann Creek Rd while getting out to urinate.

NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL; (3 birds). One seen at Bridgeport State Park, a fleeting shadow of one at Havillah Sno-Park, and one heard on Mary Ann Creek Rd in the Okanogan Highlands.

NORTHERN PYGMY OWL: (12 birds). All were visuals and no playbacks were needed!! Three birds near Twisp and Winthop, WA along Lake Patterson Rd, Loup Loup Pass, and Hwy 20 near Twisp.

Eight birds in Okanogan Highlands on Bolster, Bartroff, Davies, Havillah, Chesaw, Toroda Creek, and Hungry Hollow Rd. Remaining bird in Conconully, WA near Liar's Cove area.

One pymgy on Havillah RD seen hunting at eye level. While photographing the subject, the bird took off about 30 yards and postioned himself across an abandoned school bus. Within the 3 minute period, the owl kept darting and banging itself at the bus's window back and forth. I didn't realize what was going on until I saw a mouse scurrying from inside the window! It's target was frantically moving along the window blinds. Amazing hearing or vision from the pygmy owl to detect the prey from 150-175 feet away!

I got to see a pygmy owl hack a pellet at eye level on Bartoff Rd. Way cool, my first observation!

GYRFALCON; (2 birds in two locations). After subsequent failures, re-found the one gray adult near Hwy 172 and G NE in Mansfield. Perhaps, the same bird discovered by Gina and Michael W.

I located a new, dark morphed adult in Conconully, WA. perched on a rock along Hess Lake Rd.

NORTHERN GOSHAWK; (3 birds). Crippling looks of an adult sitting on a barn on Havillah Rd, immature was seen on Nealy Rd, and another adult on Central Ferry Rd near Bridgeport, WA.

PRAIRIE FALCON: One bird on Fletcher Rd near Okanogan, WA.

MERLIN: (2 birds). One along Hwy 17 and Hwy 97 near Monse, WA flushing a flock of 1000 plus Bohemian Waxwings. Another one on Hwy 20 near Okanogan, WA.

GOLDEN EAGLE: One magnificent adult near Riverside Cutoff.

ROUGH LEGGED HAWK; (30 birds roughly). About 6 birds in Okanogan Highlands and 2 dozen birds on the Waterville Plateau. Perhaps, with more ground cover exposed the birds have resurged their presence.

EURASIAN COLLARED DOVES; (36 birds in several locations). STOP REPORTING THEM!! Anyhow, they were in Malott, Omak, Okanogan and Mansfield, WA.

SHARP TAILED GROUSE: (14 birds in 3 locations). A dozen birds in late afternoon on Happy Hill Rd. One bird on Mary Ann Creek Rd in Okanogan Highlands, and one at a new location along Hwy 20 at MP 179.5 (Very close to the main Hwy)

RUFFED GROUSE; (3 Birds). Three forging chickens on Chesaw Rd near Mary Ann Creek intersection.

GRAY PATRIDGE: (12 birds in 2 locations). A small flock of 9 birds along Mary Ann Creek Rd and 3 near Molson on Nine Mile Rd.

CHUKAR: (20 birds in 2 locations). A dozen birds on Riverside Cutoff Rd and roughly 8 on Fanchers Dam Rd near Tonasket.

PILEATED WOODPECKER; (2 birds). One male on Mary Ann Creek Rd and a female on Davies Rd in Okanogan Highlands. Always a treat to see!

BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS; (1200 birds in 2 locations). A large flock of 100 birds plus on Hwy 97 and Hwy 17 near Monse, WA. Flushed by a Merlin. Another flock of 200 birds on Hwy 20 near Okanogan, WA.

NORTHERN SHRIKE: (12 birds in several locations). Birds were strewn in Conconully, Winthrop, Bridgeport, and Mansfield locations.

AMERICAN TREE SPARROW; One bird on Mary Ann Creek Rd.

SNOW BUNTINGS; A flock of 50 birds near dusk on Dry Gulch Rd in Havillah, WA.

GRAY CROWNED ROSY FINCHES; (100 birds at 2 locations). One flock of 25 birds near Riverside Cutoff Rd near Omak and 75 birds on Nealy Rd.

PINE GROSBEAK; (85 birds at 2 location). A large flock of 75 birds on Mary Ann Creek Rd and 10 birds near town of Twisp, WA.

CASSIN'S FINCH. One pair on Nealy Rd in Okanogan Highlands.

WHITE WINGED CROSSBILLS: (16 birds in 2 locations). The flock of a dozen birds were feasing on cone laden conifers in the town of Conconully, WA.

A group of four birds were also in Mansfield on Railroad and Wilmot Rd.

COMMON REDPOLL: (125 birds). A group of 100 birds located on Chesaw Rd near Mary Ann Creek intersection. Smaller group of 40 birds on Bolster Rd.

HOARY REDPOLL: Mike Marsh and I located the possible HOARY that Ned McGarry and I had last weekend. This extremely pale bird was again associating with the same sized flock of Common Redpolls.

Both times, I got brief looks. Combined with what I saw last weekend with some of Mike's and Ned's observations, I am CONFIDENT that it was a male HOARY REDPOLL. This time, I got to see the stubby beak well enough and the clear rump was seen the weekend before. I have several experiences with these birds in the Yukon, BC and Alaska areas.

We tried in vain to get a photo with these jittery birds.

I noticed the Common Redpolls are looking much darker and streaker this time of year compared to in December; so finding a 'pale' bird to zone in is much easier.

Finally, what an OUTSTANDING winter and a memorable way to end the season. A great way to end on a high note! I can't wait for late spring!!!

LINK to my recent photos and hope you enjoy. Maddening to photograph avian subjects! Many are for documentation purposes.

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

All the BEST,

Khanh Tran (Portland, Oregon)