Mike Fleming and I just returned from a great 3-day trip to Okanogan and Douglas Co. There were many highlights:

Gyrfalcon (1 along Cameron Lake Rd on 12/24)
American Tree Sparrow (1 at Moe & Grange feeder, Bridgeport Bar, 12/24)
Bohemian Waxwing (Bridgeport Bar & Lower Central Ferry Canyon on 12/24, Nealy & Hungry Hollow Rd in the Highlands on 12/25, Conconully on 12/26)
Snow Bunting (~20 along Cameron Lake Rd on 12/24, 1 near Havillah & Fancher Rd in the Highlands on 12/25, NONE on Waterville Plateau on 12/26)
Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (both forms at Hungry Hollow Rd and Nealy Rd feeders in the Highlands, 12/25)
Northern Goshawk (1 adult along Nealy Rd near Bartroff-Cutoff Rd in the Highlands on 12/25)
Lapland Longspur (2 in a flock of 750 Horned Larks near Havillah & Fancher Rd in "lower" Highlands on 12/25)
Pine Grosbeak (20 in one big flock along Mary Ann Creek Rd in the Highlands on 12/25)
Snowy Owl (1 at Rd 15 & Rd G northeast of Mansfield on Waterville Plateau on 12/26)
Gray Partridge (10 near Molson in the Highlands on 12/25, 6 near Rd 15 & Rd G northeast of Mansfield and 13 near 172 & 2 on Waterville Plateau on 12/26)
Sharp-tailed Grouse (5 at Conconully & Happy Hill Rd on 12/26)
Northern Pygmy-Owl (2 along Hungry Hollow Rd and 1 along Dry Gulch Rd in Highlands, 12/25)
Northern Sawwhet-Owl (1 at its usual location at Bridgeport State Park, 12/24)
Red Crossbill (a few in Conconully only on 12/26)
Prairie Falcon (1 near Lamoine, another near 172 & G Rd on Waterville Plateau on 12/26)

We could not find any redpolls anywhere this time and Snow Buntings were generally scarce. The high snow level seemed to have driven the Gray Partridges out into the open; it was fun to actually get great looks of these birds. Another really neat experience was the adult Goshawk who decided that he wanted to fly right over our car. If I had just gotten my camera ready in time ... We dipped on the Chesaw Kingfisher, but had one already tucked-in bird in an aspen grove along Swanson Mill Rd east of Havillah.

In the mammal department, a Porcupine was curled up in a water birch along Mary Ann Creek Rd.

Thanks to Meredith Spencer for her foolproof tips and Andy and Ellen Stepniewski for a great Xmas dinner at the Breadline Cafe and even more excellent recommendations. I dicovered that the China Star in Omak (the only restaurant that seemed to be open on Xmas Day other than the casino) should still be avoided.

Stefan Schlick
Hillsboro, OR