Hey Tweets,
Our group had a really good trip up to the Waterville Plateau and Okanogan Highlands this weekend. One car-load went up on friday and birded towards Wenatchee, where the 2nd car met them on saturday morning and we headed up to the Waterville Plateau.
The bird numbers we typically low, but more than made up for in quality. but we worked hard for them!

In the 2nd car, we started the first morning well with a GOLDEN EAGLE chewing on a carcass next to the road just east of Swauk Prairie in Kittias county.


WATERVILLE PLATEAU
We joined the first car, and headed up to the foggy Waterville Plateau, where just west of Mansfield we picked thru a flock of HORNED LARKS and found 5 LAPLAND LONGSPURs.
Picked up several EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES in Mansfield.
Along Heritage, east of Mansfield, we found a brown-phase GYRFALCON, and 5 AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS.
We could not get into Bridgeport park due to the construction, but they thought we MIGHT be able to get in monday. From Tim's report, you know how well THAT went!
We ended the day at the Havillah Sno-Park, where we saw the AMERICAN 3-TOED WOODPECKER (possibly 2), heard several GREAT-HORNED OWLS, and some of us heard the GREAT GRAY OWL.

On Monday(Feb 15), after a day in the highlands (see below) we headed back to Bridgeport and the Waterville Plateau.
At Bridgeport bar, while waiting for the fog to break up on the plateau:
About 2000 AMERICAN COOTS, 300 REDHEAD, CANADA and CACKLING GOOSE, 3 COMMON LOON, many HORNED GREBE, at least 4 EARED GREBE, and about 40 RUDDY DUCK.

Along Central Ferry Canyon we picked up some PYGMY NUTHATCHES and AMERICAN GOLDFINCH.

Up above Central Ferry, on the way to Mansfield -
NORTHERN SHRIKE in a couple of places, and about 300 SNOW BUNTINGS. These guys put on a LOVELY display for us. periodically flying all around us, and swirling overhead, just to drop back down into a stubble field and entirely disappear! Only to fly up again minutes later! Wonderful!
One or two peeked up above the furrows long enough for good scope views and a few pictures.
Later we picked up many more ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS, and a GOLDEN EAGLE on Gallagher road.
Just east of Mansfield we picked up a PRAIRIE FALCON, and then a 2nd one just west of Winthrow.


OKANOGAN HIGHLANDS, Feb 14
4 GRAY JAY along Hungry Hollow road
Along Grange road, 2 CLARK'S NUTCRACKERS, 3 GRAY-CROWNED ROSY-FINCH at a feeder, and various sightings of ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, MOUNTAIN CHICKADEE, AMERICAN GOLDFINCH, etc.

Just past Chesaw on Tabardo creek road, we found a flock of about 100 COMMON REDPOLL, and after much sifting thru, identified one HOARY REDPOLL.
After a quick coffee stop in Chesaw, we continued up Bolster Creek road, and found either the same group of COMMON REDPOLLs that had found more members, or another group of over 300 COMMON REDPOLLS. We teased out a 2nd HOARY REDPOLL from this group (was a different individual from the previous one, more reddish 'blush' on the chest).
One of the highlights of the trip, was when a Common Redpoll landed on Randy's hat. While he was wearing it, I might add !!!

On the way back to Chesaw, at the start of Bolster, we had great looks at 11 GRAY PARTRIDGE.
Along Mary-Ann Creek Road, we located 7 SHARP-TAILED GROUSE, and about 20 PINE GROSBEAKS.

We again ended the evening at the Havillah Sno-park, where we heard probably 7-8 GREAT HORNED OWLS, and a BOREAL OWL !!
The Boreal Owl gave 2-3 'winnowing' calls, but did not respond later to tape.

The next morning, on the way south :
In Mallot, we saw EURASIAN COLLARED DOVE and a MERLIN.

At the Cameron Lake Road Overlook, we saw a LOT of ducks and Geese. CANADA GOOSE, CACKLING GOOSE, probably 60 CANVASBACK, REDHEAD, COMMON GOLDENEYE, COMMON MERGANSER, AMERICAN WIGEON, LESSER SCAUP, NORTHERN PINTAIL, RING-NECK DUCK, HOODED MERGANSER, and a single EURASIAN WIGEON.

Cameron Lake road was all fogged in, so we headed over to Bridgeport Bar for more waterfowl (see above).

Big misses for the weekend - Bohemian Waxwing, Northern Pygmy-Owl and Snowy Owl.

But a GREAT weekend, with many lifers, and great company. And we had a good time showing the Waterville Plateau and Okanogan highlands to 3 birders who had never been up there before.

Guy McWethy
Renton, WA
mailto: lguy_mcw at yahoo.com