Hello Tweeters Community,


I spent a few, individual days in the past two weeks on the Waterville Plateau and Okanagan Highlands. These were my first visits to the area. Lonnnnng drive and worth it--absolutely beautiful. I had the pleasure of finding and spending time with the following species:


Horned Larks, 150+ (grit + 50 feet from car)
Northern Shrikes, 3 (A)
Loggerhead Shrike, 1 (J)


Golden Eagle (long, slow flyover- very different than Bald Eagle flight)

Bald Eagles, Many
Red-tail Hawks (many, esp. J's)

A. Kestrels, 3 M, 2 F
N. Saw-whet Owl, 1
G-H Owl, calls, pellets


White-headed Woodpeckers (M & F- flyover and stop & find)
Hairy Woodpeckers, 2 (M&F)
Downy Woodpeckers, 3
Pileated Woodpeckers, 3


Red-breasted Nuthatches, 7
White-breasted Nuthatch, 1


Common Redpolls, 65 (Possible 3 Hoary)-(Feeding on -----, Small blur- like large Bumblebee on stimulants- gave chase, likely a Northern Pygmy Owl)
Rough-legged Hawks, 9
Rough-legged Hawks- Dark Phase, 2 (Uniformly Dark brown- very striking birds)


COGO, AMCO, RI-BI Ducks, EAGR


Ravens- Many and always special to me
Stellar's Jays, 5

BB Magpies 15 (A very wary, beautiful bird- skeptical of photographers, like RT hawks, Ravens, Shrikes and humans)



Black Capped Chickade-de-de-des, many
Mountain Chickadees, 11
Mourning Doves, 5
Killdeer, 2


Snow Buntings 70+, Flying overhead, landing, repeat- many B&W, breeding plumage birds
Pine Grosbeaks 2 M, 4 F

G-C Rosy-finches, 23
Goldfinches 85+ (local: "unusual")


Wild Turkeys, 5 F, 2 M + additional 2 MSharp-tailed Grouse, 7(feeding on buds)
California Quail, 150- 200 (Impressive flock)
Ruffed Grouse, 6(feeding on buds)
Spruce Grouse, 3F(roosting in Fir tree with slow fade)

Sharp-tailed Grouse, 7(feeding on buds). Mid-day, accidental find, special- made my day.


Locations were consistent with previous reports of others and Tweeters posts.




Special notes:


Spotted Sandpiper heard, repeatedly- seemed early and way out of place, but this is a species I have spent much time observing and filming.
Swainson's Thrush- heard calling many times- seemed early and out of place. This is a species I have spent much time observing.
Red-winged BB moved into many territories last week- startling to me, locals said "at least two weeks early and usually coincides with Rosies moving on".
Many White-tailed deer. Loggers, selectively logging at H. Sno-Park, report White-tailed deer are attracted to logging sites for vegetation hanging from trees and usually out of reach-" will often chase trees that are being pulled, then eat the food".
I watched as an interesting group of birds flew from the US to Canada, across the road(35 feet).
Coyote running across open, rolling plains
Bobcat seen hunting along road, then a slow jog in front of me in car, post sunset.


Best regards,
Dan Reiff,
MI
"Dan Reiff, PhD" <notcalm at comcast.net>