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-----Original Message-----
From: washingtonbirder.Knittle
Sent: 1/3/2010 7:00:21 PM
To: TWEETERS , INLAND NW BIRDERS
Subject: [inland-NW-birders] eastern washington birding
Tom Mansfield and I spent the last two days of 2009 birding Northern Grant County, Lincoln County and Stevens County. And then I did some birding along the Snake River near Clarkston. High-lites are included below.

Dec. 30 we birded our way north on the Hartline Road hoping for winter birds such as Gyrfalcon and Rosy-Finches. Shortly after day break we found the fog hugging the ground and we couldn't see more than one telephone pole at a time. Needless to say the birds were flying before we could see them. Rough-legged Hawk was the only bird seen.

Dropping down into Grand Coulee we headed south for Red-breasted Mergansers. We found them a few miles south of Steamboat Rock State Park entrance along with lots of goldeneyes, and Hooded and Common Mergansers. A quick stop at Northrup Canyon we found lots of fresh Wild Turkey tracks in the fresh snow, but we could not locate them. Another quick stop in Electric City revealed 3-400 Bohemian Waxwings with a few Cedars scattered in with them.

In Creston we stopped to check the cemetery and found a 1 White-winged Crossbill (tough in Lincoln County) feeding on Spruce cones. The Spruce tree it was in was the most southeastern evergreen in the cemetery. We found the bird first by noting cones falling from the tree not even seeing the crossbill right away. A Prairie Falcon was sitting on top of the grain elevator as we were leaving Creston.

Dec. 31 we stopped not long after day-break along Hwy 231 north of Ford where there were small fields on both side of the hwy. A dozen or so Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches flew in circles first before heading north. There was just a skiff of snow everywhere and they must have been looking for better eating conditions.

Valley Westside Road, across the valley from Colville, we had 2 Eurasian Collared-Doves and a Wild Turkey coming to a house with many feeders. Along Spanish Prairie Road we noted a thousand or more Rock Pigeons feeding with beef cattle out in the field. It just seemed unusual to see so many. At Meyers Falls south of Kettle Falls we stopped for the American Dipper, which spends the winters there. Tim Durnell still has the Lesser Goldfinch at his feeder, but we missed it that afternoon. We spent about an hour looking.

We spent lots of time looking for Bohemian Waxwings in lots of towns in Lincoln and Stevens Cos., but could not find any except for the Electric City flock.

Jan. 1 Tom headed for home and Laurie and I headed south. Jan. 2 at Nisqually John Canyon along the Snake River in Whitman Co. I had at least two Lesser Goldfinches with American Goldfinches and Pine Siskins. Also a Peregrine Falcon flew high above working the cliff faces above me. Thanks to Terry Little for first finding them here. Tried for Mountain Quail at Asotin Creek Wildlife Management Area, but didn't know just where to look, so missed them.



In Clarkston 4 blocks south of the post office, which you pass like one was going to Asotin (I first saw one fly and then the second sitting high in a tree) 2 Eurasian Collared-Doves.



Ken Knittle
Vancouver WA 98665
mailto:washingtonbirder at hotmail.com
Washington Birder online
http://www.wabirder.com/