On Thursday I arrived in Tonasket around mid-day, after spotting while
driving what appeared to be PRAIRIE FALCON (the bird was flying and
disappeared before I could stop and take a closer look) near Wenatchee.
Between Omak and Tonasket were the usual AMERICAN KESTREL and the BALD
EAGLES that always appear around the same spot just north of where a major
power line crosses the highway. The weather was overcast as I headed out
Tonasket-Havillah Rd. The area was not birdy compared to prior visits-only
a few RAVENS to be seen. A large flock of SNOW BUNTINGS was flying near
Fields Road at the NW end of Mary Ann Creek Rd. On Bolster Rd were a
BLACK-BILLED MAGPIE and a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK. At Highland Meadows on Nealey
Road, the feeder had three GRAY CROWNED ROSY FINCHES, and half a dozen
MOUNTAIN CHICKADEES, along with the usual HOUSE FINCHES. At Highland
Sno-Park there was over a foot of snow on the ground--I did not see any
birds at all, although I heard RAVENS. I trolled the area at dusk looking
for a gray owl, with no luck. Just after dark I left the Sno-Park, turning
back toward Tonasket. About a quarter mile down the road, a large pale gray
shape sailed over the front of my car in the headlight glare. While I like
to think it was the gray owl I had been looking for (I have read that they
are attracted to headlights), I saw no field marks.



Friday was partly sunny. I headed out at sunrise, checking every possible
perch for pygmy owls, but did not come with any. Mary Ann Creek Road was
again mostly deserted. I did see a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK not long after turning
off Chesaw Road and later four SHARP-TAILED GROUSE in the tops of the
whip-like vegetation in the creek bottom SE of the Poland China Road turn
off. I am not sure how such large birds can support themselves on such
narrow sticks. I once again passed Highland Meadow. This time the Rosy
Finches were absent, but HOUSE FINCHES, MOUNTAIN CHICKADEES, a CALIFORNIA
QUAIL, a CLARK'S NUTCRACKER, and A HAIRY WOODPECKER surrounded the feeders.
Just beyond Havillah on Tonasket-Havillah Road was a flock of more than one
SNOW BUNTINGS where I had seen a much smaller flock on a prior visit.
These were perched in long rows along the power lines. They are very
difficult to get close to, flushing at quite a distance when approached in
the car. I made a stealthy approach and managed to get a reasonable photo
with a 300-mm lens. Again there were only raven sounds at Highland
Sno-Park.



At Bridgeport SP I applied my rudimentary owling skills and managed to
locate the NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL, a life bird, after a bit of a search.
This bird, cute as a child's cuddly toy, appeared to be squinting down at
me, and did not open his eyes. Also present were NORTHERN FLICKERS.



Hitting even a fraction of the usual birding spots in North Central
Washington involves covering large distances. Even without Conconully or
Winthrop I put on enough miles in two days for a one-way drive to San
Francisco. This trip was noteworthy for the large presence of Snow
Buntings, but also for the low number of birds in general relative to prior
visits. I saw no Northern Shrikes, Bohemian Waxwings, Redpolls, nor any
owls other than the one mentioned. Even so it was a good birding week with
two life birds, the other being a Cassin's Kingbird in San Diego on Sunday.



Marvin S. Hoekstra

Sammamish, WA

marvin dot hoekstra at verizon dot net