Subject: [Tweeters] Douglas Co. BUSHTITS and Okanogan Co. BARN OWL
Date: Mar 2 07:13:47 2010
From: Khanh Tran - fsprucegrouse at yahoo.com


Hi Tweets!

This past weekend, Tom Mansfield and I birded a day and half for some county birds in Okanogan and Douglas Co. Roads were a bit dicey in the Okanogan Highlands due to rain and warm temperature so we aborted our attempts for owls at dusk. It was a whirlwind trip but we had fun and found some good birds.

The big highlight was Tom finding a small flock of BUSHTITS near MP 10 near Brewster for a Douglas county FIRST! Another fun moment was seeing a SHORT EARED OWL hunt against a full moon near Conconully. Getting a BARN OWL for Okanogan Co was also a treat-- a rather tough bird to find.

Some Evening Grosbeaks finally! In the last several weeks, I noted that some of the Common Redpolls and Snow Buntings have molted into fine breeding plumage with the warmer temperatures and increased lighting. Some of the male redpolls were quite rosy and snow buntings, strikingly crisp with their black and white attire.

***********Here are the SPECIES of interest*********************

SHORT EARED OWL- Two birds; one near Conconully at dusk and another in Hertiage Rd thicket.

BARN OWL- One bird near Conconully.

CACKLING GOOSE- Two birds along Cameron Lake Rd near Dudley Lake.

EURASIAN WIDGEON- A drake near Monse Bridge Rd.

TRUMPETER SWAN- A dozen birds along Cameron Lake Rd near Dudley Lake

LONG TAILED DUCK- Male still persist along MP 10 in Brewster. Hanging out with some Horned Grebes.

PACIFIC LOON- A couple birds along Hwy 97 and Hwy 17 intesection

GRAY PATRIDGE- A convey of 5 birds along Torodo Creek Rd near Chesaw.

BEWICKS WREN - Persistent singing male along Central Ferry Road

SAY'S PHOEBE -A FOY bird near Conconully.

BUSHTITS- A dozen or so birds along MP 10 near Brewster.

AMERICAN DIPPER- A perky bird near Beaver Lake along Torado Creek Rd.

LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE- Two birds. One along Cameron Lake Rd and another one about 2 miles east of Mansfield. Eagle Eye Tom spotted one in distance coupled with fog!

BOHEMIAN WAXWING- A small flock of 15 birds near Moe Rd intersection

AMERICAN TREE SPARROW- Two or three birds in Heritage tree copse

EVENING GROSBEAK- Sizable flock swirling in Conconully. Noticeably absent this winter.

COMMON REDPOLL- A flock of 200-300 birds along Chesaw and Nealey Rd intersection

SNOW BUNTING- Large flock of 200 birds along Nealey. Some in breeding plumage.

GRAY CROWNED ROSYFINCH- Small flock of 20 birds along road edge of Havillah Rd past the Church.

Good birding,

Khanh Tran
www.ktbirding.com