Subject: [Tweeters] Spring Birding in the Okanogan
Date: May 3 16:38:15 2010
From: Khanh Tran - fsprucegrouse at yahoo.com


Hi Tweets!

Well, didn't feel like spring with light flurries in the Highlands but had a fun time. I was out visiting friends and birded mostly Okanogan County. Not a lot of neotropical migrants yet but a few special birds . An interesting mixture of a few shorebirds, lingering winter birds, and first of season goodies.

Spent time mostly on Cameron Lake Road, Conconully, Okanogan Highlands and a bit near Jameson's Lake. As always, you can never have a bad time in the Magical Okanogan. So much to see, learn, and appreciate.

Highlights include: Seeing some of the grebe species in full breeding plumage is always a treat. A gorgeous pair of WHITE HEADED WOODPECKERS put on a good show and feed about 5 feet from eye level. GREAT GRAY OWLS (AKA Mr. Bowtie) were out in full force hunting with one bird about 3 feet from the road. One of my favorite sparrows, GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS were back in decent numbers, emitting their barely, audible low buzzy songs against the windy, austere setting of the Timentwa Flats.

Will post videos later as time permits.

**********************SPECIES SEEN********************************

2 Red necked Grebe-Molson Lake
5 Horned Grebe-Soap Lake and Duley Lake
1 Eared grebe-Pateros Lake
2 Blue winged Teal-Mary Ann Creek Rd
4 Cinnamon Teal-Okanogan Highlands and Cameron Lake Rd
50 Redheads-numerous location
100 Ruddy Ducks- a conservative number on Highlands and Cameron Lake Rd
4 Barrow's Goldeneyes-Okanogan Highlands small ponds
2 Swainson's Hawk-Havillah Rd
1 FERRUGINOUS HAWK- soaring above cliffs of Jameson's Lake in Douglas Co
1 Rough legged Hawk-a late bird in the Highlands
1 PRAIRIE FALCON-Conconully, Scotch Creek Wildlife
3 Chukar--Riverside Cut-off Rd
2 GRAY PARTRIDGE-Town of Okanogan coming down off Conconully Rd
1 Ruffed Grouse- one bird feeding on buds on Mary Ann Creek Rd
4 Dusky Grouse-Mary Ann Creek, Nealey Rd, and Central Ferry Rd
30 SHARP TAILED GROUSE
2 Semipalmated Plover-Cameron Lake Rd
5 American Avocet-Cameron Lake Rd
4 Lesser Yellowleg-Cameron Lake Rd
2 SOLITARY SANDPIPER-Cameron Lake Rd and Beth Lake
4 Long billed Curlew-Havillah Rd and Soap Lake Rd
20 Least Sandpiper-Cameron Lake Rd
3 BAIRD'S SANDPIPER-Cook Lake on Cameron Lake Rd
5 Long billed Dowitcher-Molson Lake
2 BONAPARTE's GULL-Little Soap Lake
5 Great Horned Owl-Cameron Lake Rd and Highlands
1 NORTHERN PYGMY OWL-Happy Hill Rd (heard only)

3 GREAT GRAY OWL-Okanogan Highlands all birds seen outside of SnoPark. Lots of suitable habitat for them up there. I surveyed about 9 different locations in the last year not counting the stake out SnoPark location.

1 Long eared Owl-Mary Ann Creek Rd
1 Common Poorwill-Fish Lake Rd
3 White throated Swift-near Loomis
3 Lewis Woodpecker- near Loomis
2 WILLIAMSON'S SAPSUCKER-Okanogan Highlands
5 Red Naped Sapsucker-Cameron Lake Rd and Highlands
4 WHITE HEADED WOODPECKER-Cameron Lake Rd
2 AMERICAN 3 TOE WOODPECKER-SnoPark in Highlands
1 BLACK BACKED WOODPECKER-SnoPark in Highlands
3 Pileated Woodpecker- SnoPark and Sitzmark in Highlands
1 Western Wood Pewee-near Pateros Lake
3 GRAY FLYCATCHER-several vocal birds along Cameron Lake Rd
5 Dusky Flycatcher-Cameron Lake Rd and Okanogan Highlands
5 Western Kingbirds-several locations
4 LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE- Soap Lake Rd, Cameron Lake Rd and Conconully
1 Cassin's Vireo-Okanogan Highlands
300 American Pipits-impressive flock on Snyder Rd near Cameron Lake Rd
1 CANYON WREN-Riverside Cutoff Rd
2 Rock Wren-Cameron Lake Rd
8 Townsend's Solitaire-Okanogan Highlands near Sitzmark and SnoPark
60 Brewster and Vesper Sparrow-numerous
3 Sage Sparrow-Jameson's Lake Rd near Mansfield
1 Lark Sparrow-Cameron Lake Rd
6 GRASSHOPPER SPARROW-Cameron Lake Rd
50 Evening Grosbeak-Conconully and Okanogan Highlands
1 Lazuli Bunting- Cameron Lake Rd
20 GRAY CROWNED ROSYFINCH- a small flock still persist along Davies Rd
12 Cassin's Finch-Okanogan Highlands and Cameron Lake Rd

Good birding,

Khanh Tran
www.ktbirding.com