Tweeters,

It has taken a few days to get the location, but Jeff Heinlen, WDFW
photographed a winter Ross's Gull at Palmer Lake in northern Okanogan County
on 15 December. This is a couple miles northwest of Loomis. This lake is
about 5 miles south of the Canadian border and west of Oroville on the
Loomis-Chopaka Rd. From Tonasket, one can take the Loomis-Tonasket Rd to
save driving all the way to Oroville. I obtained these photos on the 17th
but with no location mentioned. At that time, for all I knew, the pics could
have been from somebody's cousin in Nome, Alaska! Apparently the location
was not divulged as there were private property rights concerns. The bird
was still there on the 16th. Rumor has it, it may still be present.

There are public viewing spots on Palmer Lake. There is a BLM parking area
and vantage at the south end of the lake. This elevated vantage offers a
broad view of the south end of the lake. Several pullouts at the north end
of the lake give access to that area. From these sites, it is possible to
view the entire lake. There are a number of homes along the east shore, so
respect for private property should be exercised in that area, of course.

Andy Stepniewski
Wapato WA
steppie at nwinfo.net