Subject: [Tweeters] 6/27 birding - Little Pend Oreille to Metaline Falls
Date: Jul 5 12:01:16 2011
From: Tim Brennan - tsbrennan at hotmail.com



Hey Tweets,

Day three of my big swing around the state, and I decided to get an early start into Pend Oreille County to make a run at 100 species in the county before leaving on the 28th. I had a great start at Big Meadow Lake, with 34 species, including Northern Waterthrush, three chickadees (not Boreal), and breeding Common Loons. Two hummingbird species in Ione, and a Mountain Bluebird right before reaching town.

I tried to go to Bunchgrass Meadows, but the road was washed out and barricaded. So I walked it. :) I was able to pick up 5-10 more species on the walk, including Olive-sided Flycatcher and Fox Sparrow. Good fortune came my way as a Stimson Lumber employee (up there checking out the road) gave me a ride back down a mile or two short of the meadows, which apparently are still pretty thick with snow.

I also tried going up as far as I could towards Salmo Pass (why not?), and walked far enough up past the end of the drivable road (a mile or two past Gypsy Meadows) to get Varied Thrushes singing (my favorite bird!). All of the swallows by the time I left Lake Sullivan, and 75 species before hanging it up for the night.

Happy birding!

Tim Brennan
Renton
www.39counties.blogspot.com