Ferry County is one of those that I haven't birded much. After visiting there this weekend, I will definitely make more time get up there more often! I planned my assault on the county from the south via the Keller Ferry on Friday night and worked my way north up to Republic and then over Sherman Pass on Saturday. Saturday night was spent in a crummy campground at Lake Ellen which is just south of West Kettle Falls. Sunday, I continued south to Inchelium and then up to Twin Lakes. Then I backtracked to Inchelium and left the county on the Gifford Ferry this late morning.
A few birds were still singing, but it was pretty quiet so I had my work cut out for me....and now the story! A thank you first to Matt Bartels for pointing me in the right direction.
On Friday night, after leaving the ferry, I drove up Silver Creek Road and stopped at a sharp corner just after milepost 3. There I was able to hear COMMON POORWILL calling from above somewhere. I camped further up the road and had no success with any owls probably due to a moderate wind blowing.
After a not-so comfy sleep in my truck, I headed back down to the Keller Ferry overlook on Saturday morning. I walked around and found the following notables here: ROCK WREN, LARK SPARROW, and a very boisterous family of WESTERN KINGBIRDS. I didn't find Matt's Brewer's Sparrow unfortunately.
I then drove the entire Swailla Basin Road and then looped back on Manila Creek Road. Swailla Basin Road (if I stayed on the correct path) after several miles turns into a dust bowl of a road. I was nervous in my truck about getting stuck, but I made it. If that part of the road gets wet, I would avoid it for sure. Anyway, there were great birds all along this route which included dry fields, patches of forest, a few riparian areas, and dust bowls. Within the first mile or so, I found GRAY FLYCATCHER, SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, more LARK SPARROWS, and LEWIS'S WOODPECKER. A bit farther down the road where the fields become somewhat grassy, I was able to hear and see several GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS. Then in three different riparian areas, I found at least separate YELLOW-BREASTED CHATS. One of these riparian areas also held a BEWICK'S WREN, HOUSE WREN, LAZULI BUNTING, and much more. Back in another open area, while watching a pair of SAY'S PHOEBES, I heard
and then spotted CHUKAR up on a high ridge. Also one spot with small rocky canyon produced a singing CANYON WREN and another ROCK WREN. Just before the dust bowl part of the road, I flushed a PRAIRIE FALCON off the rocks above the road.
As I exited onto Manila Creek Road, there is a nice little patch of wet forest that held PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER and SWAINSON'S THRUSH. At the top of a burned area along this road, I spotted a zooming COOPER'S HAWK, a flock of MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS, and some PYGMY NUTHATCHES. Closer to Highway 21, I had a very brave RUFFED GROUSE standing in the middle of the road as well.
My next major stop was at Bridge Creek Road. I worked the area around where the road crosses the Sanpoil River. Birds found here included SPOTTED SANDPIPER, WILLOW FLYCATCHER, RED-EYED VIREO, SWAINSON'S THRUSH, VEERY, GRAY CATBIRD, and COMMON YELLOWTHROAT.
At Gold Creek Road and Highway 21, I stopped just off the highway to scan the cliffs to the east. On Matt's tip, I found several WHITE-THROATED SWIFTS flying along the cliff face. BARN and VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS were working the field here also. Moving up Gold Creek Road, I stopped at the junction with West Sanpoil Road. I tried very hard for Waterthrush and Redstart here, but only managed to find RED-EYED AND WARBLING VIREO, YELLOW WARBLER, and a BLACK BEAR. I didn't see the bear until after I got back in my truck, but he was headed in my general direction quickly before I fired up the truck. I'm sure it was just curious about all that "pishing" going on.
Then I made my way up Highway 21 further north to Scatter Creek Road. This road leads to some very nice lakes including Swan Lake and Ferry Lake. At Swan Lake, a single COMMON LOON was patrolling the waters. Also here, were OSPREY, SORA, BELTED KINGFISHER, CASSIN'S VIREO, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, and a singing WILSON'S WARBLER. At Ferry Lake, another loon was present on this lake. At the boat launch, I had a VIRGINIA RAIL try to bite my toes after playing its call. Brave little beast! Also around the lake were SORA (again), HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER, GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET, and a very possible AMERICAN REDSTART, but I didn't get a good look and still have a hard time with that song so I'm not counting it.
At the Republic Sewage Treatment Ponds, there were a few ducks present including WOOD DUCK, LESSER SCAUP, COMMON GOLDENEYE, and a lone RUDDY DUCK. In the town of Republic, I picked up the elusive HOUSE SPARROW and at least two BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRDS.
I turned eastward at this point and headed over Sherman Pass on Highway 20. There was not much action at the top of the pass so I headed for Albian Hill Road. I drove all the way up to the Old Stage Trailhead which is about 8 miles up. As I climbed the birds got better as I went - YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, WESTERN TANAGER, MOUNTAIN CHICKADEE, PINE SISKIN, DARK-EYED JUNCO, HERMIT THRUSH, RED CROSSBILL, CHIPPING SPARROW, VARIED THRUSH - then after I passed the sign for U.S. Creek - singing RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET and FOX SPARROW. The road was busy with horses and other vehicles so I wasn't really expecting an appearance of a Spruce Grouse - perhaps next time.
It was getting late and I was struggling to find a decent campground that wasn't full. In my attempt, I decided to start heading south along the Columbia River. I drove into the Haag Cove Campground and was met by one of the most amazing sights. A field just before you drop down to the campground was full of COMMON NIGHTHAWKS catching insects. It was still light and it was a challenge to drive through and miss hitting one! WOW! Lots of swallows here too in which I added BANK SWALLOW to my list for the day.
I spent the night in my tent at the west Lake Ellen campground. In the morning, I exited the campground early and found on my way out - RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER, DUSKY FLYCATCHER, and WARBLING and CASSIN'S VIREO. On Lake Ellen itself, there were COMMON MERGANSERS and CANADA GEESE. Heading back down to the Inchelium Highway, I met a lone WILD TURKEY in the road.
On the way from Inchelium up to Twin Lakes, I stopped at Round Lake. This lake has a pow-wow grounds next to it, but the access looks ok if you walk in. I'm glad I did! Here were 4 BLACK TERNS with a couple being youngsters. Also, I found my first GREAT BLUE HERON and YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD of the trip. Four COMMON LOONS were here too and two of them looked like juveniles. I tried in vain to find a Marsh Wren, but no luck...
I ended the trip at Twin Lakes. I drove out past the resorts and along the east side of the south lake for a bit. On the lake itself, I found RING-NECKED DUCK, COMMON GOLDENEYE, COMMON MERGANSER, PIED-BILLED GREBE, and RED-NECKED GREBE. On my drive along the lake, there was big patch of aspen trees on the lake side and here I found a small mixed flock of GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS and CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEES.
By this time I was worn out - and headed home. I made a quick stop at Reardan and from the south side viewing area on Audubon Lakes, I could see the following shorebirds - KILLDEER, BLACK-NECKED STILT, LESSER YELLOWLEGS, LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, WILSON'S SNIPE, and WILSON'S PHALAROPE. There were a couple smaller shorebirds that wouldn't cooperate plus the heat haze was bad.
Good birding!
Tim O'Brien
Cheney, WA
mailto: kertim7179 at yahoo dot com