On Tuesday (November 15, 2011), Kim Thorburn, Lindell Haggin, and I ventured up into the mountains north of Colville (in the area of Gillette Ridge and Uncle Sam Mountain) to check out a forestry report of Great Gray Owls that had been reported a couple of weeks earlier. With 5-6" of snow on the ground, and the rather steep inclines, I quickly found myself feeling overdressed and overheated. After stripping down to my thermal undershirt and insulated vest, I managed to avoid the prospect of heat stroke and frostbite all on the same day!

While birding was typically slow at this season and altitude, we flushed an unseen grouse, ran into several flocks of BLACK-CAPPED & MOUNTAIN CHICKADEEs, GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETs, RAVENs, PINE SISKIN, a few scattered PINE GROSBEAKs. Unfortunately, we dipped on the Great Gray Owl. Our best bird of the day was encountered when we crossed the alder-lined North Fork of Clugston Creek. It was here that we were quite pleased to find four confiding COMMON REDPOLLs.

Mammals of the day included both Mule Deer and White-tailed Deer that were sharing the same rocky draw on the flank of Uncle Sam Mountain. and several Red Squirrels. ?Our last notable sighting occurred on ?our return drive on Hwy. 395 south of Colville. ?In the waning light, we saw GREAT HORNED OWL on a power pole.

Gina Sheridan
Spokane, WA