Dear Tweeters,

Over Super Bowl Weekend (February 4-5, 2012), I was one of a party of four birders from Skagit and Whatcom Counties who enjoyed fine weather and good birding on the Okanogan Highlands, with side trips to nearby locales. Josh Parrott, Dick Abbott, Mitch Blanton and I found just over seventy species over two days. Here are highlights.

Red-necked Grebe, one at Chief Joseph Dam.

Hooded Merganser, 3 at Pateros.

Green-winged Teal, 4 flew by us at Bridgeport Bar, as we chatted with Meredith Spencer and Richard Hendrick on Sunday.

Golden Eagle, 1 adult male (seemed small to me) just outside of Chesaw, one immature on Havillah Road the same day, and an adult perched on the ridge to the left as we drove toward Conconully on Sunday morn.

Bald Eagle, a few here and there, including two attending some cattle, perhaps waiting for calves to be born, on Hungry Hollow Road.

Sharp-tailed Grouse, 31 or more feeding on buds alongside road to Conconully.

Wild Turkey, heard only on Havillah Road, where a local hunter told us they were wild turkeys and not domesticated.

Grey Partridge, 22 on Cameron Lakes Road.

Ruffed Grouse, several on Mary Anne Creek Road and on Cameron Lakes Road.

Great Horned Owl, several heard at Highlands Snow Park, one seen just east of Tonasket, several others I think heard on the highlands, if memory serves.

Northern Pygmy Owl, one near the junction of Mary Anne Creek Road and Poland-China Road.

Great Grey Owl, NONE DETECTED, despite visits on two nights and several hours of walking, driving, spotlighting, and hoping. I guess that makes this a lowlight rather than a highlight, and gives us a reason to go back next year.

Horned Lark, well over 200 on Cameron Lakes Road, and a smaller flock on Hungry Hollow Road.

Nuthatches, three species together on Cameron Lakes Road.

Northern Shrike, a few here and there, mainly on Cameron Lakes Road.

Waxwing species, one silent flock flew by fast on Toroda Creek Road.

American Tree Sparrow, 11 on Mary Anne Creek Road near Poland-China Road, also two or three on Cameron Lakes Road.

Grey-crowned Rosy Finch, at least 12 at a house with feeders, a roofless large greenhouse, and peafowl, on Nealey Road.

American Goldfinch, one at the same place as the Rosy finches.

Red Crossbill, several giving good looks on Cameron Lakes Road, including a pair, of which the male was singing a song that sounded like "Shih-tsu, Shih-tsu, Shih-tsu," which I was happy to report later to my own dog of that breed.

Common Redpoll, at least 40 in Chesaw, 15 on Lost Lake Road, and 40 on Havillah Road.

Quite a few coyotes were seen during this trip, but very few other mammals. We did get to look at a beaver carcass being used as bait by a bobcat trapper, with whom we had an interesting palaver.

Yours truly,

Gary Bletsch

Gary Bletsch?Near Lyman, Washington (Skagit County), USA?garybletsch at yahoo.com?"Nun," sagte ich, "wenn ich ein Taugenichts bin, so ist's gut, so will ich in die Welt gehen, und mein Glueck machen." Und eigentlich war mir das recht lieb, denn es war mir kurz vorher selber eingefallen, auf Reisen zu gehen, da ich die Goldammer, welche im Herbst und Winter immer betruebt an unserm Fenster sang: "Bauer, miet' mich, Bauer, miet' mich!" nun in der schoenen Fruehlingszeit wieder ganz stolz und lustig vom Baume rufen hoerte: "Bauer, behalt' deinen Dienst!"