Subject: [Tweeters] Waterville Plateau, Conconully,
Date: Jan 12 16:00:54 2014
From: George Gerdts - geopandion at gmail.com


Tweeters:

Mary Anne Rossing and I (George Gerdts) took advantage of a post-New Years
Day special at Campbell's Lodge at Lake Chelan and spent 3 days birding the
Waterville Plateau, Conconully, and the Okanogan Highlands. The complete
absence of snow on the plateau was a first for me in nearly 30 years of
winter birding in the area. Northern Harriers were more common there than
I can recall, and the presence of two Short-eared Owls was also likely due
to the absence of snow cover. Needless to say, finding any "chickens"
(Gray Partridge, Sharp-tailed Grouse, Chukar) was like searching for a
needle in the proverbial haystack: we didn't find any. The complete
absence of Pine Siskins was eerie. No falcons except Kestrels were seen.
Lots of Rough-legged and Red-tailed Hawks. The number of E. Collared-Doves
in Mansfield and Withrow is staggering (100s), considering just 10 years
ago they had just arrived!

Highlights:

*Suncadia at Cle Elum*:
White-headed Woodpecker: pair at corner of Tipple Hill and Coal Mine Road
White-breasted and Pygmy Nuthatches: same as above

*Waterville Plateau*;
Bohemian Waxwings: 35 along SR 172 just south of Mansfield
Northern Shrike: 1 corner of McNeil Cyn. Rd and SR 172
Short-eared Owl 2 at int. of McNeil Cyn. and SR 172 at dusk
Rough-legged Hawk: 10, widespread

*Bridgeport Bar at Moe Rd*:
Redhead: *150*!
Canvasback 75

*Conconully*:
Clark's Nutcracker: 15
Golden Eagle: 1 over Happy Hills Rd
Northern Pygmy-Owl: 1 at int. of Happy Hills and Salmon Cr.
Red Crossbill: 2 first-year birds in town
Canyon Wren: 2 along Riverside Cutoff, also a *Bewick's Wren* there!
Bohemian Waxwing: 50 on Riverside Cutoff just before US 97

*Okanogan Highlands*:
Northern Pygmy-Owl: 1 along Mary Anne Creek Road
Am. Dipper: 1 standing on the ice along Mary Anne Cr. Rd.
*Snow Bunting*: *1500* in a huge swarm sitting on the power lines and in
the fields along the Havillah Rd just south of the ski area
Lapland Longspur: 5 in with Horned Larks in the same flock at the Snow
Buntings
Great Horned Owl 1 on telephone pole along Havillah Rd
Long-eared Owl 1 on telephone pole along Havillah Rd

Happy New Year and Good Birding,
George Gerdts
Bainbridge Island, WA
206-842-8138
geopandion at gmail.com
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