Subject: [Tweeters] WOS Winter Trip Sat. 2/17-2/19 to Okanogan Highlands and Waterville Plateau
Date: Thu Feb 22 09:42:08 PST 2018
From: Shep Thorp - shepthorp at gmail.com

Hi Tweets,

we had a wonderful winter trip to the Okanogan Highlands and Waterville
Plateau for the Washington Ornithological Society Annual Trip. We observed
75 species, saw many of our target species, and safely endured two days of
snow with chilly temperatures in the teens and twenties with a windy
Sunday, gusts up to 30 miles per hour.

Highlights included Snowy Owl, Gray Partridge, Black-backed Woodpecker,
Gray-crowned Rosie Finch, Northern Goshawk, Bohemian Waxwing, Pine
Grosbeak, Northern Pygmy Owl, Snow Bunting, and Sharp-tailed Grouse.

On our going over day, unofficial - Friday 2/16, many attendees picked up 1
or 2 SNOWY OWL, on H Road, NE of Mansfield, near 17th. I observed one on G
Rd near 15th during my scout in January. We were able relocate an owl on
Monday driving north on H Road on the east side of the road just before
17th for our entire group to enjoy. I saw LESSER GOLDFINCH and COMMON
REDPOLL, along with other expected species at the Sutherland home feeder in
Chelan.

On Saturday 2/17 the forecast for Omak, our base, was for rain and
temperatures in the 30's degrees Fahrenheit. The snow level was
approximately 2,000 ft, so I decided to go to the Okanogan Highlands to
bird in the snow over the rain. This paid off as we got to bird the day in
snow instead of rain.

Fancher Road and flats was quiet at 7am, although scout trips in January
reported good number of Chukar later in the morning, so perhaps we were too
early. I decided to drive up Siwash Creek Road which connects to Oberg and
Tonasket-Havillah Rd, because in January I observed 30 plus Sharp-tailed
Grouse feeding in Water Birch 2 miles up the road. Unfortunately we did
not observe the grouse, but had our first COMMON REDPOLL and ROUGH-LEGGED
HAWK.

On Havillah Rd, between Havillah and Nealy Rd, we had great views of GRAY
PARTRIDGE adjacent to a farm.

There is a new feeder on Nealy Rd, at a home on the south side of the road,
after the turn off from Havillah Rd and before Grange Rd, that was good for
CLARK'S NUTCRACKER and MOUNTAIN CHICKADEE. The Nealy Rd feeder at
Highlands Meadow (Nicki Girard's mothers home) was fairly active with a
single GRAY-CROWNED ROSY-FINCH, COMMON REDPOLL, and great looks at MOUNTAIN
CHICKADEE, BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, DOWNY WOODPECKER
and AMERICAN GOLDFINCH. I spoke to the owner and she has *not* seen
regular numbers of visiting Rosy-Finch. The Hungry-Hollow Rd feeder (Gary
Eagle's place and the Forge) was good for MOUNTAIN CHICKADEE and CALIFORNIA
QUAIL.

We headed back down to the Highlands Snow-Park in Havillah, and had great
looks at GRAY JAY and BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER. We also had nice looks at
GOLDEN EAGLE.

On Hungry-Hollow Rd between Grange Rd and Chesaw Rd we located a flock of
125 GRAY-CROWNED ROSY-FINCH (mostly Hepburn or gray cheeked coastal variety
with a few brown cheeked interior variety) that were perched on a power
line and feeding from disturbed ground near cattle at a ranch and
vegetation poking through the snow. I felt very fortunate to come across
this flock of birds.

By the time we arrived in Chesaw, our vehicles were encrusted in snow.
After some maintenance we checked out Bolster Rd which was good for
NORTHERN SHRIKE and RUFFED GROUSE. The cemetery was quiet, but on our way
out of town we located a immature NORTHERN GOSHAWK which put on a fabulous
show with great looks and photo's, and pointed the way to a flock of
BOHEMIAN WAXWING with a single PINE GROSBEAK in the mix.

Mary Ann Creek Road was quiet in the late afternoon. We did find our only
NORTHERN PYGMY OWL of the trip and had additional ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK.

Sunday 2/18 was forecast to be colder, temperatures in the twenties, with
snow and wind. We chose to bird Conconully, north Cameron Lake Rd, and hot
spots around Lake Pateros.

Sadly, no grouse for us at Scotch Creek Wildlife Area, but other birders
did see grouse on Monday. We did have a wonderful walk up and down Happy
Hill Road with GREAT HORNED OWL x 2 in the Water Birch. And GOLDEN EAGLE,
ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, and NORTHERN GOSHAWK actively hunting the area. Many
COMMON RAVEN were soaring around and hunting small mammals from the hill
side, possibly voles. Conconully's feeders were good for RED-BREASTED
NUTHATCH, PYGMY NUTHATCH, WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH, DARK-EYED JUNCO (Oregon
and Cassiar variety), and VARIED THRUSH. We dipped on Townsend's Solitaire
and Red Crossbill.

By the time we got to north Cameron Lake Rd, the wind was howling with snow
obscuring visibility, and snow drifts crossed the road making driving
difficult. Birding from the cars, we did get very nice looks at good
numbers of SNOW BUNTING and HORNED LARK, especially at the ranch on Timentwa
Rd. Coming off the plateau and meandering through protected sagebrush and
pine, we did find a nice flock of 100 plus COMMON REDPOLL foraging in sage
and a GOLDEN EAGLE perched in a pine.

At Bridgeport State Park, we found 4 NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL roosting in
conifers, we were careful not to disturb as it appears they have had many
visitors with all the foot prints in the snow.

Washburn Island gave us three falcons, AMERICAN KESTREL, MERLIN and
PEREGRINE FALCON. We also had nice looks at COMMON LOON, HOODED MERGANSER,
HORNED GREBE, BUFFLEHEAD, COMMON GOLDENEYE, SCAUP, NORTHERN HARRIER and
WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW.

Monday was our best weather day with clear sunny skies and cold
temperatures in the teens. We started the day with nice looks of
approximately 15 SHARP-TAILED GROUSE at West Foster Creek Wildlife Area on
Bridgeport Hill. As I mentioned, we relocated a SNOWY OWL on H Rd, NE of
Mansfield, near 17th Rd, which was an exciting time for our group. We
observed additional SNOW BUNTING. We checked the thicket at the abandoned
farm on Heritage Rd hoping to relocate 20 plus American Tree Sparrow that I
had seen there on my scout trip in January. No sparrows, but we did
inadvertently flush a LONG-EARED OWL.

Division Road south of the connection with Central Ferry Canyon Road, was
good for additional GRAY PARTRIDGE, GREAT HORNED OWL and RED-TAILED HAWK.
Looking for Horned Lark flocks on F Rd north of 8th or Spraurer, we came
across a beautiful PRAIRIE FALCON which flushed up large flocks of HORNED
LARK and SNOW BUNTING foraging in the canola fields beyond our line of
sight.

The Lamoine Windbreak was quiet for us with three COMMON REDPOLL and one
RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH. I did stop by Calliope Crossing, the Graevell's
home feeders, and observed additional Mountain Chickadee and Clark's
Nutcracker on Badger Mountain on my way home.

All in all a pretty nice winter trip with many special birds to enjoy and
photograph. We dipped on Great Gray, Red Crossbill, and American Tree
Sparrow, but that was easily made up for by the wonderful time and other
terrific sightings. Many thanks to all the intrepid birders who made the
effort and the trip. Ruth, Jay, Susan, Scott, Lin, Megan, George, Terry,
Kyle, Hannah, Vicki, Jim and Carol were great attendees with consideration,
cooperation, patience and appreciation for the moment.

Until next year, happy winter birding! The Okanogan and Waterville Plateau
our treasures to our state, all year round.

Shep Thorp

--
Shep Thorp
Browns Point
253-370-3742
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