Hi Tweets!

quick update on another super fun Washington Ornithological Society Winter
Trip to Okanogan Highlands and Waterville Plateau Saturday February 15th
through Monday February 17th. Highlights included CHUKAR, GOLDEN EAGLE,
ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL, SNOW BUNTING, GRAY-CROWNED ROSY
FINCH, NORTHERN-SAW-WHET OWL and SNOWY OWL. Misses... for the first time
in the last 10 years we observed NO Sharp-tailed Grouse, and could not
locate Gray Partridge despite extra efforts.

Scott Ramos and I led 19 members of WOS on this annual trip, and really
enjoyed our time in this wonderful region of our great state, the birding
was great and the collaboration and camaraderie was even more rewarding.
Thanks to all the participants for their energy and dedication.

Sat. 2/15: CHUKAR and GOLDEN EAGLE at *Fancher Road* off the
*Tonasket-Havillah
Road*. There are two eagle nests, same breeding pair, on the south east
face of the butte, great photos in morning light. Prairie Falcon was seen
by another group over the weekend. *Siwash Creek Road* was good for PYGMY
NUTHATCH, WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH, CLARKS NUTCRACKER, and low numbers of
RED-CROSSBILL. We observed three NORTHERN-PYGMY OWL on *Havillah
Road*, *Highland
SnoPark*, and *Hungry-Hollow Road*. 400+ SNOW BUNTING seen on *Nealy
Road* around
the first homestead after the turn off from *Havillah Road*, *WARNING- *owner
of homestead is disgruntled with birders stopping adjacent to home and
using optics- recommend stopping before or after the homestead. 200+ SNOW
BUNTING and MERLIN on *Teas Road*. 10+ AMERICAN TREE SPARROW in draw south
of *Chesaw Road* in between *Old Burnham Road* and *This A Way Road*.
On *Davies
Road,* in between *Fields Road *and *Brugh Road,* we observed a fly over of
100 GRAY-CROWNED ROSY-FINCH. Fantastic looks at ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK in all
locations. Despite historical reports, we dipped on Gray Partridge,
Townsends Solitaire, Bohemian Waxwing, and Pine Grosbeak. I've not seen
Sharp-tailed Grouse on Siwash Creek Road this year.

Sun. 2/16: 50+ TURKEYS and 2 NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL in *Conconully*.We located
a 150+ flock of GRAY-CROWNED ROSY-FINCH at the cattle paddock/pasture
across the road from Hess Lake Road. These birds were perched, flying
around, and foraging from the Beech Trees to the pasture, to the gulches on
the slope just west of Hess Lake north of *Conconully Road* - good photos.
Great looks at ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, RED-TAILED HAWK, and NORTHERN HARRIER.
We dipped on Red Crossbills, California Quail, and Pine Grosbeaks in
Conconully and could not find Sharp-tailed Grouse in *Scotch Creek
Wildlife* area
across from *Happy Hill Road* area (seen previously on scout trip three
weeks earlier) - another birder reported seeing 4 grouse at 3pm. The north
side of *Cameron Lake Road* had two RED CROSSBILLS, the only Crossbills
seen on the entire trip. *Washburn Island* was good for CASSIN'S FINCH,
PURPLE FINCH, WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, WESTERN MEADOWLARK and water
fowl. *Bridgeport
State Park* was good for two GREAT HORNED OWL and two NORTHERN SAW-WHET
OWL. Many passerines including YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER.

Mon. 2/17: 2 SNOWY OWLS around *Atkins Lake*, 4 AMERICAN TREE SPARROW and
NORTHERN SHRIKE at the abandoned farm on *Heritage Road just south of 172*.
Many ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, RED-TAILED HAWK, and AMERICAN KESTREL on the
plateau, but the HORNED LARK are difficult to observe because there is NO
snow on *Waterville Plateau*. A single HARLANS HAWK was seen on *O Road
north of Waterville*. We also saw GREAT HORNED OWL. We dipped on
Sharp-tailed Grouse on Bridgeport Hill (which were seen on the scout trip
three weeks earlier). We could not relocate the 5 LONG-EARED OWL we
observed at the *Lamoine Windbreak* on 2/14 as I accidentally flushed them
by being too invasive in my search. Please consider birding the windbreak
with a birding buddy from either side of the tree line instead of walking
down the middle to prevent disruption of roosting birds (silence is
golden!). Despite three reports of Gyrfalcon in the northern plateau, we
were not able to relocate this sought after species. We also dipped on
Gray Partridge and Prairie Falcon (seen on scout three weeks earlier).

On 2/14 there were reports of 7 Snowy Owl around Atkins Lake, on 2/16 there
were reports of 4 birds, on 2/17 I could only find 2 birds. No snow and
warm and sunny conditions...

That's the quick report! I hope you have a chance to get out there and
enjoy Waterville Plateau and Okanogan Highlands this winter. Be careful,
drive safely, birding buddy up!

Happy birding,

Shep Thorp and the WOS Winter Trip
--
Shep Thorp
Browns Point
253-370-3742
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