Tag: Lincoln County

Part 1 Eastern WA Winter Trip Nov 2020

A moose, I think a young male was one of two seen at Turnbull NWR

Here is the other moose, likely a young female.

I decided to make a trip to Lincoln, Spokane and WhitWandermere man Counties to add some winter species to my county lists this week. Yesterday Marian and I left Tacoma about 5:30 and drove straight through with just stretch and potty stops to Sprague, where we birded the eastern end (in Lincoln County) where it was clear but cold. Maybe the most productive stop was when I misnavigated and we missed the through-town route to the south side of the lake, and stumbled onto a good mixed flock of ducks in a small body of water east of Hwy 23 (Ebird list here) where we saw 8 species of duck and Tundra Swan. We struggled to see much on the lake, but did make the eBird alert with a Red-breasted Merganser.
From here we headed north to the Reardon Ponds and to the winter route described in the WA Birding guide, as well as Mill Canyon. Birding was slow overall, adding Rough-legged Hawk, Northern Shrike, and on the ponds Hooded Merganser, Snow Goose, Cackling Goose, Canvasback, and Trumpeter Swan (on the part of the ponds across the road from the birding developed area.)
In Mill Canyon birding was slow, adding BCCH and MOCH as wall as RBNU in the forested area, and Horned Grebe, Greater Scaup and Belted Kingfisher at the river at the end of the canyon road.

On the drive to Spokane we saw a Short-eared Owl in Spokane County as twilight came on as is typical with this species.

White-winged Crossbills at Mt. Spokane State Park.

Today we headed to Mt. Spokane SP where White-winged and Red Crossbills were easily seen right near the parking lot, and just down the road from there Pine Grosbeak and Townsend’s Solitaire.

Red Crossbills again at Mt. Spokane SP. Do you think the bird on the upper right is a WWCR?

We stopped at several places on the way down the hill, with few birds, then at the Feryn Conservation Area while looking for and not adding Rough-legged Hawk we did add American Kestrel and Ring-necked Pheaasnt. The surprise stop of the day was at the Wandermere Golf Course Lake, hoping for Barrow’s Goldeneye, and getting that along with most of the other ducks hoped for in the county. The rest of the afternoon, a drive to and around Turnbull NWR was largely a bust. Incredibly few birds, but 2 Moose, and on the way out a few waterfowl on a pond near the blocked entrance to the refuge.
We ended the day trying for the Blue Jay in town, but no luck. Tomorrow is for Whitman County, hoping for winter birds there. I did manage to get over 100 on my life list for Lincoln and Spokane Counties, just barely at 101 & 102 respectively.
Now to sleep and hope snow allows the birding tomorrow.