What a wonderful break from hunkering down close to home. Bruce LaBar, Ken Brown, Will Brooks and I birded the north central WA areas that in the past has been one of the favorite ABC Birding Club trips. We lucked out in facing no fog, no snow until flurries on the third day, and had terrific days on both the Waterville Plateau Friday and in the Okanogan Highlands on Saturday. It was cold (8-25 much of the time) but not windy, sunny and overall very comfortable.
We started by birding the Confluence State Park in Wenachee briefly. On the drive in Will spotted a Say’s Phoebe foraging by the restroom. This was somewhat unexpectedly early for the phoebe to return north. A several Snow Geese and a Greater White-fronted Goose were a mixed flock of Canada and Cackling Geese on the lawns. A fair mix of ducks on the river provided nothing special, but we checked it quickly and headed for Waterville. Our first east-side specialties were 5 Gray Partridge that flushed from the side of the road outside Waterville. Usual common winter specialties like Horned Lark and Rough-legged Hawk were seen before our first major stop at the Lamoine Windbreak. We walked along the right side of the windbreak hoping for a Long-eared Owl. Ken and I saw a largish bird flush shortly after starting the walk, but it took a while before (I’ll cut and paste this phrase for frequent use) Will spotted a roosting LEOW fairly high in a pine tree, visible only silhouetted against a tiny gap of visible sky, and we all got to see it well.
We birded our way to Withrow, found nothing special there and then stopped by the area on D Rd NW where I had found American Tree Sparrows in December. Again Will found these first, and we all managed looks at these handsome sparrows. We picked up a Prairie Falcon on a pole at Road 14 NE. On Road F we drove up on a huge flock of Snow Buntings, with modest numbers of Horned Larks, and at least 4 Gray-crowned Rosy Finches.
Shortly after leaving the flock, still high from the excitement a Snowy Owl flushed just in front of Ken and Bruce in the lead car. We all got great looks at the big white owl in the bright sun as it flew away over the snowy wheat fields and disappeared over a low hill.
Since we had seen almost all of the hoped for Waterville Plateau specialties except Gyrfalcon, and these had not been reported in the area recently, we headed for the Bridgeport State Park to look for Northern Saw-whet Owls and Canyon Wren.
The owls were in the exact two trees as usual, and the wren responded to a recording with calls and showed on the cliffside just past the main park.
We called it a day and headed for the Omak Inn for the night. I ended the day with 16 FOW (first of the year) species for WA, and we all enjoyed homemade spaghetti and salad prepared by Marian, along with apple pie.
Saturday was another sunny perfect weather day. We managed calling but not seen Chukar at the Fancher Flats, missed Sharp-tailed Grouse on Siwash Creek Rd, but managed a spot with all three species of nuthatches along with lots of Mountain Chickadees. At the Highlands Sno Park a flock of about 35 White-winged Crossbills flew right overhead in the parking lot, calling loudly, as Will and Bruce shouted out the ID. I got decent but a quick look, but unfortunately Ken was in the outhouse and missed them altogether. No woodpeckers showed or were heard, and we headed off toward the higher elevations.
In the Highland Meadows area Ken and Bruce stopped us when they located a nice flock of 49 Snow Buntings perched up in a tree giving us a nice show. Will spotted a Northern Pygmy Owl perched on Nealey Road, and we added the first of a few Clark’s Nutcrackers.
Mary Ann Creek Road came through as is usual. Will spotted a distant flock of tiny finches out across the large cattail marsh, and I managed nice looks at a pair of perched Common Redpolls before a Northern Shrike terrorized the flock and they took flight. This did give great flight looks and a chance to estimate over 150 birds in the flock. We came across two more flocks of redpolls and conservatively entered an eBird count of 210 for the area. We stopped near Teal Lake for a look and listen, and Will heard a finch-like sound. On looking around he located a single Pine Grosbeak high in a tree, and we got scopes set up just as the other west-side group of Shep Thorpe, Scott Ramos and Jon Anderson coming from the opposite end of the road came by and we got them on the bird too. Throughout the trip our two groups shared sightings, helping each other get onto the great birds in the area.
The Chesaw area added little except a chance for Bruce to buy a 6-pack of beer we could enjoy back at the Omak Inn later. No Great-gray Owls or woodpeckers showed at the Sno Park as we watched darkness come, but we did hear distant Great-horned Owls hooting.
Dinner was vegan meatloaf, potato salad and peas again by Marian Burns, and we all sent thanks to her for the home cooking.
Sunday we had two really hoped for species, Sharp-tailed Grouse, and Bohemian Waxwing. We worked hard for them, but luck was not with us the last day. We managed Wild Turkey, Townsend’s Solitaire, and Ruffed Grouse at Conconully, and later great looks at a Harlan’s Red-tailed Hawk, FOY Cedar Waxwings that had us hoping for a Bohemian, and lots more great scenery. I did add two Okanogan lifers on the river in Greater Scaup and Tundra Swan.
On the way home we stopped at Cashmere to pick up county lifer Lesser Goldfinch at a known feeder before breaking up for the trek home.
A good time had by all, and I added another 9 FOY bird Saturday and 4 FOY on Sunday. I ended the trip with a 2021 list of 171 species, really good for me for the date, and Will remained in 1st place for 2021 on eBird at 185 species. Getting home safely was of course good, and we all had a great time.
Until next time. Good birding and good day!