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February 12, 2005

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan led a WOS field trip to the Waterville Plateau on the 12th and 13th of February (in both Douglas and Okanogan Cos.), which included 13 participants and a total of 75 species. The 2 day trip overall was a great success with exceptional weather and nearly all our expected highlights encountered. We covered areas beginning on the 12th along Bridgeport Hill Rd. to the Leahy area, then over to the Mansfield region extending west and looping back onto Bridgeport Hill Rd. We then arrived at Bridgeport State Park that lies along Rufus Woods Lake, where we ate lunch then walked around the park grounds before continuing on to the town of Bridgeport. Our day ended along Bridgeport Bar, then a final check along Bridgeport Hill Rd. for a unsuccessful attempt in locating any Sharp-tailed Grouse, as conditions became slightly breezy and cooler. On the 13th after a well rested night sleep in Pateros we began the crisp, cool morning at the mouth of the Methow River at Pateros, then worked our way up Central Ferry Canyon Rd. and onto the open, snow-covered fields above the forested area. We drove a short ways as conditions remained very windy and cold, then lucked into our only flock of Snow Buntings on the trip, which added to the excitement for everyone despite the flocks being scattered and very eruptive. We estimated nearly 500+ birds, as the swirled around in the wind calling when the came very close overhead, but finally drifted to farther reaches of where we all stood. From this location we worked our way down the forested canyon adding a few more species to our trip list, then driving back to the town of Bridgeport and continuing onto the Cassimer Bar at Washburn Island, where we ended the trip for a great 2 day excursion of the Waterville Plateau and surrounding areas.

Conditions remained very dry with unlike in past years with many of the open fields on the actual plateau area covered with little snow. Our visit on the 13th above the forested canyon of Central Ferry Canyon Rd. produced the largest area of snow-covered fields, which may have equally helped in producing Snow Buntings. It strongly seemed throughout the trip with seemingly "balmy" conditions at times and some behaviors of birds, etc. that spring may arrive early this year. Our trip nearly equaled results than our last year WOS field trip to the area and everyone this year was very enthusiastic and greatly helped out in spotting many of our highlights too! Below we list our highlights noted in order at locations with some details.

AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN 1 presumably overwintering bird noted on the Bridgeport Bar on the 12th,then noted at a distance on the 13th from base of Washburn Island on the Okanogan Co. side of the Columbia River., where it calmly rested along the shore of the river in Douglas Co;  CANVASBACK 30 birds on the 13th with a group of Redheads along the Methow River along S.R.153(just west of Hwy.97); LONG_TAILED DUCK 3 birds(1 male and 2 females) observed from Washburn Island on the 13th,as the moved westward along the Columbia River quickly by swimming and diving. My mother and I observed a single adult male bird from the Bridgeport Bar on the afternoon of the 11th.; ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK Very small numbers noted from scattered locations on the 12th within the Waterville Plateau, primarily in the Leahy-Mansfield area with a total of 8 birds tallied.; GOLDEN EAGLE A total of 3 birds encountered on the 13th with our first 2 birds of the day being immature birds noted on the ground at close range along Hwy.17 just south of Bridgeport Hill Rd. We then encountered a 3rd individual bird being an adult bird observed on a back road between Leahy and Mansfield. In additional my mother and I noted 3 additional birds on the 13th along Hwy.17 between Bridgeport and Hwy.2,which was a nice unexpected tally of birds within 2 days!; MERLIN 1 adult bird noted at Bridgeport on 12th,as well as encountered on the 11th by my mother and I while scouting.; GREATER SAGE GROUSE 8 birds(7 males and 1 female) observed on the 12th near Leahy, where the males were noted on territory actively displaying for all of us to see and experience in our spotting scopes. It was truly exciting to see these birds again from this location from a safe distance, until all the birds flew off to an unknown location on their own after their morning ritual. My mother and I had originally located 1 adult male on the afternoon of the 11th while scouting in the same general location. ;GREAT HORNED OWL 1 pair observed on the morning of the 13th along the lower portion of Central Ferry Canyon Rd. in thick, dense vegetation with a single bird noted the evening before on the 12th along Hwy.97 atop a telephone pole just east of Pateros.; SAY'S PHOEBE 1 active bird on the 12th along the paved road to Bridgeport State Park in an orchard (just uphill from Chief Joseph Dam). Always a nice species to see in the winter in WA!; HORNED LARK Scattered numbers noted widely from different locations on the 12th and 13th mainly from the most open areas. Initially my mother and I encountered a group of 400+ birds at one location near Leahy on 11th while scouting, but numbers from this location had declined on the 12th during a similar survey.; BLUE JAY 1 lingering bird observed by only some of the participants on our field trip on the 12th along Raymond Ave. in the town of Bridgeport. The bird was first detected from a residence along a hillside just west of Raymond Ave., where it was noted with a group of 5-6 calling Steller's Jays. The Blue Jay never vocalized during our visit on the 12th, but we strongly felt the key was tracking the Steller's Jays down, which the bird has been always noted with to some extent since October 2004. A check of this location on the 11th while scouting by us and on the 13th were unsuccessful in locating the Blue Jay nor any Steller's Jays too, so the bird may be very elusive like most Blue Jays. A big thank you to Meredith Spencer for giving us "tips" on finding this nice bird! ; CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE 1 bird with up to 10 Mountain Chickadees and 1-2 Black-capped Chickadees at Bridgeport S.P. on the 12th,then a single bird noted at Bridgeport on the 13th at a feeder along Raymond Ave. while searching for the Blue Jay at 1:30pm.;WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH 2-3 birds on the 13th along the upper Central Ferry Canyon Rd. with up to 20 active Pygmy Nuthatches; RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET 1 bird noted along the lower portion of Central Ferry Canyon on the 13th at the same location while watching the pair of Great Horned Owls.; TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE 1 bird foraging briefly in a Mountain Ash tree on the 12th while searching for the Blue Jay along Raymond Ave.; VARIED THRUSH 5-6 birds observed on the 13th along the lower portion of Central Ferry Canyon Rd.; BOHEMIAN WAXWING 200+ birds noted flying overhead and calling at Bridgeport on the 12th,but then great views of 75 birds perched atop a group of popular trees along Hwy.97 on the 13th(north of Bridgeport S.P. Continued varied numbers of Bohemian Waxwings were noted as we continued north along Hwy.97 to Washburn Island with the largest concentrations noted from fruit orchards in the range of 300+ birds at one location. Small numbers of Cedar Waxwings were also noted on the 13th with our first bird detected alone with House Finches along the lower portion of the Central Ferry Canyon Rd., then small numbers in Russian Olive trees mixed with Bohemian Waxwings at Washburn Island.; NORTHERN SHRIKE Up to 6 birds noted on the 12th from scattered locations between Hwy.17 and the Mansfield Cemetery.; YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER 6 birds noted on the 12th at Bridgeport S.P. amongst a chickadee flock, of which was the center of attention made from a group of 3 spruce trees.; AMERICAN TREE SPARROW 2 birds noted on the 12th in a brushy area along Heritage Rd. (aka Woods Rd. or "L" Rd.) south of Hwy.172 east of Mansfield ; LAPLAND LONGSPUR Up to 12 birds noted and heard singing/calling overhead with 2 Horned Larks along Heritage Rd. on the 12th at the same location as the Am.Tree Sparrows.; COMMON REDPOLL 8 well observed birds noted along Central Ferry Canyon Rd. on the 13th foraging along a sage-covered hillside, where they remained for a lengthy stay for everyone to see and watch! This was a grand sighting for everyone and one that was totally unexpected,especially since we lucked out at other locations during the trip for this species!

In addition we noted a pair of Coyotes(for our only mammal highlight of the trip)along the upper portion of Bridgeport Hill Rd. on the 12th.