E WA excursion(long)

[Ruth Sullivan]

Hello Tweets,

My mother and I enjoyed a 4 day combination trip to portions of eastern WA
covering 10 counties and 1117 miles of driving from August 31st-September
3rd. Our main goal was searching for dragonflies in many key areas including
Bunchgrass Meadows, Big Meadow Lake, and Frater Lake ALL in Pend Orielle
Co.,with the latter location being the most productive for dragonfly
diversity followed by Summit Lake and Fort Okanogan in Okanogan Co. We in
addition to researching many areas for dragonflies birded at all the
locations that we visited,which made for a good combination trip and the
weather was quite favorable,despite windy periods during the entire
excursion. We managed to locate 152 species of birds and 20 species of
dragonflies to be listed in more detail later by my mother in a seperate
message. We did not know what to expect as far as dragonflies due to the
fairly late season for some species with a few areas that hosted very few
dragonflies possibly due to colder temperatures or current weather
conditions at the time and others that hosted very good numbers and a good
diversity of species. We visited many areas that were new to one or both of
us,as we travelled and searched through many portions Pend
Orielle,Stevens,Okanogan,and Ferry Cos.,with the most time spent in that
order with lesser time spent in 4 other counties. We enjoyed our visits to
many areas including the sphagnum bog at Bunchgrass Meadows south of
Sullivan Lake in eastern Pend Orielle Co.,which was very interesting to walk
in and around,but although it hosted minimal dragonfly activity hosted a
good bird diversity during our overnight stay on the 31st. We experienced
good,but limited numbers of shorebirds,which are always good to encounter in
northeastern WA,which was our main highlights of the trip among other bird
species while searching for dragonflies. Our main bird highlights for the
trip included:

1 immature Northern Goshawk at Big Meadow Lake in Pend Orielle Co. on the
2nd
1 adult Peregrine Falcon at Fields Lake in Okanagan Co. on the 3rd
1 Semipalmated Sandpiper at Hatch Lake in Stevens Co. on the 31st
1 Western Sandpiper at Hatch Lake in Stevens Co. on the 31st
1 Pectoral Sandpiper at Kettle Falls in Stevens Co. on the 2nd,and 1 at
Muskrat Lake in Okanagan Co. on the 3rd
1 juvenile STILT SANDPIPER at Hatch Lake on the 1st and 2nd and 1 at Sanpoil
Lake south of Curlew Lake in Ferry Co.(possible first Ferry Co. record.)
3 juvenile SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS at Fields Lake in Okanogan Co. amongst 5
Long-billed Dowitchers on the 3rd
1 juvenile SABINE'S GULL and 5 COMMON TERNS at Cassimer Bar at the Okanogan
River mouth on the 3rd
1 remaining and previously reported Eurasian Collared Dove at Confluence
S.P. at Wenatchee in Chelan Co. on the 3rd
220+ Black Swifts over Cassimer Bar on the 3rd
4 Boreal Chickadees amongst 13 Chestnut-backed Chickadees along FR 1935
immediately north of Bunchgrass Meadows in Pend Orielle Co. on the 1st
1 immature male AM.REDSTART at Gingko Petrified Forest State Park in
Kittitas Co. on the 31st
1 remaining and previously reported NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH at Confluence S.P.
at Wenatchee in Chelan Co.on the 3rd
6 White-winged Crossbills at Bunchgrass Meadows on the 31st,with 4 there on
the 1st

A list of the 20 species of dragonflies found and observed on our excursion
follow:

Emerald Spreadwing
Taiga Bluet
Tule Bluet
Boreal Bluet
Pacific Forktail
Zigzag Darner
Variable Darner
Canada Darner
Paddle-tailed Darner
Shadow Darner
Lake Darner
Twelve-spotted Skimmer
Ringed Emerald
Mountain Emerald
WESTERN PONDHAWK
Variegated Meadowhawk
Saffron-winged Meadowhawk
White-faced Meadowhawk
Striped Meadowhawk
Black Meadowhawk

Our main route and visits for our entire trip consisted on route
destinations on the 31st of August along I-90 east to Sprague in Lincoln Co.
north along Hwy.231 to Reardan continuing north along Hwy.231 to Hwy.395
north of Valley in Stevens Co.,then north to Colville and east along Hwy.20
to Hatch Lake continuing east to Frater Lake in Pend Orielle Co. Hwy.31 at T
iger in Pend Orielle Co. then northeast along Sullivan Lake Rd. to FR 1935
to Bunchgrass Meadows. Overnight at Bunchgrass Meadows.

September 1st

Bunchgrass Meadows to Sullivan Lake to Ione,then back to Frater Lake and
Hatch Lake. Colville north along Colville-Aladdin-Northport Rd. to Meadow
Creek Rd. in Stevens Co.east to Big Meadow Lake in Pend Orielle Co.
Overnight at Big Meadow Lake.

September 2nd

Big Meadow Lake to Hatch Lake east along Hwy.20 to Black Lake-Squaw Creek
Rd. along FR 150 to Twin Lakes.Twin Lakes to Colville continuing north along
Hwy.395 to Kettle Falls. Kettle Falls to various points along Hwy.20 east of
Sherman Pass to Republic/Hwy.21 "millpond" and Sanpoil Lake/Curlew Lake
S.P.along Hwy.21 in Ferry Co. Hwy.20 at Republic east to Toroda Creek Rd. at
Wauconda north to Ororville-Toroda Creek Rd. in Okanogan Co. and continuing
west to Chesaw,then west along Tonasket-Havillah Rd. to Havillah. Overnight
near Havillah.

September 3rd

Havillah east to Muskrat Lake along Kipling Rd. then east along
Oroville-Toroda Creek Rd. to Fields Lake along Fields Rd. Fields Lake to
Summit Lake along FR 3525 via Oroville-Toroda Creek Rd. Summit Lake to
Oroville then south along Hwy.97 to Fort Okanogan and Cassimer Bar at the
mouth of the Okanogan River. Hwy.97 to Hwy.2 at Wenatchee to Confluence S.P.
in Chelan Co.

A list of additional and listed bird highlights for our entire trip follow:

Common Loon
4 at Fort Okanogan in Okanogan Co. on the 3rd

Red-necked Grebe
8 at Sullivan Lake in Pend Orielle Co.(PO)on the 1st
1 at Black Lake in Stevens Co.(ST)on the 1st
1 at Twin Lakes,ST on the 1st
1 off Cassimer Bar in Okanogan Co.(OK) on the 3rd

Eared Grebe
74 along Hwy.231 at Reardan in Lincoln Co.(LI)on the 31st
14 off Cassimer Bar,OK on the 3rd

Am.White Pelican
6 at Fort Okanogan,OK on the 3rd
42 at Cassimer Bar,OK on the 3rd

Double-crested Cormorant
2 at Fort Okanogan Co.,OK
30 at Cassimer Bar,OK on the 3rd

Wood Duck
2 at Big Meadow Lake,PO with 10 there on the 1st

Canvasback
3 at Muskrat Lake,OK on the 3rd

Common Goldeneye
2 along Hwy.231 at Reardan,LI on the 31st
1 at Frater Lake,PO on the 31st
8 along the Pend Orielle River at Ione,PO on the 1st
4 at Big Meadow Lake,PO on the 1st with 7 there on the 2nd
1 at Twin Lakes,ST on the 2nd
1 along Toroda Creek Rd.,OK north of Wauconda on the 2nd
12 at Muskrat Lake,OK on the 3rd
2 at Fields Lake,OK on the 3rd

Bufflehead
58 along Hwy.231 at Reardan,LI on the 31st
1 at Big Meadow Lake,PO on the 1st
45 at Muskrat Lake,OK on the 3rd
1 at Fields Lake,OK on the 3rd

Northern Harrier
1 at Bunchgrass Meadows,PO on the 31st and 1st
2 near Havillah,OK on the 3rd

Sharp-shinned Hawk
1 at Frater Lake,PO on the 31st
1 at Bunchgrass Meadows,PO on the 1st

Cooper's Hawk
2 at Bunchgrass Meadows,PO on the 31st

Northern Goshawk
1 immature at Big Meadows Lake,PO on the 1st

Golden Eagle
1 adult along FR1935 south of Sullivan Lake,PO on the 1st

Bald Eagle
1 adult at Curlew Lake S.P.,Ferry Co.(FE)on the 2nd

Peregrine Falcon
1 adult at Fields Lake,OK on the 3rd

Ruffed Grouse
1 adult with 5 young along Meadow Rd. west of Big Meadow Lake,PO on the 1st

Wild Turkey
 52 along Aladdin Rd.,ST(with 1 adult with 6 young along)on the 2nd

Greater Yellowlegs
1 along I-90 west of Thorp,Kittitas Co.(KT)on the 31st
1 at the Silica Rd.wetland,Grant Co. on the 31st
1 at Hatch Lake,ST on the 31st and on the 1st
8 at Kettle Falls,ST on the 2nd
1 at Fields Lake,OK on the 3rd

Lesser Yellowlegs
1 along Hwy.231 at MP 63.8 and 1 along Hwy.231 at MP 65,ST on the 31st
1 at Hatch Lake,ST with 2 there on the 1st, and 3 there on the 2nd
3 at Kettle Falls,ST on the 2nd
1 at Sanpoil Lake,FE on the 2nd
14 at Fields Lake,OK on the 3rd

Solitary Sandpiper
2 at Hatch Lake,ST on the 31st and 1st

Semipalmated Sandpiper
1 at Hatch Lake,ST on the 31st

Western Sandpiper
1 at Hatch Lake,ST on the 31st and 2nd

Least Sandpiper
2 along Hwy.21 at the Republic"millpond" and 2 at Sanpoil Lake,FE on the 2nd

Baird's Sandpiper
8 at Hatch Lake on the 31st with up to 14 there on 2nd
9 at Kettle Falls,ST on the 2nd
3 at Muskrat Lake,OK on the 3rd
7 at Fields Lake,OK on the 3rd

Pectoral Sandpiper
1 at Kettle Falls,ST on the 2nd
1 at Muskrat Lake,OK on the 3rd

STILT SANDPIPER
1 at Hatch Lake,ST on the 1st and 2nd
1 at Sanpoil Lake,FE on the 2nd

SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER
3 at Fields Lake,OK on the 3rd

Long-billed Dowitcher
1 at Kettle Falls,ST on the 2nd
1 at Sanpoil Lake,FE on the 2nd
5 at Fields Lake,OK on the 3rd

Wilson's Phalarope
4 along Hwy.231 at Readan,LI on the 31st
1 at Kettle Falls,ST on the 2nd

Red-necked Phalarope
4 along I-90 east of Ellensburg,KT on the31st
15 at Reardan,LI on the 31st
1 at Big Meadow Lake,PO on the 2nd
1 at Hatch Lake,ST on the 2nd
8 at Sanpoil Lake,FE on the 2nd
3 at Fields Lake,OK on the 3rd

Bonaparte's Gull
1 along Hwy.231 at Reardan,LI on the 31st

Glaucous-winged Gull
2 at Cassimer Bar,OK on the 3rd

SABINE'S GULL
1 at Cassimer Bar,OK on the 3rd

Caspian Tern
1 at Cassimer Bar,OK on the 3rd

COMMON TERN
5 at Cassimer Bar,OK on the 3rd

Eurasian Collared Dove
1 at Confluence S.P.,Chelan Co.(CH)on the 3rd

Northern Pygmy Owl
1 at Bunchgrass Meadows,PO on the 31st

Black Swift
220+ over Cassimer Bar,OK on the 3rd

Northern Three-toed Woodpecker
1 at Bunchgrass Meadows,PO on the 31st and 1st
2 near Havillah,OK on the 3rd
1 at Summit Lake,OK on the 3rd

Boreal Chickadees
4 along FR 1935 near Bunchgrass Meadows,PO on the 1st

Pygmy Nuthatch
12 at Hatch Lake,ST on the 1st

Am.Dipper
1 along FR 1935(Harvey Creek),PO on the 31st

Mountain Bluebird
75+ along Toroda Creek Rd.,OK on the 2nd
43+ along Tonasket-Havillah Rd.,OK on the 3rd

Am.Pipit
4 at Bunchgrass Meadows,PO on the 31st
2 at Kettle Falls,ST on the 2nd
12 at Fields Lake,OK on the 3rd

Cassin's Vireo
1 at Summit Lake,OK on the 3rd

Nashville Warbler
1 at Gingko Petrified Forest S.P.,KT on the 31st

AM.REDSTART
1 at Gingko P.F.S.P,KT on the 31st

NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH
1 at Confluence S.P.,CH on the 3rd

MacGillivray's Warbler
1 at Gingko P.F.S.P.,KT on the 31st
1 along FR 1935,OK on the 1st

Fox Sparrow
8 at Bunchgrass Meadows,PO on the 1st

Lincoln's Sparrows
2 along Hwy.231 at MP 12 south of Edwall,LI on the 31st
5 at Big Meadow Lake,PO on the 1st
6 at Fort Okanogan,OK on the 3rd
2 at Confluence S.P.,CH on the 3rd

White-winged Crossbill
6 at Bunchgrass Meadows,PO with 4 there on the 1st

Our mammal highlight of the trip was 2 Snowshow Hares on Okanogan Co.,with 1
along Oroville-Toroda Creek Rd. on the 2nd and 1 along FR 3525 north of
Summit Lake on the 3rd


Good birding,

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
GODWIT@ worldnet.att.net