Lost Lake is really one of my favorite places to camp. It is a stunningly beautiful, quiet lake nestled in the Okanogan Highlands, surrounded by deep dark forest and at the far end rich wetlands. Common (not so common, really, in our state) Loons nest at Lost Lake each year. They struggle to raise their young while Bald Eagles search for easy meals of the tiny chicks. The loons’ call echoes off nearby cliffs, almost a lament at times.
Life’s been busy recently and I’ve had little time for personal work. Couple that with an aching back and I’ve just not had anything recent to post.
Last week I got away with a friend for a few days of (car) camping in the Okanogan Highlands and the Sinlahekin valley. We planned some serious birding adventures and were not disappointed. By the end of four days we had seen 114 species and along the way, we saw a few other things as well.
The Okanogan Highlands clouds are always spectacular
And then there’s litter
Lost Lake, where we stayed for two nights. One of my all time favorite camping spots.
Dog at the Chesaw Store
Phone booth at the Chesaw Store.
This area is so close to Canada that if you have your cell phone on, it will connect to Canadian cell towers and your bill will show extra and possibly unexpected charges.
Molson is an old ghost town between Oroville and Chesaw
Camp coffee
Camp site in the Sinlahekin valley
I have a few photos of birds to share and will get them posted soon.
Not much time for a long walk with the dogs today so we made the most of it with sightings of a Great Horned Owl, Gray Catbird, American Kestral and two Rubber Boas.
This one is about eighteen inches long.
I was up early and out on the wet hillside this morning, hoping to hear birds and try to figure out which ones were singing. It was a glorious morning after all the rain we’ve had this week. Rubber boots were the fashion statement of the morning. I meant to take the big camera but, somehow managed to leave it behind so once again, Instagram to the rescue. Really, I mean to get serious about photography again. Soon. Really.
That’s our nicest pine tree
The ground is starting to heal nicely after the April 17th brush fire
Sunrise!
I think these are Douglas sunflowers
I don’t think the pines down in the draw are going to survive
Here’s something new
Lots of chokecherry blossoms this year
Target practice?
And birds. Here is the list of birds I was able to identify by sight or sound:
California Quail
Dusky Grouse
Red-tailed Hawk
Mourning Dove
Rufous Hummingbird
Calliope Hummingbird
Northern Flicker
Western Wood-Pewee
Willow Flycatcher
Say’s Phoebe
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Common Raven
Tree Swallow
Violet-green Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Mountain Chickadee
House Wren
Western Bluebird
Mountain Bluebird
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Orange-crowned Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Spotted Towhee
Western Tanager
Black-headed Grosbeak
Brewer’s Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Cassin’s Finch
Pine Siskin
June showers bring? June flowers? Well maybe a few more days of green hillsides in the Methow. Also good conditions for garden photos.
Walking or dancing Egyptian top-setting onions
Native columbine
Pretty flowering catnip mint
Poppy bud
Raspberry flowers
Ken’s bees have been busy in the berry patch.
Hop vine
My Everyday Photos 