WILDLIFE WATCHING -- Unless there's a stray report still to come in, Inland Northwest Birders and Spokane Audubon tallied 238 species in their 2012 Spokane County "Big Year" effort to spot as many types of birds as possible.

Following are highlights compiled by Tim O'Brien of Cheney:

Black Scoter found by Jim Acton on West Medical Lake - October 25.

Gyrfalcon found by Terry Little on the West Plains - January 5.

Northern Hawk-owl found by the McKanns on the West Plains - January 7.

Red-breasted Sapsucker found by Becky Goldner near Mount Spokane - December 10.

American Three-toed Woodpecker found by Warren Walker on Mount Spokane - December 13.

Black and White Warbler found by Terry Little on Holcomb Road - September 3.

Tennessee Warbler found by Lindell Hagin at their residence by the Little Spokane - August 16.

Purple Finch by Terry Little at Peone Prairie - November 22.

Hoary Redpoll by Greg Falco near Cheney - November 23.

BIG MISSES: quite a few shorebirds such as Black-bellied Plover and Semipalmated Plover.  Great Egret.  Well, you can't find them all!

O'Brien said he's already started compiling reports for the 2013 Spokane County Big Year as well as documenting first found dates and locations for all species.

"2013 looks promising with a lot of winter birds around including snowy owl, common redpoll and pine grosbeak," O'Brien said.  Contact: kertim7179@yahoo.com

RECORD SPOKANE COUNTY BIG  YEARS

247 species in 2006 -- cumulative list from everyone all birders making sightings in the county during the year.

 

230 species in 2006 -- single birder record by Craig Corder.