From Monday, April 3 to Thursday, April 6 I toured eastern

Washington to check out some bird watching areas new to me.

Following are some of the highlights.

On Tuesday Umtanum/Wenas Road was swarming with Mountain and

Western Bluebirds. I spotted a lone Sage Thrasher at one point,

defending its turf from the bluebird hordes. Once it chased an

invader in a 360+ degree circle, making me dizzy in the process.

Earlier in Shushuskin Canyon, I kept hearing the honking of

Canada Geese seemingly nearby. Any moment I expected them to

appear over the lip of the canyon a hundred yards away. Finally,

after several minutes of honking, I spotted them more than 1,000

(2,000?) feet over my head, a skein of 100 heading to the

northeast. In the stillness they sounded amazingly close.

Later, near the mouth of the Walla Walla River, I spotted

two American Avocets and a single Caspian Tern.

Wednesday, east of Walla Walla on Lewis Peak Road I

surprised a Coyote in the middle of the road. It quickly

retreated down a grassy slope to a point where just its head was

visible. It watched me warily until I left. That was only the

second time I've seen a Coyote, though I've heard them a little

more frequently.

North of the Snake River on SR127 I spotted a Porcupine in a

tree near the end of a branch. Its rear legs straddled the branch

flailing at the air as it held on with its front legs. Very

entertaining.

At Brook Lake east of Soap Lake on SR28 was a pair of White

Pelicans.

On Thursday, along Dodson Road SW of Potholes Reservoir was

a flock of 500+ Sandhill Cranes in a farmer's field.

In Frenchman's Coulee White-throated Swifts sliced through

the air. Farther along the road near Wanapum Lake was a Rock Wren

singing from a post. Nearby a Say's Phoebe perched watching for

its prey. Once, it flew so close to me in pursuit of a rather

large insect, I heard its bill snap shut.

If things are this busy now I guess I'd better go back in a

few weeks!