Russell, Was impressed by your weekend account on Tweets. On Sunday, while
leading the Yakima Birder's Course in the Grand Coulee, we (25+ souls)
observed a Sharp-shinned Hawk harassing an immature N. Goshawk 1.0 mile N
of Hwy 2 on Hwy 17 (Douglas County) in habitat dominated by mature
sagebrush. The gos lit on a fence post and everyone was afforded excellent
views of this fine bird (I only wish all those neophytes realized what a
rare sight this was out in the sage!). British birder Steve Pink was
flabergasted also by the gos out away from timber, saying in the U.K. such
a sight would be unimagineable.

At Sims Corner a little north we were treated to fine views of 200
Sandhill Cranes, always memorable. The cranes, which appeared
extraordinarily early this year at Crab Creek (8 February according to
Columbia Refuge mgr Randy Hill), have been slower to venture north to the
Waterville Plateau. I was told they showed up there about 15 March.

Andy Stepniewski
Wapato, WA