>Andy,
>
>The Rimrock Ramble (Cascadians) was started by Dorothy Egg about 20 years
>ago. We park at Clear Lake CG area and walk back to the top of Rimrock Lake
>and then stick close by the water walking to Clear Lake Dam and then back to
>the cars and onward to wherever. After our ramble today we drove up the
>North Tieton Road (on east side of the inlet to Clear Lake) 1.7 miles and
>couldn't find a cottonwood except for a sapling! We must have been on the
>wrong road? We did see lots of nighthawks, a Townsend's warbler, a
>Townsend's solitaire, spotted towhees, tanagers, Bullock's orioles, evening
>grosbeaks, spotted sandpipers, etc. Heard Swainson's thrushes. Last year we
>saw a great horned owl but not today. The water in Rimrock is so high that
>the trail has been obliterated and we ended up doing a bit of climbing and it
>was a bit more than a "Pokie" hike therefore. We also didn't see the osprey
>nest near the bridge...? The weather was BEAUTIFUL!
>
>Maia
>
>

Maia,

Ospreys seem fewer in number at both Clear and Rimrock Lakes this year. For
the first time in 176 years Bill Tweit failed to get one on the Rimrock
Breeding bird survey. I did this survey with him 30 June - the lake waters
were exceptionally turbid due to heavy runoff. Maybe this makes fishing
tough and the Osprey mostly leave the area? We did hear an Osprey an hour
after the survey over Indian Creek Cpgr., however, so at least 1 bird is around.

Andy Stepniewski
Wapato WA