Yet another Grant Co. Mockingbird:

I haven't seen a post yet on this bird, but there has been a Mockingbird
west of Ephrata. It was reported to us from Nancy Leonard of Soap Lake the
middle of last week. Lorna and I drove out to see it last Saturday (July
6). It was located in a farmyard along Baird Springs Rd. 3.5 miles west of
the intersection with Sagebrush Flats Rd.

We watched it for some time as it went through its collection of songs,
calls and what-all; and displayed from the top of a utility pole, wings
patches flashing as it leaped into the air and down again. The bird would
occasionally fly behind the barn and the house and so wouldn't always be
visible.

This was before it turned really hot, so many other birds were conspicuous.
The Loggerhead Shrikes looked like they had one of their better seasons as
we observed several family groups along Baird Springs Rd. Also numerous
were Sage Thrashers and the several sage dwelling sparrows.

Jerry Tangren
<tangren at wsu.edu>