Good day tweetsters,
I was feeling slightly diminshed after hearing about Denny's
crane numbers but then after reading Andy's post I thought I should go
ahead and post about the 400+ Sandhills that I observed yesterday along
the Cameron Lake Rd. in the southwest corner of the Colville
Reservation. I have never seen so many cranes before and their calls
were wonderful; especially good when a sub-adult bald eagle gave a
fly by.
Sharing some of the wetlands with the cranes were 20 tundra swans,
about 100 Canada geese (one with a thin white neck ring at the base of
the neck), several lesser scaup, mallards, American wigeon, and pintails.
Roughed-legged hawks, a pair of harriers, three northern shrikes, a
kestrel, a
couple red-tailed hawks and an adult snowy owl were also observed.
Meadowlarks sang at every stop. Savannah sparrows were singing
from the tawny stalks of last year growth where it protruded above the
flooded fields.
Only two cars passed me all day. Not a place to break down, but a
wonderful location to enjoy the landscape and quiet.
Paul
Paul Moorehead
pjm at methow.com