I observed and heard 2 Black-throated Sparrows today in Yakima County north
of Wapato in a rocky ravine on the south flanks of the Rattlesnake Hills.
This was near the site where several birds summered in 1993 and 1994. That
area burned last year when a large (>10,500 acre) fire swept along the
hills in June. Where I observed the sparrows today was in an area that did
not burn .

Exercise and grand views are the usual highlights on my hikes from home up
into the Rattlesnake Hills (north of Wapato, WA), Birds are usually nither
abundant or diverse, probably because its a very arid portion of the
state.Habitat quality is only fair. Cheatgrass and rabbitbrush are
abundant, both weedy species. Big sagebrush is common, too, though frequent
fires keep it from becoming too abundant.

Northern Harrier, Red-tailed Hawk, American Kestrel, Chukar, Common
Nighthawk, Horned Lark, Cliff Swallow, Common Raven, Western Meadowlark,
and House Finch are the usual birds I encounter at this season.

In the evening on 26 June, while skirting a wide expanse of mustard and
oyster plants with scattered rabbitbrush, I heard a Grasshopper Sparrow
singing. This species is fairly common a few miles to the east on the
slopes above Konnowac Pass, but I hadn't noted it on my hikes here before.
A new "Yard Bird.!"

Intrigued, I descended into the broad basin, an area I had never explored.
I heard several more Grasshopper Sparrows. So, in addition to the high
quality bunchgrass habitats which they seem to prefer, it's clear
grasslands in a successional state-with mustards, rabbitbrush and other
seral species-host at least a modest population of breeding Grasshopper
Sparrows. As I descended farther down the ravine (T12N R20E Sec 22), the
mosaic of habitats became ever more interesting. On the north slopes was a
nice cover of bluebunch wheatgrass and Cusick's Poa, with only scattered
big sagebrush. On the nearby south-facing aspects, I noted a shrub cover of
big sagebrush, spiny hopsage, purple sage, and patches of cheatgrass as a
groundcover- interspersed with rocky areas. It was a very contrasty scene.
The north-facing slope was still lush and green, the south-facing, parched.


In this ravine, I found Lark Sparrows to be common. Very briefly, I thought
I heard a Black-throated Sparrow. I thought I observed one too, but only
for an instant. It was becoming dark so I made plans to return.

On my return that evening, I heard several Common Nighthawks, but detoured
100' from a "nest" I discovered 23 June, actually just a slightly hollowed
area of bare ground between several large rocks. I also detoured around an
incubating meadowlark; I had also found this nest on the 23rd, hidden under
a prostrate limb of a tiny sagebrush. Descending, I could make out a
calling Common Poorwill, though it was barely audible on account of the
wind.

Today, I returned to this ravine in the morning. I confirmed that the brief
view of a sparrow I took to be a Black-throated was indeed that rarity. I
heard two males singing at the same time. Though I tried to detect some
concrete signs of breeding such as adults carrying food to a nest; I found
none. I plan to return to this spot periodically over the next few weeks to
see if this sparrow is really breeding here.

If the Black-throated Sparrow was shy about revealing its breeding secrets
here on this visit, the Lark Sparrow certainly wasn't. Several pairs were
in the area. Recently fledged young, looking much more uniformly brownish
and streaked than pictured in the National Geographic guide (to me, these
juvenile Lark Sparrows were reminiscent of female House Finches), were
chasing mom and pop around for food. The adult birds would often perch
conspicuously with grasshoppers in their bills, then fly about, as if
teasing their young. Or is there some teaching behavior going on when
parent birds cruise about, with their young chasing them?

As the sun got higher, the winds diminished, and the temperature warmed, I
observed many Cliff Swallows flying uphill from the Yakima River valley
bottom 1,000' below where this species nests abundantly on bridges. This
seems to be a daily routine for Cliff Swallows to fly uphill and forage
over the shrub-steppe.

I had a very satisfying week of discovery " in my backyard." Though I have
hike these hills many, many times before, it is neat to know new spots
still exist there, waiting to be discovered.

But, I'll continue to hike these ridges frequently, even if I don't find
new birds. It's just plain good exercise.

Andy Stepniewski
Wapato, WA