Subject: Central Washington birding (long)
Date: Apr 14 18:05:30 1998
From: Deb Beutler - dbeutler at wsunix.wsu.edu


On Saturday, April 11, 1998, I birded several sites in Central
Eastern Washington. Specific locations include Kahlotus Lake, Scootenay
Reservoir, Columbia National Wildlife Refuge, and Walla Walla River Delta,
McNary Wildlife Refuge. In general, the weather was mostly sunny with gusty
winds (gusts at least to 30 mph and steady winds most of the day over 5
mph). It was warm (over 50F) but the wind made it seem cold. I left Albion
at 0900 PDT and returned at 2130 PDT with total mileage of 430 miles.
In general, I was disappointed in the number and variety of birds
that I found. There was few shorebirds anywhere and they were mostly
Killdeer. All of the swallows (Tree, Violet-green, Bank, Northern
Rough-winged, Barn and Cliff) have arrived in good numbers to the central
part of the state which I thought was interesting since I haven't seen any
in the Palouse yet. I didn't see any shorebirds on the Walla Walla River
Delta or anywhere else for that matter. The only American Avocets I saw
were at Madam Dorian Park.
Spring arrivals (for me) included Barn Swallow, Bank Swallow,
Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Cliff Swallows (already building nests),
Loggerhead Shrike, Cinnamon Teal (1 male), and Yellow-headed Blackbirds. I
did note several Rough-legged Hawks which haven't left yet; they were along
U.S. 395 and WA 26.

KAHLOTUS LAKE, FRANKLIN CO. (1040-1100 PDT): This lake is located along WA
260 just north of the town of Kahlotus (take Kahlotus Lake Road to get
there). There is a state fishing area there even though it is an ephemeral
lake (dependent on an underground spring). I talked to the owner of the
land surrounding the lake and he said it is dry in most years but in the
last few years it has had water in it all summer. There isn't any waterfowl
breeding on it because "the coyotes eat all of the young". Bird list
(numbers in parentheses are estimates):NORTHERN PINTAIL (10), GREEN-WINGED
TEAL (20), AMERICAN WIGEON (30), MALLARD (few), LESSER SCAUP (at least 100,
the most common duck on the lake), AMERICAN COOT (100'S) CANADA GOOSE (50),
NORTHERN SHOVELER (20), KILLDEER (2), AMERICAN ROBIN (1), RING-NECKED
PHEASANT (heard only).

SCOOTENAY RESERVOIR, FRANKLIN CO. (1200-1330 PDT): This reservoir is
located along WA 17, south of Othello. Last year, I visited Scootenay
Reservoir on April 5; the water level was lower and the birding was much
better last year. In 1997, there were hundreds of Dunlin, American Avocets
and Sandhill Cranes and a few Black-necked Stilts. This year, there were
only twenty cranes and no avocets, stilts or Dunlin. Bird list: SANDHILL
CRANES (20), MARSH WRENS (everywhere), COMMON LOON (1, alternate plumage),
RING-BILLED GULLS (100'S), CALIFORNIA GULLS (100'S), CANADA GOOSE (10 on
reservoir, hundreds in fields nearby), RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD (everywhere),
CLIFF SWALLOWS (including many building nests under the bridge by the dam),
NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWS (20), HOUSE SPARROW, EUROPEAN STARLINGS,
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT (1), EARED GREBE (2, both in alternate plumage),
RED-TAILED HAWKS, NORTHERN HARRIERS.

COLUMBIA NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE (1440-1700 PDT): I covered all of the
open roads on this refuge and the two nearby lakes owned by the state.
Generally, the birding was slow but the scenery was great (if you like
basalt and sage, I DO!). The vegetation was rather quiet (no singing).
There were many anglers and a few hikers. Bird list: LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE (1
along Morgan Lake Road near Deadman's Bluff), YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD (10,
my first for the year, all males, no singing), AMERICAN KESTREL, NORTHERN
HARRIER, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD (females have arrived and are joining the
males on territories), NORTHERN SHOVELER, GREEN-WINGED TEAL, MALLARD,
AMERICAN COOT, RED-TAILED HAWK, HERRING GULL (4 on Hutchinson Lake),
AMERICAN WIGEON, RING-NECKED PHEASANT (heard several), COMMON LOON (2, both
alternate plumage, one on Upper Goose Lake and one on Soda Lake), PRAIRIE
FALCON (near Upper Goose Lake), GREAT BLUE HERON (1), DOUBLE-CRESTED
CORMORANT (20), AMERICAN COOT, LESSER SCAUP, BUFFLEHEAD, KILLDEER, CANADA
GOOSE, COMMON GOLDENEYE (1 male but in "juvenal" plumage), VIOLET-GREEN
SWALLOWS, BLACK-BILLED MAGPIES (apparently nesting in sagebrush).

MADAME DORIAN PARK, WALLA WALLA CO. (1840 PDT): Due to fading daylight, I
only visited the "back" area of the park which is along U.S. 12 just east of
the junction with WA 730 (to Umatilla, OR). Birds on the pond: 14 AMERICAN
AVOCETS, NORTHERN SHOVELERS (10), GREEN-WINGED TEAL, MALLARD, RING-BILLED
GULL (5), KILLDEER (2) and a single sandpiper (I couldn't tell what kind).

WALLA WALLA RIVER DELTA, WALLA WALLA CO. (1850 PDT): When I arrived at the
delta, I realized I had left my tripod at home so I couldn't use my spotting
scope. In the fading light and 10X50 binoculars, all I could make out were
hundreds of ducks (some of which I could tell were MALLARDS, AMERICAN
WIGEONS, AND NORTHERN SHOVELERS) and hundreds of gulls. I didn't see any
shorebirds at all (not even vague movements on the delta).

MCNARY NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, WALLA WALLA CO. (1920 PDT): I only looked
at the ponds directly behind the headquarters just off U.S. 12 just south of
Pasco. As I arrived, the sun broke out of the clouds and bathed the area in
the last golden light of day. It was beautiful. The heads of the REDHEAD
and CANVASBACK males I saw looked like they were on fire! Bird List:
REDHEAD (1), CANVASBACK (1), LESSER SCAUP, BUFFLEHEAD, MALLARD,
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT, BANK SWALLOW, BARN SWALLOW, NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED
SWALLOW, AMERICAN COOT, YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD (1 male flyover), RED-WINGED
BLACKBIRDS, MARSH WREN, RING-NECKED DUCK, BREWER'S BLACKBIRD, WHITE-CROWNED
SPARROW, RING-NECKED PHEASANTS (several males displaying in the crop field
on the refuge). Most ducks were in low numbers; I was too tired to estimate
the different species.

It was a fun but exhausting day. 51 species in all including the usual
Horned Lark, American Crow, Common Raven, Mourning Doves, Rock Dove, Western
Meadowlarks, and Black-billed Magpies all along the route.



Deb Beutler
Department of Zoology
P.O. Box 644236
Washington State Univerisity
Pullman (Whitman Co.), WA 99164-4236
dbeutler at wsunix.wsu.edu