Hello Tweets,

On March 1st I started my 2 day excursion to SE WA, where I wanted to
concentrate on Walla Walla and Benton Cos. My first good sightings occured
after driving over White Pass, where 1 N. PYGMY OWL was perched on top of a
Ponderosa pine and 1 GOLDEN EAGLE at Rimrock. A drive down Priest Rapids
Rd. near Vernita produced 2 Canyon Wrens and 3 Chukar(on the road) in
Benton Co. Heading towards West Richland, I quickly stopped between MP 6&7
along SR 240 and observed up to 6 Sage Sparrows on ALES. At the Twin
Bridges, the RED-SHOULDERED HAWK was again noted as I walked west of the
bridges along Yakima River Drive. 8 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS,1 AM.TREE SPARROW,
and 28 Sandhill Cranes(flying over) were observed along Grosscup Rd. By 2pm
I was at the Yakima RD, where 1 adult WESTERN GULL was seen, and along the
nature trail in Columbia Park near Kennewick, and observed:
2 W.T. SPARROWS
1 G.C. SPARROW
1 FOX SPARROW
1 VARIED THRUSH
1 HERMIT THRUSH
both kinglets

1 Am. White Pelican was noted along the Columbia River in Richland, then in
Walla Walla Co. at Wallula, a careful scan through a large gull flock on
the "poop piles" produced 2 THAYER'S GULLS, 5 WESTERN GULLS, 1 GLAUCOUS
GULL,4 GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS, 22 HERRING GULLS, and 300 California and 87
Ring-billed Gull. I birded Madame Dorion Park, as the day light was quickly
diminishing, but was able to note 3 HARRIS' SPARROWS(1 adult bird) and 1
singing W.T. SPARROW.
At the Walla Walla RD an astounding approx. 10,000 N.Pintail with lesser
numbers of Am. Wigeon, G.W. Teal, and Gadwall were noted, as were 45
Dunlin. My last stop was made at Port Kelly along the Columbia River, where
1 Common Loon and 3 Canyon Wrens were noted. I drove east to Lewis and
Clark S.P. in Columbia Co. for some owling, when immediately upon my
arrival was able to hear a N. SAW-WHET OWL in the north part of the park.
A further walk through the north part of the park produced 2 WESTERN
SCREECH OWLS, and along the brushy hillside on the south side of the park 1
LONG-EARED OWL was noted.To end the night, I travelled along Jasper Mtn.
Rd. where I slept, and was able to hear 2 N. SAW-WHET OWLS as I drove to
Jasper Mtn.

The next day(March 2), I birded around Jasper Mtn.(WW Co.) in rain, but
managed to get 1 N. PYGMY OWL, 1 PINE GROSBEAK, and 3 Mountain Chickadees.
In Walla Walla north of the WW High School the 2 BLUE JAYS were again seen
and heard, then it was off to Umatilla NWR(Whitcomb Island). Here
the weather cleared up to mostly sunny skies at 10 am. 130+ SNOW GEESE
contained 2 carefully noted and observed 2 ROSS' GEESE as they fed in corn
fields along the south portion of the island amongst an estimated 1,500
Canada Geese. Other notable species included: 2 Trumpeter Swans, 1 EARED
GREBE, 2 GOLDEN EAGLES, 1 EURASIAN WIGEON, and 40-50 Savannah Sparrows. My
final stops of the trip were made at Bingen(Klickitat Co.), where the
TUFTED DUCK is still present and a drive-by GREAT EGRET north of
Kalama(Cowlitz Co.) along I-5.

Good Birding,

Patrick Sullivan
GODWIT at worldnet.att.net