Tweets,

It was calm and warm (44F) on the Yakima Training Center as 20 birders
stood waiting for light to view the Sage Grouse on their lek. Horned Larks
sang overhead and meadowlarks fluted in the darkness. A Common Snipe
winnowed and a pheasant crowed. As it became light, we all trained our
scopes on a hillside in the distance, the lek site. Over the next hour , we
watched at least 34 male Sage Grouse (only 2-3 females) strutting on this
bare ridge.

Another bonus was a stunning view of the tippy top of Mt. Rainier, which
was bathed in a beautiful pink glow. After viewing the grouse, we walked
off to a nearby sage area, where we heard Sage Thrashers. Sage Sparrows
were everywhere. Later, others saw and heard more Sage Thrashers. One
Vesper Sparrow was heard.

We wish to thank David Livingston, biologist with the Yakima Training
Center, for hosting this great trip to see these threatened grouse.

After breakfast in Yakima, 10 of us went east to the Priest Rapids and
Hanford Reach areas of the Columbia Basin. Highlights included Long-eared
Owls and Golden Eagles east of Moxee, displaying Prairie Falcons near
Priest Rapids and white pelicans and Say's Phoebes on the Hanford Reach,
plus extraordinary views of the White Bluffs.

A quick stop to the Priest Rapids Wildlife Area north of Desert Air
produced Golden-crowned and Harris' Sparrow (discovered by Dave Beaudette),
but we could not relocate his Northern Mockingbird.

Finally, in the late afternoon east of Moxee, we stopped for hawk watching
in the fields. Harriers, Red-tails and Rough-legs were putting on quite a
show. Pairs of Red-tailed and Rough-legged Hawks (pair bonding or formation
prior to their long trip back to the arctic?) were evidently courting, with
lots of calling and diving about.

By the end of the day, I decided I needed to get my glasses (and bins)
recoated. That might reduce the number of mistaken ids. Turning immature
Red-tails into Ferruginous Hawks, Redtail Hawks into Bald Eagles got to be
a wee bit embarassing.

Here's a list of highlights:

Horned Grebe-1 at the White Bluffs
American White Pelican-25 at the White Bluffs
Double-crested Cormorant-20 at the White Bluffs
Bald Eagle-1 at the White Bluffs
Rough-legged Hawk-5+ 22 miles east of Moxee
Golden Eagle-1 adult 17 miles east of Moxee
Prairie Falcon-2 southwest of the Vernita rest area on the Midvale
Substation Road
Long-eared Owl-5+ east of Moxee
Say's Phoebe-~10
Vesper Sparrow-1, Yakima Training Center
Sage Thrasher-3, Yakima Training Center

Andy Stepniewski
Wapato WA