Week-end highlights....
We left Grand Coulee about 8:30 Saturday morning and traveled north on
Hwy 155 to Lyman Lake - Moses Meadow Road. Continued on to Aenes Valley
road to Hwy 20 and then east to Republic. From there we went south on
Hwy 21 to Manilla Creek road and back to Grand Coulee. The 175 mile trip
took us 10 1/2 hours. Great birding!

Our first delight of the day was a BELTED KINGFISHER near Moses Meadow.
His location was a surprise to both of us. A short way down the road was
a GRYFALCON. We got the scope on him and had a good look.

Several WESTERN BLUEBIRDS were out today. We followed directions given
to us by our neighbor to a couples house in Sun Ranch Lyman Lake Plat.
They have a large feeder and see several species of birds. Today the
EVENING GROSBEAKS showed up for the first time this year (they will be
there all summer) and we just happened to be there. Beautiful birds!
Jerry got some good pictures. The people said that any birders that want
to come there are welcome.

Shortly after leaving there we saw this bird flying "crazy". We kept our
eye on it and saw it land. It was hard to spot in the grass, but we did
ID it. A COMMON SNIPE. Great camouflage.

The weather was pretty nice all day all though there was a little rain.
Driving down the San Poil River we stopped a few times and listened. One
place we stopped we saw a immature EAGLE. More pictures...close
pictures. Hopefully they will help us determine if it was a BALD or
GOLDEN EAGLE. A few yards away a PINE GROSBEAK and RED-BREASTED
NUTHATCHES were having their dinner.

By the time we reached Manilla creek it was dusk. Four birds flew in and
landed on the hill side. It took a look in the field guides to find out
they were GRAY PARTRIDGE. Our first.

We had four new life birds today. The Gray Partridge, Evening Grosbeak,
Pine Grosbeak and the Common Snipe. A great day and great birds.

Heard several different WOODPECKERS, but can't ID by sound yet, except
for the DOWNY and HAIRY.

Also saw 7 Whitetail and 10 Muleies.

Sandy and Jerry Converse
Grand Coulee, WA