Hello Tweets,

On March 19th I birded the eastern edge of Skamania Co, starting my tally
with a NORTHERN GOSHAWK near Glenoma,LE. I continued east of Randle on FR
23 staying in LE Co. to just south of Blue Lk., then into SM Co., where I
then travelled south and east on FR 21 to Adams Fork CG, then ENE on FR 56,
then SSE on FR 5603, where I ran into compact snow as this road gradually
rises in elevation to the FR 2329 Jct., within sight distance of the Yakima
Indian Reservation within YA Co, which is not open to the public, without
probable permission. The weather was great with mainly sunny skies, and
minor wind, so I continued south on FR 2329, which was mainly groomed by
snowmobile traffic to just north of Takhlakh Lk, where the road turned to
umgroomed conditions, but passable, where I joined back up with FR 23, and
continued south to just north of Council Lk., where I met up with 2
snowmobilers, which had told me NOT to continue due to deeper snow ahead
and a blocked entry even further ahead, which I planned to do heading to
Trout Lk, then bird Klickitat Co., had I not ran into the 2 men, so I
enjoyed the great views of Mt. Adams to the east, and slowy worked my way
back to Randle the way I came. Between Keenes Horse Camp to my turn around
spot, I noted the following species:

1 N. PYGMY OWL
3 P. GROSBEAKS
35 E. GROSBEAKS
1 N. THREE-TOED WOODPECKER
8 C. NUTCRACKERS
1 G. EAGLE(flying east to YA Co)
good numbers of R.B. Nuthatches, Red Crossbills, Gray Jays, and C.B.
Chickadees were also prevelant in the general area as well.

As evening neared I decided to sleep along the road near Takhlakh and
Olallie Lks., and try for some owls. At 8pm I walked north of Takhlakh Lk.
and heard 3 N. SAW-WHET OWLS along the road, then walked back to my
vehicle, then west of the lake and at 10:45pm, was astounded when 2 SPOTTED
OWLS called for about 15 min., then it turned silent until around 1:30am,
when I heard 1 bird call from my vehicle as I tried to sleep. At 5am I
started on my way back to Randle, where the compact snow on the road turned
crusty as it froze overnight, but was still passable, so on I went, until I
reached pavement near Blue Lake CG, then at MP 14 along FR 23, I heard a
CANYON WREN call from a rock face, north of North Fork CG, which was an
very unexpected quality find! My next major stop, was at the County Line
Park on WK-CW Co. line along Hwy. 4, where a PACIFIC LOON was observed on
the WK Co. side on the Columbia River. 5 TURKEY VULTURES were noted at
Stella, and an AM. DIPPER was at the mouth of Germany Crk. I then birded
the Juliet Butler Hansen-W.T. Deer NWR, west of Cathlamet, where a single
ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was present. A productive stop along SR 403 near Altoona
at Grays Bay produced: 22 R.T. LOONS
1 EARED GREBE
8 SNOW GEESE
24 W.W. SCOTERS
3 S. SCOTERS
3 P. CORMORANTS
2500+ Dunlin
1 GREAT EGRET
I
In Pacific Co., I birded Leadbetter Pt. S.P. from 1-4:45pm, which was NOT
productive, but encountered 1 Am. Kestrel, 1 G.H. Owl, 8 FOX SPARROWS, 7
Varied Thrushes, 2 HUTTON'S VIREOS, and single White and Golden crowned
Sparrows, which were all at or near the small isolated pine forest at the
NE tip of LB Pt. To end the day a single TRUMPETER SWAN was on Black Lake
near Illwaco. I then drove north to Westport, where I partially rested for
a pelagic trip the next day. The next morning at 5:45, I boarded the MONTE
CARLO along with 10 other birders, then proceeded approx. 35 nautical miles
to Grays Canyon. The weather was mainly cloudy at Westport, and a SE front
was forcasted for late Sat., but the we encoutered fairly strong SW winds
and light rain to follow at around 8am, which stayed with us the entire way
out, where mainly ALL the species were encountered including 1
possible/probable RED-LEGGED KITTIWAKE seen by Bruce Labar,Phil
Anderson(skipper), and at least 3 other observers.Other species that were
encoutered included:

BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS
NORTHERN FULMAR
BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE
CASSIN'S AUKLET
MARBLED and ANCIENT MURRELETS(entrance of Grays Harbor)
RHINO. AUKLET
1 OLDSQUAW(entrance of Grays Harbor)
COMMON MURRES(large numbers throughout)

The way back in was quite ROUGH at times, with heavy swells and spray, but
a single POMARINE JAGER was seen. Within a 10-15 miles from shore only
minor swells occured with some spray. Before ending the trip, we checked
the Westport Jetty and observed good numbers of Red-throated and Pacific
Loons, and all 3 Cormorants within Grays Harbors, and 2+ ROCK SANDPIPERS,
SURFBIRDS, AND BLACK TURNSTONES on the jetty. To end the trip 1 HEERMANN'S
GULL and 2 Common Loons with 1 in breeding plumage at the marina. On my way
home I checked for the GYRFALCON that had been previously been seen on
Brady Loop Rd., but with NO luck, only to end my trip with a single EUR.
WIGEON in a large Am. Wigeon flock off that road.

Patrick Sullivan
GODWIT at worldnet.att.net