The WA Flyfishing Club has an outing to Sun Lakes State Park the first weekend
every Oct. (DeLorme atlas p. 85, D6). We fish Dry Falls L. about three miles
away. Of course, I also check out the birds. I left on Oct. 1 and returned
on Oct. 6. I walked the park area early every morning which has deciduous
trees, shrub, sage, extensive wetlands, Vic Meyer L.

I saw Northern Harrier, Golden Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk, Common Raven. Sharp-
shinned Hawk being monitored by three Black-billed Magpies. The SSHA was in a
tree with BBMA perched near it. The Sharpie then would chase one of the BBMA
around, land in another tree, where the BBMAs joined it. This sequence
repeated about four times before the SSHA left the area. Also heard a no. of
Virginia Rail, saw Marsh Wren, White-crowned Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Northern
Flicker, White-breasted Nuthatch, Common Raven, European Starling, House
Finch, House Sparrow. At Vic Meyer L. or pond near park entrance, I saw Pied-
billed Grebe, Ruddy Duck, American Coot, Mallard, Hooded Merganser, Gadwall,
Belted Kingfisher and Great Blue Heron. California Quail are everywhere. Also
heard Great Horned Owl every night and saw mule deer, rabbits and the ever
present raccoons.

Other birds I saw at Dry Falls L., Common Loon, Ring-necked Pheasant. There
are basalt cliffs about 30' high on east side of lake. These cliffs create a
shadow on the lake in the morning where fishing was good. But, also on these
cliffs there many Cliff Swallow mud nests, of course, the swallows were gone.
Also, feeding in the shaded area of the cliffs, about 20' away were two Canyon
Wren, two Dark-eyed Junco and one Yellow-rumped Warbler. This is probably
closet look I have had at the CAWR.

There are two lakes about 1/2 mile SE of Dry Falls L. that I always check out.
One is a very shallow, alkaline lake and the other a freshwater lake. Each
about 10 acres. The DeLorme atlas labels them as Red Alkali and Green Lakes,
but it has the lakes switched. Green L. is the northern one. Green L. had
about 100 ducks, mostly Mallard with a few Northern Pintail, American Wigeon,
and Pied-billed Grebe.
Red Alkali had about 1000 birds, mostly American Wigeon, at least one
Eurasian, some Mallard, at least two Redhead, 20 Canada Goose, a few Gadwall
and one Great Blue Heron. There must be some minerals that attract the ducks
to the alkaline lake.

On leaving on Tues., I decided to check out Atkins Lake, about 12 miles away.
(DeLorme p. 85, C/D 5/6). I had seen the lake mentioned on Tweeters a number
of times, but had never been there. The water level was very low. Only south
end had enough water for duck to swim. Very interesting and promising area.
Saw a number of Horned Lark, American Pipit, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs,
Killdeer and two winter plumage Black-bellied Plover. Also, had American
Kestrel and Western Meadowlark along the road on leaving the area.

For you fisherman, I did have some good fishing each day for fish from 14-18"
and a number of smaller ones.

Hugh Jennings
Bellevue, WA
hughbirder at aol.com