Just got back from two days in eastern WA. I *finally* saw
the clouds of sandhill cranes that I've been hearing about
for so long on tweeters. Way down near the end of Lower
Crab Creek Road, a mile or two before it hits SR 26. I was
watching one bird and I became aware of a huge noise that
sounded something like a thousand turkeys and chickens
with loudspeakers. I looked and there they were. Most had
just taken off and groups of about 20-30? or so were circling
around gaining altitude. This was just at noon, so I wonder
if they waited till there was some warm air rising. There
were hundreds, if not a thousand (a guess).

And just beyond that, I was parked and watching a loggerhead
shrike on a fence post. Just then it flew across in front
of my vehicle and caught something in the air and then headed
for a sagebrush (I believe it was) just off the road in front
of me. I watched it enter the thickest part for a short time,
and then up its head popped and it flew off to its post again.
So I took a look and found a large wasp of some kind, if not
impaled, then wedged pretty tight. I never expected to see
that particular aspect of a shrike's behavior.

Saw a number of lifers for me and, although not as many birds
as I would have liked, I saw a fair number - enough to make
the trip more than worthwhile.

bob mauritsen
seattle