Aug. 7 began with 6 Barn Owls and a Great-horned Owl along Dodson Rd. and
the Frenchman Hills around 4-4:30 am. Columbia NWR was coming to life as
the sun was showing itself with Canyon Wren, Black-crowned Night Herons, and
a Solitary Sandpiper all by itself in a muddy pond. The ponds north of
Othello had tons of Yellowlegs mostly Lesser, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Least
Sandpipers (the common peep), a Long-billed Dowitcher and Black-necked
Stilts. The Othello sewer ponds had 3 Eared Grebes, lots of Wood Ducks, and
the normal. 45 mins. later Washtucna had a Warbling Vireo, Western Tanager
at the park with a Solitary Sandpiper at the sewer ponds. We next headed
for Rose Creek wildlife area---not too much so we headed for the Albion
sewer ponds where we had a Catbird.

Passing through Asotin Co. there wasn't a whole lot at Swallow Park in
Clarkston and not much at the Savage Pond south of Anatone. Field Stream
State Park was a major downpour so we headed south down to the Grande Ronde
River upstream towards Troy, Ore. then north into Washington on Grouse Creek
Rd. where we found a family of Ruffed Grouse. On Grouse Flats we found a
Cooper's Hawk on a side road trying to head south into the high country only
to find wet ground for our sleeping bags (myself and Marv Breece). That
night no Boreal Owls as expected as it's too early to hear them, but we
heard a pair of Great-horned Owls in the distance way down the canyon.
After sleeping through a cold night with a patch of snow down the road we
birded our way to the Wenatchee Guard Sta. where a juv. Green-tailed Towhee
came up the bank to investigate us. Quite a few Blue Grouse were feeding in
the open areas since we were the first car driving the roads that morning.
It was surprising not to find a Williamson's Sapsucker going pass roads with
names like Devil's Tailbone and Hard-to-get-to-Ridge.

Down in lower elevation close to the Tucannon River we stopped at the
Hartsock Unit of the Wooten Wildlife Area where a Catbird called and a few
warblers. The Tucannon Fish Hatchery had its pond empty with a Solitary
Sandpiper checking the muddy bottom out. Farther upstream we found a van
parked at a trailhead with a flat tire and a large fir tree blocking the
road. We stopped by some campers 4 miles down stream to report this only to
see they had a hummingbird feeder up with a female Black-chinned feeding.

On our way back home we stopped to see the Indigo Bunting---no luck. So we
headed to Robinson Canyon for the night with Poorwills and a Great-horned
Owl calling and at dawn a Northern Pygmy Owl started to call. Many species
were on the move, but we found a nest of Cedar Waxwings with young in it
along with Gray Flycatchers, White-breasted Nuthatch, Nashville Warblers and
a fast Western Rattlesnake crossing the road with a mission in mind.
Healthy looking sport! And a great way to end our birding trip as we headed
home.

Ken Knittle, Gold Bar, xenops at msn.com