Tweeters,

Denny Granstrand and I enjoyed a fine (temperatures in the 50's, winds calm
in the morning, increasing in the afternoon) late winter day in the
Columbia Gorge, birding southern Klickitat County. We birded Swale Creek
southwest of Goldendale, the very scenic Dalles Mountain Road (this gravel
road is worth driving for the views alone) along the crest of the Columbia
Hills, Lyle, the Columbia River west from from Lyle to White Salmon
(especially Bingen), Tidyman Road ponds, Maryhill State Park, and briefly
below John Day Dam.

Notable were American Robins, without doubt the most abundant (1,000+) and
widespread bird. They seemed everywhere, including grassy fields atop the
treeless Columbia Hills. Robins might have accounted for the presence of
both Sharp-shinned and Cooper's Hawks high on those hills.

The movement of robins and one Turkey Vulture (on the railway tracks near
Lyle with its head thrust deep into a coyote) were the only real signs of
spring. Otherwise, the birdlist seemed typical of winter. I realize it's
still winter by the calendar, but it looked - the first Gray's
desert-parsley (Lomatium grayi) were in bloom - and felt like spring.

I offer the entire birdlist for the day; since we bird this area
infrequently, we are both in a poor position to decide what are interesting
or unusual sightings.

Pied-billed Grebe - 2
Horned Grebe - 3
Red-necked Grebe - 1, Bingen
Western Grebe - 20, widespread
Double-crested Cormorant - 10, widespread
Great Blue Heron - 2
Canada Goose - 100
Wood Duck - 1, Balch Lake
Green-winged Teal - 35, Tidyman Road ponds
Mallard - 500+, especially flooded fields on Swale Creek south of
Goldendale
Northern Pintail - 50, as above
American Wigeon - 50
Canvasback - 1, male on Tidyman Road ponds
Ring-necked Duck - 50
Tufted Duck - 1 male swimming along shore from MP 68 to 69, this bird was
cruisin.
Greater Scaup - 30, widespread on river
Common Goldeneye - 5, Maryhill State Park
Barrow's Goldeneye - 1, Maryhill State Park
Hooded Merganser - 5
Common Merganser - 15
Turkey Vulture - 1
Bald Eagle - 1, immature on flooded fields along Swale Creek
Northern Harrier - 3, Columbia Hills
Sharp-shinned Hawk - 1, immature on Columbia Hills
Cooper's Hawk - 1, Columbia Hills
Red-tailed Hawk - 20, widespread and conspicuous, courtship displays noted
frequently
Rough-legged Hawk - 2, north slopes Columbia Hills in Swale Creek area
Golden Eagle - 4 at one time near Stonehenge, including 1 immature
"ringtail." Coursing very low over hills by highway. Wow!
American Kestrel - 6
Prairie Falcon - 1, summit Columbia Hills
California Quail - 2, Lyle
American Coot - 50
Killdeer - 5
Dunlin - 2, Tidyman Road ponds
Ring-billed Gull - 30, most by flooded fields on Swale Creek, others at
Klickitat River mouth
California Gull - 3, Klickitat River mouth
Glaucous-winged Gull - 1, John Day Dam
Lewis's Woodpecker - 2
Acorn Woodpecker - 1, on branchless, dead ponderosa pine granery tree ~
600' south Lyle-Rowland Lake Road, 50' east Balch Lake Road intersection.
Downy Woodpecker - 2
Northern (Red-shafted) Flicker - 5
Horned Lark - 2, singing over Columbia Hills
Steller's Jay - 5, Lyle
Western Scrub-Jay - 20, widespread and conspicuous
Black-billed Magpie - 5, east of Lyle only
American Crow - 15, Lyle west
Common Raven - 8
Black-capped Chickadee - 10
White-breasted Nuthatch - 1, Lyle
Canyon Wren - 3
Winter Wren - 2
Golden-crowned Kinglet - 3, Maryhill State Park
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 2, Maryhill State Park
American Robin - 1000+, impressive!
European Starling - 150+
Yellow-rumped (Audubon's ) Warbler - 10, Maryhill State Park
Spotted Towhee - 5
Song Sparrow - 6
Golden-crowned Sparrow - 2
White-crowned Sparrow - 15
Dark-eyed (Oregon) Junco - 40
Red-winged Blackbird - 100
Western Meadowlark - 3
Brewer's Blackbird - 10, "railway track " birds (for spilled grain?), none
yet on breeding territories
House Finch - 10
Pine Siskin - 5, Lyle feeder
Lesser Goldfinch - 7, Maryhill State Park entrance
American Goldfinch - 25, Lyle
House Sparrow - 15, McDonalds both in Goldendale and White Salmon (you know
where we dined)

Andy Stepniewski
Wapato WA