Grasshopper Sparrows were absent in the late afternoon in Columbia NWR and
may have something in common with what Andy Stepniewski mentioned although
Patrick Sullivan and myself Sat. found lots of them southeast of Benge in
southeast Adams Co. This is higher in elevation and on the edge of the
Palouse which gets more rainfall then farther west in Adams Co. Also at
Sandhills Park in Adams Co. we had Sage Thrashers, Sage Sparrows, Vesper
Sparrows, Lark Sparrows, Brewer's Sparrows, and Lazuli Buntings. Just
northeast of these sand dunes we found Grasshopper Sparrows. Sandhills
County Park is just south of Hwy. 26 east of Othello.

At Washtucna we found a Warbling Vireo, Black-headed Grosbeak, Violet-green
Swallow, Rock Wren, and a Barn Owl with a Pintail on the sewer pond. East
of Washtucna along the Palouse River we were looking for Kingfishers, but
being tough in Adams Co. we missed them. There is some great streamside
habitat along this stretch of the Palouse River for passerines so we will
return possibly in fall migration. Total species seen in Adams Co. was 81
with parts of the day spent looking for Tricolored Blackbirds and Ibis with
no luck. We had 4 species of owls---Barn, Short-eared, Great-horned, and
Burrowing.