..........................Earlier this week, after work.....went driving
up past Van. Lake and up to end of Lower River Road.........before the
rains came back.
...........................Just past the industrial area on the large
ponds on the diary farmers property on north side were a number of
Tundra Swans, with a few Trumpeters with them; along with scads of
Northern Shovelers and a good number of Double-crested Cormorants along
with other common 'puddle-ducks'. Blue Herons were sitting on their
nests in a bunch of trees just north of the pond.
.......................... Large numbers of Ring-necked ducks observed
further up the road. Lake Vanc. was rather choppy. Lots of Coots!!
...........................100-200 Sandhill Cranes by Frenchmens
Bar....along with zillions of smaller Canada Geese. Ponds further north
yielded plenty of Pintails and more Ring-necks, and some Scaup and
Hooded Mergansers. Lots of Blue Herons sitting on their nests in the
trees in the state Heron rookery area. Lake in Ridgefield NWR by Dairy
Unit house surprisingly empty, though a Lincoln's Sparrow; a Northern
Flicker and some wrens, Finches, and Robins flitted around before wind
and rain forced me to retreat to my car and drive home.

Gerald Hamilton
Brush Prairie, Wash.
gerald at e-z.net