This year's ELWAS Beginning Birding class went to eastern Washington
Saturday, May 1st, on its graduation field trip. The morning weather was
dismal but there were some sun breaks in the afternoon, and a climactic dust
storm as we were winding down. Leaders Tim McGruder and Mike West led us
through Hidden Valley, Ellensburg's back roads environs, the old "Vantage
Highway," I-90/Dodson Road potholes, and, to a new class record of 75 birds
species for the day.

Some Highlights: In Hidden Valley a beautiful male AMERICAN KESTRAL teased
as along part of the road, flying back and forth from bushes to light wires,
just ahead of the cars, until he tired of the game and flew off with a
flourishing swoop across the road in front of us. Great Looks! AMERICAN
DIPPER bobbing its way along a beached log under a bridge over the Teanaway
River was captivating. A short encounter with a PILEATED WOODPECKER caused
quite a stir and in field near the Ellensburg we witnessed a clash between a
warring COMMON RAVEN and a SWAINSON'S HAWK. The hawk gave up. Later, on
Dodson Road, we saw a pair of SWAINSON'S copulating atop a telephone pole.
Seeing nine LONG-BILLED CURLEWS in one day was another surprise.

Afterward, back in Ellensburg, the class celebrated at the "Blue Grouse,"
acclaiming AMERICAN DIPPER - "favorite bird " of the day. GREAT-HORNED OWL
on the nest came in second.

ELWAS extends warm congratulations to its seventeen new Birders.

Amy McQuade
Mercer Island
McBrdwchr at aol.com