Tweets,

For your info, here's how we did.

We assembled our team at the Ravenna Park and Ride. Two SUVs and a sedan,
the sedan due to return at dawn; the SUVs for the hardcore 14-hour birders.
At the Kent ponds in addition to our target Barn Owl, we tallied Canada
Goose, Mallard, Glaucous-winged Gull, American Crow, Savannah Sparrow, Song
Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, and House Sparrow. To our disgust, it was
alternating heavy rain and showers.

Seward park was a dud, the normally highly reliable Western Screech Owls
frustratingly silent. We added not a single bird. So we decided it was time
to cross the crest and look for the elusive and controversial Spotted Owl at
our secret spot near Liberty. True to form it remained elusive, but its
burly, bully cousin, the Barred Owl came right in to investigate our Spotted
Owl imitations. We sensed its passing shadow, as there was not a hint of
moon, then spotlighted it right over head. In parting it called vigorously,
"Who Cooks For You All."

Next stop Old Blewett Pass, famed Flammulated Owl stronghold. Again, the
cold, late spring thwarted our plans. The pass was still in snow and the
forest was deathly still, though surprisingly starlight off the snow seemed
like moonlight.

Already there was a hint of dawn to the east, so we dashed for Robinson
Canyon, hoping for one last chance at the Western Screech-Owl before the
robins started singing. En route, a Great Horned Owl glided across our
headlight beams and an early Common Poorwill fluttered off the entrance
road. A Northern Pygmy Owl briefly tooted, but would not come closer. Now it
was dawn and the real birding began. Before sun up we had added the
following: Ruffed Grouse, Mourning Dove, Common Poorwill, Lewis' Woodpecker,
Red-naped Sapsucker, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Pileated
Woodpecker, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Warbling Vireo, Steller's Jay, Common
Raven, House Wren, Townsend's Solitaire, Swainson's Thrush, American Robin,
Nashville Warbler, MacGillivray's Warbler, Spotted Towhee, Lincoln's
Sparrow, , Golden-crowned Sparrow, Brown-headed Cowbird, Bullock's Oriole,
Cassin's Finch, and American Goldfinch.

Next stop was Ellensburg, or rather a few miles east where Short-eared Owls
were rumored hanging out. One obliged, perching in the broad daylight on a
fence post adjacent to a particularly weedy field. It was not alone. The
pastures out toward Kittitas hosted Northern Harrier, Cooper's Hawk,
Red-tailed Hawk, American Kestrel, Ringed-necked Pheasant, Gray Partridge,
California Quail, Killdeer, Long-billed Curlew, Common Snipe, Short-eared
Owl, Tree Swallow, Northern Rough-winged Swallow , Barn Swallow,
Black-billed Magpie, European Starling, Red-winged Blackbird, Western
Meadowlark, Brewer's Blackbird, and House Finch.

Still without breakfast we headed east down Schnebly Coulee for Vantage and
the Columbia River. Now owls on this stretch but lots of good birds: Rock
Dove, Loggerhead Shrike, Mountain Bluebird, Sage Thrasher, Brewer's Sparrow,
and Sage Sparrow. At the river there was a fair movement of woodland
migrants in the riparian groves and a few water birds on the river: Common
Loon, Western Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, Common Merganser, Chukar,
Spotted Sandpiper, Ring-billed Gull, Caspian Tern, White-throated Swift,
Dusky Flycatcher, Say's Phoebe, Violet-green Swallow, Rock Wren,
Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Orange-crowned Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Yellow-rumped
Warbler, Townsend's Warbler, Wilson's Warbler, Western Tanager, and Lazuli
Bunting.

East of the river we hit hot spots like the Calico exit marsh, Dodson Road,
the Frenchman Hills junction, and the Potholes NWR. Flying east on I-90
shading the speed limit we glimpsed a familiar form perched on the fence
line: Burrowing Owl! These little sage-brush sentinels have been getting
harder and harder to find. We had to backtrack eight miles on the frontage
road for a better look. Along Dodson we scoped the Great Horned Owl beside
her nest, but were already running short of time, necessitating passing up
opportunities for owl number 8, the Long-eared. Besides the owls we racked
up a fine list of open country and pothole lake species: Great Blue Heron,
Great Egret, Blue-winged Teal, Cinnamon Teal, Northern Shoveler, Gadwall,
Canvasback, Redhead, Ring-necked Duck, Greater Scaup, Lesser Scaup,
Swainson's Hawk, Sora, Virginia Rail, American Coot, Black-necked Stilt,
Forster's Tern, Western Kingbird, Bank Swallow, Cliff Swallow, Marsh Wren,
Yellow-headed Blackbird, and singing Lark Sparrows.

The Othello ponds are specially productive of shorebirds. We added these:
American White Pelican, Bufflehead, Hooded Merganser, Ruddy Duck, American
Avocet, Least Sandpiper, Dunlin, a disputed dowitcher sp., Wilson's
Phalarope, California Gull, and Canyon Wren. Heading home we bagged American
Bittern, always a treat, and Horned Lark.

Running late already and zoning out fast we had time for just a few quick
stops as we crossed back over the Cascades. The Teanaway river mouth and Cle
Elum's back streets held a few surprises: Turkey Vulture, Wood Duck, Osprey,
Vaux's Swift, Calliope Hummingbird, Rufous Hummingbird, Black-capped
Chickadee, American Dipper, Western Bluebird, Common Yellowthroat, and Pine
Siskin. At Cabin Creek and Asahel Curtis in the heart of the mountains we
stirred up a few forest birds with a pygmy owl imitation: Band-tailed
Pigeon, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Golden-crowned Kinglet, and Dark-eyed Junco.

We arrived in Seattle just an hour and a half past our 6 PM estimated time
of arrival, so had a full hour of daylight to squeeze out a few more dollars
in donations from our generous pledgees, all in the name of Audubon. The
Montlake Fill at the good ol' UDUB seemed the most likely spot to pad the
list. Indeed, it did. We added these last few species in the drizzly dusk:
Mute Swan, American Wigeon, Bald Eagle, Western Sandpiper, Short-billed
Dowitcher, Common Bushtit, Bewick's Wren, and American Pipit.

Grand total: Seven owls and a total of 146 species, including two bonus
eagles. In retrospect, I'm not sure how many more of these juggernauts I'm
good for. Ain't getting any younger and I miss my beauty rest. But it was
like old times; soaking up those bright spring migrants; hooting up the odd
owl; admiring the soaring raptor. Thanks for your support and we'll see what
I come up with next year.

Gene "Bird Brain" Hunn, heading for bed.