Tweeters,

Sorry this report is a little late but I finally have time to compose it.
This last weekend I went over to Eastern Washington for a couple days to
check out the Tri-colored Blackbird site near Wilson Creek in Grant Co. I
camped at a great place just south of Ephrata that has bathrooms, showers,
swimming pool, golf and more. On Sat. morning I went from there to the
Wilson Creek Blackbird site and on the way discovered I was slowly losing my
brakes. (I discovered this on all my stop--turn around--and go back to see
that bird manouvers). I continued on though and arrived at the Blackbird
site around 9:30 in the morning. The viewing from this point is superb.
This vantage point is high above the marsh enabling great views of all
below. I didn't see the Tri-coloreds until after 10 though as it was
already hot and not much bird movement. I think the best observation is to
watch off to the left where there is an open area in the marsh and it is
muddy in this area. Blackbirds go to the mud looking for insects and water.
Just check out all the blackbirds in this area. I only saw a total of
maybe 20 Blackbirds in the hour I watched. 3 Tri-coloreds, 2 or 3
Yellow-headeds and the rest Red-wingeds. Excellent looks at them though.
After crippling back to Ephrata and making an unplanned 2 hr. stop at Les
Schwab to get my master cylinder changed out, I continued north. I birded
around Grand Coulee Dam, up into Okanogan Co, across to Ferry Co, took the
Keeler Ferry across the Columbia into Lincoln Co. and back into Ephrata by
nightfall. Nothing else out of the ordinary. 85 species for the weekend.
Added many species to my county lists. Highlights were:

Burrowing Owls at exit 151 off of 1-90
6 Great Egrets and a ton of White Pelicans just west of Wilson Creek
Veery, Lazuli, Pileated, Calliope, and Golden Eagle at the Okanogan-Ferry
Co. Lines.

I also checked the North Bend Bobwhite area on Fri. afternoon without
success. Neither did I find any B. T. Sparrows in the vicinity north of
Wanapum St. Park south of Vantage.

Good Birding!

Michael Willison
sendtomichael at hotmail.com
Auburn, WA
(253) 939-4986

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