Hello Tweets,

On June 9th(late) and 10th Dave Hayden, Marv Breece, and my mother and I birded Kittitas County, mainly in the Liberty area, with additional birding in the Cle Elum and Robinson Canyon areas on the 10th. The main highlights of the trip were 6 FLAMMULATED OWLS(heard only)along FR 9712, north of Liberty, late on the 9th-early10th, and 1 singing NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH along Williams Creek, and at Liberty on the 10th, being a very probable first county record. The weather was variable, but pleasant at times where we camped/owled at Liberty, but scattered showers, and moderate wind at most other locations visited, with increasing showers at Liberty late on the 10th.

We started out at Liberty at 9pm, then owled 3 hours, with the success of a total of 6 FLAMMULATED OWLS, and 4 COMMON POORWILLS but none were seen. The next morning we all birded around the area we camped, then along Williams/Boulder Creeks at Liberty, with favorable conditions, but still quite cold for June, with a few highlights that included:


1 calling N.PYGMY OWL
1 hen WILD TURKEY with 2 young
1 COMMON NIGHTHAWK
good numbers of Dusky Flycatchers
1 male WILLIAMSON'S SAPSUCKER
5+ VEERIES
1 singing GRAY CATBIRD

We birded Robinson Canyon the remaining portion of the morning on the 10th, with an added warning to visiting birders of the ROAD BLOCKADE for vehicle traffic, just in from the base of the canyon,beyond the first gate, with only foof traffic possible further up the canyon, due to road washouts, possibly over the heavy spring rains. We were able to bird the riparian habitat at the entrance to the canyon, then walked in to the beaver pond, then back along the road, with a few highlights including:

1 COOPER'S HAWK
1 pair of GOLDEN EAGLES
1 calling COMMON POORWILL
1 COMMON NIGHTHAWK
1 male CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD
1 LEWIS' WOODPECKER
1 RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER
1 calling YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT
1 WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW
good numbers of Lazuli Buntings

Next, we headed back to Liberty via Hwy.97 at Ellensburg, for possible trip additions, starting with a BANK SWALLOW and 1 male YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD along Hwy.97, west of Ellensburg, as the weather looked unfavorable heading west, but once we arrived at Liberty by mid-afternoon skies improved, with occasional showers late during our stay. We started out by birding around town, and along Williams Creek, where the highlight was the singing NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH(heard only), several times in appropriate habitat along the creek, and the VEERIES, heard mainly earlier, with 2 seen. Our last birding of the day was made around the area we camped the previous night, with mainly the same species encountered earlier, including the male WILLIAMSON'S SAPSUCKER.

Good Birding,

Patrick Sullivan
GODWIT at worldnet.att.net

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