Thank you, Dennis, for suggesting Howard Ennor's
"Birds of the Tri-Cities and Vicinity" -- that was
a great help! Thanks, Bryan for telling me about
the burrowing owl at the airport -- I did find him,
after a bit of searching. And thanks Ruth, Craig
and Irene for your suggestions: I got to Bateman
Island (Black-Headed Grosbeak), Sacajawea State Park
(Rock Wren, White Pelican ), McNary National Wildlife
Refuge (Stilt, Western Kingbird, Yellow-Headed
Blackbirds galore!) and Madame Dorian Park (Avocet).
I also found Terence Wahl's "Guide to Bird
Finding in Washington" to be very helpful -- I saw
White-Breasted Swifts and Prairie Falcons at the Selah
rest stop, as advertised! And a Dipper near Cle Elum
(Hwy 10 & Teanaway River) which was enchanting. Of
course Black-Billed Magbie, Gambel's Quail, and
Pheasant were pretty common and I saw them frequently.
I also got my first look at a Townsend's Warbler
(Lake Easton Park).

Both books are 1991, and some of the info is out of date
(McNary no longer allows you to go all the way around the
pond; there's additional sites near Madame Dorian),
although they were both very useful to me. I had a pretty
sad time when I realized I left my bird book, with all
its notations at to where/when seen, in the field, and
swore I would put new notations in a computer document
that I wouldn't lose. So then I found my book in the
back seat, and we'll see if I keep that resolution!

I am still new enough that I am happy if I just see one
new bird on an outing, and this weekend I got about 14,
so I'm ecstatic! I stayed at the Ramada Inn on Clover
Island, right on the Columbia River, that has good AAA
rates, and beautiful views and birding within walking
distance. But, it was a lot of driving, and I'm glad
to be home!

--Rebecca Galloway, Northgate, Seattle