Subject: Columbia Gorge highlights(long)
Date: May 14 22:25:27 2000
From: Ruth Sullivan - godwit at worldnet.att.net


Hello Tweets,

I birded May 11th(owling)-14th in 5 counties, with primary birding made in Klickitat Co., as I participated in the 2000 Klickitat Co. spring migration count on the 13th of May. Owling late on the 11th was primarily done in Skamania County along FR 23, with minor scouting in Lewis Co., with 3 total species, with the low number possibly due to somewhat poor weather conditions at times, but the weather the remaining of the trip was seasonably adequate with relatively cool nights, and warm days, with NO rain, but a threat of rain as I headed west into Clark and Cowlitz Cos. on the 14th. At elevations above 3500' snow is apparent with still the early spring feeling A total of 186 species were noted, as I encountered a few new birding locations during the trip. The highlights follow at selected locations and counties:

COMMON LOON
2 at Crow Butte State Park, Benton Co. on 5-13

EARED GREBE*
22 at the Klickitat-Benton Co. line(MP 152)along Hwy.14 on 5-13
30 at Roosevelt Park,Klickitat Co. on 5-13
1 at Goldendale STP,KL on 5-14


CLARK'S GREBE*
1 at KL-BE line(MP 151)along Hwy.14 on 5-13

AM.WHITE PELICAN
2 at Whitcomb Island,BE on 5-13

AM.BITTERN
1 at Randle,Lewis Co. on 5-11
4 at River S Unit of Ridgefield NWR,Clark Co. on 5-14

BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON
1 at Roosevelt,KL on 5-13

BLUE-WINGED TEAL
2 at Blockhouse,KL on 5-12
4 at Goldendale STP,KL on 5-14
4 at River S Unit of Ridgefield NWR,CK on 5-14

REDHEAD
5 at Roosevelt Park,KL on 5-13

BARROW'S GOLDENEYE
6(3 pair)at Trout Lake Creek,KL on 5-12

RED-BREASTED MERGANSER
1 female at Crow Butte SP,BE on 5-13

RUDDY DUCK
20 at Goldendale STP,KL on 5-14*
8 at River S Unit of Ridgefield NWR,CK on 5-14

SWAINSON'S HAWK
2 along Stegeman Rd., SE of Bicketon,KL on 5-13
1 near Balch Lake, W of Lyle,KL on 5-14

MERLIN
1 at Conboy Lake NWR,KL on 5-12

PRAIRIE FALCON
1 at Conboy Lake NWR,KL on 5-12
1 along Stegeman Rd.,KL on 5-13

GRAY PARTRIDGE*
2 along Goldendale-Bickleton Hwy, N of Bickleton,KL on 5-13

SANDHILL CRANE
8 at Conboy Lake NWR,KL on 5-12

BLACK-NECKED STILT
2 at Alderdale STP,KL on 5-13
5 at Whitcomb Is.,BE on 5-13

AM.AVOCET
2 at Alderdale STP,KL on 5-13*
3 at Crow Butte SP,BE on 5-13
2 at Dallesport,KL on 5-14

WESTERN SANDPIPER
1 at Whitcomb Is.,BE on 5-13

LEAST SANDPIPER
5 at Alderdale STP,KL on 5-13
5 along Dike Access Rd, NW of Woodland,Cowlitz Co. on 5-14

SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER
1(heard and seen)at Crow Butte SP,BE on 5-13

LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER
7 at Crow Butte SP,BE on 5-13
2 at Goldendale STP,KL on 5-14

WILSON'S PHALAROPE
8 at Conboy Lake NWR,KL on 5-12
4 at Alderdale STP,KL on 5-13
36 at Goldendale STP,KL on 5-14
2 at Dallesport,KL on 5-14

HERRING GULL
1 at Lyle,KL on 5-14

GLACOUS-WINGED GULL
1 at Lyle,KL on 5-14
1 at N.Bonneville Dam,Skamania Co.(with 92 California Gulls)on 5-14

FORSTER'S TERN
1 at Whitcomb Is.,BE on 5-13

BLACK TERN*
3 at River S Unit of Ridgefield NWR,CK on 5-14

BAND-TAILED PIGEON
7 at Trout Lake,KL on 5-12

SHORT-EARED OWL*
1 along East Rd., N of Roosevelt,KL on 5-13

BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD
1 at Maryhill Museum,KL on 5-14

ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD
1 N of Lyle,KL on 5-14

ACORN WOODPECKER
2 near Balch Lake, W of Lyle,KL on 5-14

WHITE-HEADED WOODPECKER
4 at Conboy Lake NWR,KL on 5-12

OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER
1 along Alderdale Rd.(lower Alder Creek),KL on 5-13

GRAY FLYCATCHER
14 at Conboy Lake NWR,KL on 5-12
9 along Goldendale-Bickleton Hwy., W of Cleveland,KL on 5-13
2 along Stegeman Rd.,KL on 5-13

ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER
1 at Crow Butte SP,BE on 5-13*
1 N of Lyle,KL on 5-14
6 near Balch Lake,KL on 5-14

PURPLE MARTIN
1 along the Columbia River at the mouth of the White Salmon River,KL on 5-14*
8 at Skamania,SM on 5-14

SWAINSON'S THRUSH
2 at Maryhill Museum,KL on 5-14

SAGE THRASHER
9 along Stegeman Rd.,KL on 5-13

AM.PIPIT
1 along Dike Access Rd.,CW on 5-14

LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE
1 along Alder Creek,KL on 5-13
1 N of Alderdale,KL on 5-13

HUTTON'S VIREO*
1 at NW of Trout Lake,KL on 5-12

RED-EYED VIREO
1 at BZ Corner,KL on 5-12
1 along Klickitat River, N of Lyle,KL on 5-14

HERMIT WARBLER
8 NW on Trout Lake,KL on 5-12

WESTERN TANAGER(high count)
42 at Maryhill Museum,KL on 5-14

BREWER'S SPARROW*
8 along Stegeman Rd.,KL on 5-13

SAGE SPARROW
3 along Stegeman Rd.,KL on 5-13

GRASSHOPPER SPARROW
4 N of Alderdale,KL on 5-13

FOX SPARROW
1 at Maryhill Museum,KL on 5-14

GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW
8 at Conboy Lake NWR,KL on 5-12
1 W of Cleveland,KL on 5-13
3 along Alder Creek, N of Bickleton,KL on 5-13
2 S of Goldendale,KL on 5-14
2 at Maryhill Museum,KL on 5-14

YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD
28 at Conboy Lake NWR,KL on 5-12*
1 at Dallesport,KL on 5-14
8 at River S Unit of Ridgefield NWR,CK on 5-14

PURPLE FINCH
1 NW of Trout Lake,KL on 5-12
1 at Conboy Lake NWR,KL on 5-12

LESSER GOLDFINCH
8 at Maryhill SP,KL on 5-14
7 at Maryhill,KL on 5-14
5 Near Balch Lake,KL on 5-14
1 at Bingen,KL on 5-14

It was a very rewarding trip being the second back to back weekend in a row birding the Gorge!

Patrick Sullivan
GODWIT at worldnet.att.net