Hello Tweets,

My mother and I birded April 11th-13th in Eastern Washington in 5 counties,
within the Columbia Basin, with weater conditions varying from partly sunny
to mostly cloudy skies, with isolated rain showers late on the12th in Grant
Co., then heading west on the 13th(today)similiar conditions with isolated
snow flurries at Easton, Kittitas Co., along I-90, then isolated rain
showers further west to North Bend. Wind conditions were quite persistant,
especially after 12pm on the 11th, and 12th, then all day on the 13th,
making birding difficult at times, but still enjoyable. We encountered a
total of 116 species, and 760 miles of driving. Most of our birding was done
within the Columbia Basin, but we did bird west the Columbia River in
Kittitas Co., between Vantage and Ellensburg, and the Teanaway area, near
Cle Elum, for species indigenous of those areas, and habitats.

The main purpose of the trip was to locate and photograph FERRUGINOUS HAWK,
and TRICOLORED BLACKBIRDS(photographes for the Washington Rarebird Record
Committee), which we successfully attempted, with latter noted in 3
counties, including the original Wilson Creek, Grant Co. location, Othello,
Adams Co., and 2 adult males, just east of Marlin in Lincoln Co., being
probably the first Lincoln County record, along Marlin Back Rd. This area
was found on accident, as we were exploring the road into Lincoln Co., as
the the Wilson Creek location in Grant Co., along Road 22 NE is located more
than 3 miles to the west. Most areas were quite productive, despite the
constant wind, at times, but a few areas were quite poor including the
entire Lower Crab Creek Rd., from Hwy 26 in Adams Co. to Hwy.243 in Grant
Co. The main highlights of our trip include:

EARED GREBE
2 at Othello, Adams Co.(Para Ponds)on the 12th
1 at Vantage, Kittitas Co. on the 13th

AM.WHITE PELICAN
28 at Wilson Creek, Grant Co. along Hwy.28, and Road 22NE on the 11th, and
12th

WOOD DUCK
1 pair along Lower Crab Creek, Grant Co. on the 12th

EURASIAN WIGEON
1 male at Othello,AD(Para Ponds)on the 12th

CINNAMON TEAL
1 pair at the Silica Rd. wetland, W of George, Grant Co. on the 11th
2 pair at Martha Lake, Grant Co. on the 11th
5 at Othello, AD(Para Ponds)on the 12th
6 between MP 30 and 31 along Hwy.26 in Grant Co. on the 12th

Greater Scaup
4 at Othello,AD(Para Ponds)on the 12th
13 on the Columbia River, S of Vantage,KT on the 13th

SWAINSON'S HAWK
3 along Hwy.26, E of Othello,AD on the 12th
1 along Hwy.17, north of the Scooteney Resevoir in Franklin Co. on the 12th

FERRUGINOUS HAWK
1 pair along Hwy.28 at Pinto Ridge Rd., W of Stratford in Grant Co. on the
11th
1 pair along Hwy.28 at Wilson Creek Rd. in Grant Co. on the 11th
1 pair E of Wilson Creek, Grant Co. on the 11th

Prairie Falcon
1 at Wilson Creek,GR on the 11th
1 along Hwy.28, E of Stratford,GR on the 12th

Sora
1 at Wislon Creek,GR on the 11th

Sandhill Crane
16 at the north end of Scooteney Reservior,FR on the 12th

BLACK-NECKED STILT
6 at Martha Lake,GR on the 11th
3 at Othello,AD(Para Ponds)on the 12th
13 between MP 30 and 31 along Hwy.26 in Grant County on the 12th

AM.AVOCET
3 at the north end of Scooteney Reservior,FR on the 12th
23 between MP 30 and 31 along Hwy.26 in Grant County on the 12th

GREATER YELLOWLEGS
3 at Wilson Creek,GR on the 11th

Spotted Sandpiper
2 at Wilson Creek,GR on the 11th

Long-billed Curlew
1 pair at George along the S.Frontage Rd, and Hwy.281 interchange in Grant
Co. on the 11th
1 pair at Wilson Creek,GR on the 11th
1 pair along Hwy.17, S of Soap Lake in Grant Co. on the 12th
1 pair along Hwy.17, N of Moses Lake in Grant Co. on the 12th
1 pair at Othello,AD on the 12th
1 pair along Hwy.26, E of Othello,AD on the 12th
1 pair along Hwy.17, N of the Scooteney Reservior,FR on the 12th

DUNLIN
6 at Othello,AD(Para Ponds)on the 12th

HERRING GULL
1 along the Columbia River at Beverly,GR on the 13th

BURROWING OWL
1 pair at the Hwy.281 and 283 interchange, NE of George,GR on the 11th
1 along Hwy.26, E of Othello,AD on the 12th

White-throated Swift
12 over the Silica Rd. Wetland, W of George,GR on the 11th
14 at Wilson Creek,GR on the 11th and 12th
5 at Washtucna,Adams Co. on the 12th
3 along Lower Crab Creek,GR on the 12th

Say's Phoebe
5 at Wilson Creek,GR on the 11th
2 along Pinto Ridge Rd.,GR on the 12th
2 at Washtucna,AD on the 12th
1 at Scooteney Reservior,FR on the 12th
2 along Lower Crab Creek Rd.,GR on the 12th

BANK SWALLOW
4 at Wilson Creek,GR on the 11th

Hermit Thrush
1 at Wastucna,AD on the 12th

Varied Thrush
3 at Washtucna,AD on the 12th

Sage Thrasher
4 at Summer Falls S.P.,GR on the 12th
2 at Quilomene WRA,Kittitas Co. on the 13th

Loggerhead Shrike
1 at Summer Falls S.P.
1 along Hwy.17, N of Moses Lake,GR on the 12th
6 along Lower Crab Creek Rd.,GR on the 12th

BREWER'S SPARROW
3 at Quilomene WRA,Kittitas Co. on the 13th

Vesper Sparrow
1 at Wilson Creek,GR on the 12th
2 along the "old" Vantage Hwy. on the 13th

SAGE SPARROW
10 at Quilomene WRA,KT on the 13th

Fox Sparrow
1 at Washtucna,AD on the 12th

Lincoln's Sparrow
1 along Lower Crab Creek Rd.,GR on the 11th

HARRIS' SPARROW
1 at Washtucna,AD

SWAMP SPARROW
1 at Martha Lake,GR on the 11th

TRICOLORED BLACKBIRD
35(22 males,13 females) along Road 22 NE, E of Wilson Creek,GR on the 11th
2 males E of Marlin, along Marlin Back Rd., near Crab Creek,Lincoln Co.
amongst 2 Red-winged Blackbirds, and 50+ Yellow-headed Blackbirds in a horse
corral on the 11th
5(4 males,1 female) at Othello(Para Ponds),AD on the 12th

GRAY-CROWNED ROSY FINCH(somewhat late date for lowland E WA locations)
1 pair along I-90, E of Vantage and the Columbia River, in Grant County

Although fairly heavy early songbird migration was not observed, good
numbers of waterfowl remain in the Columbia Basin at some locations, with
the Para Ponds at Othello, and Crab Creek, E of Wilson Creek hosting the
most numbers and species(whereas several key locations were noted to inhibit
almost NO waterbirds),along with the presence of Sandhill Cranes, which we
were fortunate to locate 16 birds, as the main heavy migration could have
passed, but good numbers could remain in the Othello area.


Good birding,

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
GODWIT at worldnet.att.net