Subject: Columbia Gorge birding
Date: Apr 22 19:11:54 2001
From: Ruth Sullivan - godwit at worldnet.att.net


Hello Tweets,

My mother and I birded the Columbia Gorge, and vicinity April 21st and 22nd,
from Clark to Benton Cos. along Hwy. 14, as we mainly searched for spring
migrants, as we have in past years. The weather conditions were quite
variable, with weather being the best on the 21st, with mostly cloudy to
mostly sunny skies(isolated thunderstorms in the Roosevelt area of Klickitat
Co, east to Crow Butte S.P. in Benton Co.), but strong winds, at times on
both days, then heading west on the 22nd, mostly cloudy skies prevailed,
then moderate to heavy rain from Washougal in Clark County, north to
Olympia. We encountered 131 species, with 700 miles of driving, including a
short additional excursion on our way home to the Centralia Steam Plant,
east of Centralia, Lewis Co. We also managed to locate "our" first
dragonflies of the season, being probable NORTHERN BLUET at Maryhill S.P. in
Klickitat Co. both days, but to be determined to exact species,(with
possibly more than one species noted)on a later date, by Dennis Paulson. The
notable highlight species list included the following:

Am.White Pelican
4 at Umatilla N.W.R., Benton Co. on 4-21

Am.Bittern
3 along Hwy.14 at Steigerwald N.W.R.,Clark Co. on 4-21

Greater White-fronted Goose
15 at Steigerwald N.W.R.,Clark Co. on 4-21
4 at Centralia Steam Plant,Lewis Co. on 4-22

Wood Duck
8 at Steigerwald N.W.R.,CK on 4-21
6 at Skamania,Skamania County on 4-21

Cinnamon Teal
4 at Steigerwald N.W.R.,CK on 4-21
1 pair at Whitcomb Island, Benton Co. on 4-21
8 at Goldendale S.T.P.,Klickitat Co. on 4-22

EURASIAN WIGEON
1 at Whitcomb Island,BE on 4-21
2 at Centralia Steam Plant,LE on 4-22

Greater Scaup
12 at Bingen,KL on 4-21
3 at Goldendale S.T.P.,KL on 4-22

Barrow's Goldeneye
3 along Columbia River, east of Maryhill,KL on 4-21

Ruddy Duck(locally uncommon)
13 at Goldendale S.T.P,KL on 4-22

Swainson's Hawk
1 at south of Goldendale along Hwy.97, Klickitat Co. on 4-22

Golden Eagle
1 at Lyle,KL on 4-22

Black-necked Stilt
1 at Whitcomb Island,BE on 4-21

Am.Avocet
2 at Crow Butte S.P.,BE on 4-21
4 at Whitcomb Island,BE on 4-21
4 at Umatilla N.W.R, Benton Co. on 4-21

Greater Yellowlegs
6 at Centralia Steam Plant,LE on 4-22

LESSER YELLOWLEGS
1 at Centralia Steam Plant,LE on 4-22

Long-billed Curlew
1 along Hwy.14, north of Dallesport,KL on 4-22

LEAST SANDPIPER
4 at Centralia Steam Plant,LE on 4-22

DUNLIN
2 at Dallesport,KL on 4-21

LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER
15 at Steigerwald N.W.R.,CK on both days

BONAPARTE'S GULL
1 at Crow Butte S.P.,BE on 4-21

Herring Gull
5 at North Bonneville Dam,Skamania Co. on 4-21
1 at John Day Dam,KL on 4-21

WESTERN GULL
2 at Skamania,SM on 4-21
1 at North Bonneville Dam,SM on 4-21

FORSTER'S TERN
22 at Umatilla N.W.R,BE on 4-21

LONG-EARED OWL
1 pair at Maryhill Museum,KL on both days

SHORT-EARED OWL
1 at Centralia Steam Plant,LE on 4-22

COMMON POORWILL
1 calling bird along the Columbia River, east of Maryhill,KL on 4-22

VAUX'S SWIFT
2 at Bingen,KL on 4-21
8 at Lyle,KL on 4-21, with 4 there on 4-22

WHITE-THROATED SWIFT(locally rare)
1 along Hwy.14, east of Bingen,KL on 4-21
1 along Columbia River, east of Maryhill,KL on 4-21

Anna's Hummingbird
1, north of Lyle,KL on 4-22

Lewis' Woodpecker
12 at Lyle,KL on 4-21

ACORN WOODPECKER
2, northwest of Lyle,KL on 4-21

RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER
1 at Maryhill S.P.,KL on 4-21

Purple Martin(locally uncommon)
6 at Skamania,SM on 4-21

HOUSE WREN
1 at Maryhill S.P.,KL on 4-21

Hermit Thrush
5 at Maryhill Museum,KL on 4-22

Varied Thrush
2 at Maryhill Museum,KL on 4-21

NASHVILLE WARBLER
2 at Maryhill S.P.,KL on 4-21, with 1 there on 4-22
1 at Maryhill Museum,KL on 4-22

Yellow-rumped Warbler
good numbers throughout, being mostly of the "Audubon's" race, with a few
birds of the "Myrtle" race encountered, with "our" highest count at one
location, consisting of 230 birds along Hwy.14, east of Horsethief Lake
S.P.in Klickitat Co., along Eightmile Creek, as the birds were noted in
heavy migration, foraging in oak trees, before flying to the northwest.

Fox Sparrow
1 at Maryhill Museum,KL, on 4-21, with 3 there on 4-22

Lincoln's Sparrow
4 at Maryhill S.P.,KL on 4-21
5 at Maryhill Museum,KL on 4-22
4 at Horsethief Lake S.P.,KL on 4-22

WHITE-THROATED SPARROW
1 at Maryhill Museum,KL on 4-22

Golden-crowned Sparrow
1 at Maryhill Museum,KL on 4-21, with 9 there on 4-22
3 at Maryhill S.P.,KL on 4-21

Lesser Goldfinch
6 at Maryhill Museum,KL on both days
24 at Maryhill S.P.,KL on 4-21, with 12 there on 4-22
6 along Columbia River, east of Maryhll,KL on 4-21
15 at Maryhill,KL on 4-22


Abbreviations:

S.T.P.= Sewage Treatment Plant
N.W.R.=National Wildlife Refuge
S.P.=State Park
LE=Lewis County
BE=Benton County
KL=Klickitat County
SM=Skamania County
CK=Clark County


Good birding,

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
GODWIT at worldnet.att.net