Hello Tweets,

Today Dave Hayden, and my mother and I birded mainly Clark Co., with some
isloated birding in Cowlitz and Lewis Cos., in addition, as we observed 97
total species, despite the weather, consisting of locally isolated
showers/thundershowers, being quite heavy at times throughout the entire day
at all locations, in addition to moderate wind and sunbreaks at times. A few
areas were very slow in productivity, including the Lower River Rd. and
Vancouver Lake areas, west of Vancouver, and the Carty Unit of Ridgefield
NWR, just north of the town of Ridgefield. It seems that most heavy
waterfowl numbers, including geese, and most wintering ducks, and Sandhill
Cranes have moved out of the area, and to the north towards breeding
grounds, as mainly only nesting species were observed, with the highest
concetration of waterfowl, being at the River S Unit of Ridgefield NWR,
along the driving route. The major highlights of the trip consisted of early
dates, migrants, and one rarity, which are listed below:

1 COMMON TEAL at the River S Unit of Ridgefield NWR,Clark Co.
2 HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHERS observed at Kress Lake, north of Kalama,Cowlitz Co.
1 DUSKY FLYCATCHER (heard, and seen at Kress Lake,Cowlitz Co., being a very
probable first county record)
2 NASHVILLE WARBLERS at Kress Lake,Cowlitz Co.(probable first county record)
1 singing BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK at the River S Unit of Ridgefield NWR,Clark
Co.

These sightings were the best quality observations of the day, eventhough we
had many additional sightings at most locations, with the most productive
location, being the River S Unit of Ridgefield NWR, despite heavy rain
showers at times, but this sight consisted of the most diversity.

We started out at the Centralia Steam Plant, east of Centralia in Lewis
County at 7am, where we checked the most notable locations along Big
Hanaford Rd., where we birded in constant ongoing showers, with nearby
clearing, as the highlights follow as:

2 AM.BITTERNS
7 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE
1 male Cinnamon Teal
2 calling Virginia Rails
6 GREATER YELLOWLEGS
13 LEAST SANDPIPERS
6 LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS
4 Common Snipes

At 9:15am, we arrived at the River S Unit of Ridgefield NWR, where isolated
rain shoers still persisted, but clearing also prevailed, as we spent almost
2.5 hours on the driving route, including a walk up and down the forested
canyon at the base of the refuge unit, then a short walk at the Carty Unit
of the refuge at 12pm, where highlights at one,or both locations consisted
of the following:

28 Cinnamon Teal
1 pair of BLUE-WINGED TEAL
23 Ruddy Ducks(locally uncommon breeders)
8 Virginia Rails
9 Soras
5 GREATER YELLOWLEGS
2 LESSER YELLOWLEGS
1 Spotted Sandpiper
42 LEAST SANDPIPERS
1 Dunlin
38 LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS
35 Vaux's Swifts
2 PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHERS
7 PURPLE MARTINS
huge numbers of swallows throughout, being mostly at the River S Unit,
consisting of Cliff, Tree, Barn, Violet-green, and Northern Rough-winged
Swallow in that order.
5 WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCHES
4 HOUSE WRENS
6 Orange-crowned Warblers
2 YELLOW WARBLERS
2 BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLERS
9 WILSON'S WARBLERS
1 singing BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK
7 YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS
8 Evening Grosbeaks

At 1pm we birded the Lower River Rd., and Vancouver Lake area, where the
only highlights consisted of:

5 Western Grebes
2 GREATER YELLOWLEGS
8 LEAST SANDPIPERS

On our way home, as the weather showed local improvement, we checked Kress
Lake for 40 minutes, north of Kalama, in Cowlitz Co.,and east of I-5, where
we birded the north part of the lake, consisting of thick riparian
vegetation, and tall Cottonwood trees. We were fortunate to locate a small
flock of passerines, including a few migrants, as this location seemed to a
good end to the day, with the following notable highlights, with a few
mentioned previously:

5 Osprey
4 Band-taled Pigeons
1 DUSKY FLYCATCHER(heard and seen)
2 HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHERS
4 Orange-crowned Warblers
2 NASHVILLE WARBLERS
4 BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLERS
3 MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLERS
7 WILSON'S WARBLERS

Our last species of the day was a MERLIN observed along I-5, near Maytown in
Thurston County.

Good birding,

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
GODWIT at worldnet.att.net