...............Sunday afternoon---temp. 41 degrees, some sun and even a
shower--a "mixed bag". All this at the River-S auto tour route at
Ridgefield NWR-- Vanc. Wash.
................Wetlands are filling up with water---Rest Lake is the
highest I have seen it in several years. Ducks everywhere: WIDGEONS,
COOTS, SHOVELERS, MALLARDS, BUFFLEHEADS, zillions of
PINTAILS,PIED-BILLED GREBES, RING-NECKED DUCKS, a few SCAUP, RUDDY
DUCKS(both M & F), GREEN-WINGED TEALS, CANVASBACKS (4 or 5), and GADWALLS.
................And.........the usual BLUE HERONS, 3 SPECIES (greyish
ones very common) of CANADA GEESE everywhere; about 20 resting TUNDRA
SWANS (on Rest Lake), and........ several flocks of about 10 each of
SANDHILL CRANES flew overhead southwards to the Campbell Lake area..
.................A female HARRIER HAWK patrolled the area back and forth
(surprisingly the only raptor seen this time around).
.................Several HERMIT THRUSHES were seen around the Rest Lake
blind area, along with BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES; BELTED KINGFISHER;
several HOUSE WRENS, and a unidentified small brown bird. (Driving along
in one's car doesn't make for optimum "perching tree-dwelling" bird
viewing).
.................Tested out for the 1st time my newly purchased Hakuba
auto window scope mount, and works just great for these "car-bound"
situations. I use my older, smaller tripod for left side viewing.

..................Cheers

Gerald Hamilton
Brush Prairie, Wash.
gerald at e-z.net