....................Drove and walked in Vancouver Lake Park (Wash.) and
up Lower River Road to the Ridgeport Diary unit of Ridgefield NWR.(north
of Vanc. Wash.)
.....................Due to the unusually dry winter many of the areas
under Wash. State Fish and Wildlife just north and west of Vancouver
Lake that normally would be flooded were "bone dry". The Canada Geese
like this, but ducks don't!!!!
....................1 mature Bald Eagle circling overhead, along with 3
Red-tailed Hawks (1 immature) and both male and female Harrier Hawks. A
grey and white hawk flew overhead, and had the body and tail markings
of a Peregrine Falcon, bit........due to the angle of flight I was not
able to observe the facial markings for* positive* ID.
....................Other birds seen: Golden-crowned Sparrows; Oreg.
Juncos; 1 Hermit Thrush; a Rufuus-sided Towhee; House Finches; several
Hutton's Vireos( or one that just moved around alot!!);1 Lincoln's
Sparrow; 1 Varied Thrush; a Northern Flicker; Marsh Wren, Red-winged
Blackbirds, and other very *common *species. All of these , with the
exception of Golden-crown's and Juncos, were seen along the river in
RidgefieldNWR area. A male and a female Common Merganser were cruising
the shoreline. Lots of Pintails, Ring-necks, Green-wing Teals, etc. on
the lakes east of the road. Canada Geese by the 100's.
..................The crowning glory of a real nice day was seeing and
hearing a flock of 45 Sandhill Cranes winging north to the background
of a red Mt. Hood and Mt. St. Helens in a setting sun. Even the frogs
had to give their croaking accolade to the day.

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