Hi, Tweets

A glorious day so Ann van der Geld and I headed east to look for turkey
vultures and maybe Andy's grey-crowned rosy finches (none of either).
Actually, the main reason was to fix up some nest boxes on my bluebird
trail just off the Teanaway road. Nest box fixing was fun considering the
snow. No boxes taken yet, but we did see mountain and western bluebirds,
horned larks, a kildeer, 10 mourning doves and mountain chickadees in the
immediate area.

Raptors in the Cle Elum-Ellensburg area included 1 adult and 1 immature
bald eagle, 1 American kestrel, and 1 roughleg - it was a quick trip
through. We looked for but didn't see any great horned owls in the empty
redtail nests. We then headed down Yakima canyon and were rewarded with
quite a showing of eagles: 3 adult and 10 immature bald eagles and 2 golden
eagles plus redtails and ravens, all in a comparatively small area -
perhaps they were migrants, but I rather doubt it.

We had 18 redtails, most were adults, plus ravens everywhere. The heron
rookery just west of Ellensburg was deserted; either too early or they were
out fishing. Also saw one faux osprey (a transition bald eagle). All osprey
nests in the area were deserted.

Vulture food: 2 porcupines, 1 skunk, 1 coyote (being eaten by ravens).

A gorgeous day for birding.

Cheers, Diann
___________________________
Diann MacRae
Olympic Vulture Study
22622 - 53rd Avenue S.E.
Bothell, WA 98021
mailto: tvulture at halcyon.com
http://www.halcyon.com/tvulture/