Hello Tweets,

My mother and I birded the Columbia Gorge on the 7th and 8th of July, mainly
in Klickitat Co., but some additional birding to and from destinations in
associating counties. We encountered a total of 155 species, with 657 miles
of driving, and weather conditions consisted of extremely warm weather
during the day, being the hottest in Klickitat Co., but even still quite
warm on the 8th, as we headed west, but moderate to heavy isolated winds
within the Columbia Gorge helped cool things off to some extent from Lyle
west to Home Valley on the 7th. The main highlight of our trip was the
NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD previously reported by Wilson Cady and Dennis Rockwell,
which we relocated on the 7th from 11:20am-1:20pm, as we watched the bird
immediately upon arriving, then later photographed it, as it foraged, and
sang constantly throughout a private homestead residence east of Bickleton
in northern Klickitat Co. at the northern intersection of Sand Ridge Rd. and
Alder Creek Rd. The residence is well maintained, and shelters many shade
trees, as well as a cherry trees, and a few coniferous trees, including one
dead Ponderosa Pine tree, which the Northern Mockingbird seemed to favor as
one of it's singing trees,as well as most of the tallest deciduous trees
within the yard. The bird was also seen flying quite often during our visit
across the Sand Ridge Rd. to the north, as it continued to sing from a
windmill, and forage in the fields near farm equipment, then the bird would
fly back and perch near the top of the antenna at the main residence, and
continue singing. According to the Larry and Marilyn Roberts, who live at
the residence, the Northern Mockingbird has been present for about 1 month
now, as they originally thought it may be a flycatcher of some species, as
the bird did "flycatch" during our visit, as well, being somewhat the soul
owner of the entire residence, as far as a bird species, as it would forage
throughout the entire yard,mainly along the western border of the residence,
but occasionally along the southern border of the property, as well, but it
was very easy to locate, after we arrived. The owners were also happy that
we identified this bird for them, as well as a few other bird species that
they recently encountered within their residence. It is quite probable that
this bird will continue to sing on territory for several weeks, but it is
also possible that there may be another adult in the vicinity, perhaps in
nearby Spring Canyon, or at other homesteads within the region, since a pair
probably bred last summer within this same vicinity, originally found by
Stuart Johnson. We enjoyed visiting with the owners, as they became very
involved with our interest in watching and photographing the Northern
Mockingbird, and talking in general about our statewide birding excursions,
and interests combined with camping throughout the year. The following is a
brief summary of our 2 day location visits as they occured, followed by a
list of the most notable highlights observed.

June 7th, 2001

We started our trip in Klickitat Co. northwest of Lyle near Balch Lake at
8am for a short stop, before continuing east along Hwy.14 to Alderdale Rd.,
then briefly along Six Prong Rd., then continuing on Sand Ridge Rd., which
is a paved for the first few miles, then continuing on a dusty,gravel road
for a total of 14.7 miles to the northern most intersection of Sand Ridge
Rd./Alder Creek Rd. at the Northern Mockingbird location, where we birded
for a total of 4 hours, including to and from Hwy.14 along Sand Ridge Rd.,
Alderdale Rd.(south of Six Prong Rd.), and Six Prong Rd. We birded in Benton
Co. from 3:30pm to 4:30pm along the causeway at Crow Butte State Park to
Whitcomb Island, along with a few stop made along Hwy.14 from the Benton Co.
line to Whicomb Island, mainly when a scope was needed. Continued west to
and made a short return check at Balch Lake, before continuing further west
into Skamania County, where we camped overnight east of Home Valley.

June 8th, 2001

Birded our way to Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge from Home Valley, then
birded the River S Unit of Ridgefield NWR from 9am to 11:30am, then headed
home.

CLARK'S GREBE
1 at Crow Butte S.P.,Benton Co.(BE) on the 7th

Am.White Pelican
9 at Crow Butte S.P.,BE on the 7th
11 at Whitcomb Island,BE on the 7th

Am.Bittern
2 at Steigerwald NWR,Clark Co.(CK)on the 8th(viewed from Hwy.14)
11 at the River S Unit of Ridgefield NWR,CK on the 8th

Great Egret
2 at Whitcomb Island,BE on the 7th
1 at the River S Unit of Ridgefield NWR,CK on the 8th

Green Heron
1 adult along Six Prong Rd.,Klickitat Co.(KL)on the 7th(northwest of the
east entrance of Six Prong Rd., after leaving Alderdale Rd., along Six Prong
Creek, being a very rare occurance for this location)
1 immature at Steigerwald NWR,CK on the 8th

Black-crowned Night Heron
1 along Hwy.14 at MP 140(Pine Creek),KL on the 7th
4 along Six Prong Rd.(Six Prong Creek),KL on the 7th
3 along Alderdale Rd, south of Six Prong Rd.,KL on the 7th


TUNDRA SWAN
1 at River S Unit of Ridgefield NWR,CK on the 8th(remaining oversummering
injured bird)

Lesser Scaup
1 male at River S Unit of Rdgefield NWR,CK on the 8th

Ruddy Duck(presumably breeding)
14 at River S Unit of Ridgefield NWR,CK on the 8th

Swainson's Hawk
2 along Sand Ridge Rd.,KL on the 7th

Ferruginous Hawk(locally uncommon)
1 along Alderdale Rd., north of Hwy.14,KL on the 7th

Golden Eagle
1 along Six Prong Rd.,KL on the 7th

Peregrine Falcon
1 along Hwy.14,east of Lyle,KL on the 7th

Gray Partridge
5 along Six Prong Rd.,KL on the 7th

Chukar
8(4 adults,4 immatures)along Sand Ridge Rd.,KL on the 7th. These birds were
all roosting together in under a cattle guard, and approached at close range
for photographes, before they ran to the west through sparce Sage brush
fields.

Am.Avocet
2 at Crow Butte S.P.,BE on the 7th
1 at Whitcomb Island,BE on the 7th

BLACK-NECKED STILT
1 remaining bird at River S Unit of Ridgefield NWR,CK on the 8th

Greater Yellowlegs
1 at Whitcomb Island,BE on the 7th
12 at the River S Unit of Ridgefield NWR,CK on the 8th

WESTERN SANDPIPER
2 at Crow Butte S.P.,BE on the 7th
1 at Whitcomb Island,BE on the 7th

Least Sandpiper
5 at Crow Butte S.P.,BE on the 7th
4 at Whitcomb Island,BE on the 7th
3 at the River S Unit of Ridgefield NWR,CK on the 8th

SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER
1 nonbreeding adult at the River S Unit of Ridgefield NWR,CK on the 8th

LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER
2 at Whitcomb Island,BE on the 7th

Black Tern
8 at the River S Unit of Ridgefield NWR,CK(as NO further breeding evidence
was noted, as in previous visits, but several individuals were noted flying
down to the vegetated ground to a possible nestsite for a bief period,
before flying back up to forage over the extensive vegetation at Rest Lake)

Black Swift
1 along Hwy.14 at MP 18, east of washougal,CK on the 7th
1 along Hwy.14 at MP 25(Cape Horn),Skamania Co.(SM)on the 8th

Black-chinned Hummingbird
1 pair at the Northern Mockingbird location, east of Bickleton,KL on the 7th

ACORN WOODPECKER
2 near Balch Lake,northwest of Lyle,KL on the 7th

Ash-throated Flycatcer
2 at Bingen,KL on the 7th
12 at Balch Lake/Balch Cemetery,KL on the 7th
2 at Maryhill Museum,KL on the 7th
8 along Six Prong Rd.,KL on the 7th
2 along Alderdale Rd.,KL on the 7th

EASTERN KINGBIRD
2 at the River S Unit of Ridgefield NWR,CK on the 8th

Purple Martin
3 at Skamania,SM on the 8th
7+ at the River S Unit of Ridgefield NWR,CK on the 8th

White-breasted Nuthatch(locally uncommon breeder)
1 immature at the River S Unit of Ridgefield NWR,CK on the 8th

Sage Thrasher
6 along Sand Ridge Rd.,KL on the 7th

Loggerhead Shrike
3 along Sand Ridge Rd.,KL on the 7th

Red-eyed Vireo
3 at Home Valley,SM on the 8th
2 along Hwy.14 at Franz Lake,SM on the 8th
2 at St.Cloud,SM on the 8th

Sage Sparrow
10(2 adults,8 immatures)along Sand Ridge Rd.,KL on the 7th

Yellow-headed Blackbird
11 at the River S Unit of Ridgefield NWR,CK on the 8th

Lesser Goldfinch
13(7 adults,6 immatures)at Balch Lake/Balch Cemetery,KL on the 7th

Good birding,

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
GODWIT at worldnet.att.net