We spent the long holiday week birding from the Blue Mountains in eastern
Washington to Cape Flattery. Highlights were as follows:

The best bird of the week was a SNOWY EGRET on July 7th at Langus Park near
Spencer Island in Everett for perhaps the first for Snohomish County.

At Paterson Slough (Umatilla NWR) in southern Benton County, there were 2
FRANKLIN'S GULLS on June 30th. There were also 93 Forster's Terns. No
Common's were present yet. The Franklin's Gulls were not relocated on July
3rd. However, we did find 4 fledgling Wilson's Phalaropes, an apparent
brood from the pair that have been frequenting the ponds. Peeps were
showing some signs of early movement. There were 26 Least and 30 Western
Sandpipers. There was also a good assortment of waterfowl for mid-summer.
There was a female/ eclipsed male Barrow's Goldeneye, 3 American Wigeon,
and 6 Northern Pintail among the more common summer ducks.

We found a GREEN-TAILED TOWHEE at its usual spot along Biscuit Ridge near
Dixie in Walla Walla County on July 4th. Also along Biscuit Ridge, we
found an apparent hybrid Red-naped x Red-breasted Sapsucker that apparently
had successfully bred with a Red-naped.

We were unable to relocate the Peregrine Falcon that has been at Palouse
Falls this winter and spring and were also unable to relocate any Ibis at
Kahlotus Lake. However, for you reptile lovers, we did have a close
encounter with a rattlesnake there.

We made the long and bumpy trip over Colockum Pass from Ellensburg to
Wenatchee. We were unable to relocate the Black-backed Woodpeckers at the
Naneum Landing strip. We made a quick stop at Liberty and heard a
Flammulated Owl that called briefly at dusk. We also heard a Common
Poorwill calling from just beyond the townsite.

We saw a BLACK SWIFT at Cle Elum (6th), 5 at Spencer Island(7th), and 1
near Cape Flattery (8th). Also at Cape Flattery, there was a pair of
Peregrine Falcons and the usual sea birds.

Although we knew the Parula had not been seen recently, we made a trip to
Lake Ozette for a nice morning of birding on July 8th. The Parula was not
found.

There was a Long-billed Curlew near Clallum Bay on July 8th.

We saw 3 Heermann's Gulls on the Port Townsend Ferry on the 7th with 2 more
at Ediz Hook the same day.



Bill and Nancy LaFramboise
Richland, WA
wlafra at owt.com