Hi, All:

Diann, I saw one TV circling a recently harvested wheat field located next
to Wood Rd. about 6 miles east of Reardan and 3 miles north of Highway 2
(about 25 miles west of Spokane).

I was online 6 weeks ago or so (can't find my notes) about the appearance
(for the first time at my feeders) of a pair of BULLOCK'S ORIOLES. They
successfully fledged 3 youngsters who are now suet addicts but great to see
them doing well. I had a pair of RED CROSSBILLS who successfully raised one
youngster but have not seen them for about 3 weeks. One WESTERN BLUEBIRD
nest had 3 chicks fledge and one other had 2. There are a number of houses I
can't get to because of some really nasty invasive plants (now about 3-4
feet high) covering the 2 meadows so I don't know how well the other WEBLs
did or if they nested in those houses at all. Most of the houses were used
by TREE SWALLOWS and some by VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS. Only 3 SPOTTED TOWHEE
juvies (that I've seen at one time) so far. One SONG SPARROW trying to feed
3 BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD chicks and one Towhee with 2 BHCO (I hope that's the
right acronym). Other than that one unlucky Song Sparrow there have been at
least 8, if not more, Song Sparrow young all over the suet blocks and yard.
Last week a BREWER'S BLACKBIRD showed up at my feeders, also a first. I
think perhaps the drought is causing these birds to show up just now. There
is a year-round creek about 75' from my house and a smaller (about 9" x 1')
rill running right by the feeders. This rill is fed by an underground spring
(my water supply) so never dries up. Two pairs of BLACK-HEADED GROSSBEAKS
also produced 3 young...as always, that's how many I've seen at one time.
There are probably more that come singly to the feeders so I can't really
tell total numbers. It's just very satisfactory to see so many
healthy-appearing youngsters.

Regards, Joanne
Reardan (Spokane) WA
mailto: jhpowell at iea.com