Hi Tweeters,
It was a sunny day in Othello (Sunday May 6) so my sister Karen and I
went for a few hours of birding. Our first stop was Para ponds, where we
saw the RED-WINGED AND YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS as well as CINNAMON TEALS,
BLACK-NECKED STILTS, AMERICAN COOTS, AND REDHEADS. Since the bridge is out
on McManamon Road, we went on Morgan Lake Road to the Columbia National
Wildlife Refuge. We both saw our first WESTERN KINGBIRD of the year! We
ended up seeing a lot of them today, as well as EASTERN KINGBIRDS. There
wasn't much activity at the lakes we visited, probably because of the
fishermen, so we crossed O'Sullivan Dam and headed west. In O'Sullivan
Reservoir I saw 3 BIG fish jump, as well as a DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT
on a rock, striking that classic drying-the-wings pose. It was gorgeous!

We didn't stop at Potholes State Park, we went on to Frenchman Hills
Road and dallied along the way, looking in all the ponds and trees. We
saw more CINNAMON TEALS, A GREAT BLUE HERON, and several big PAINTED TURTLES.
One was so close to the road that we didn't have to use
binoculars to see it turn its head to look at us. It must have been 6-7
inches.
At the intersection of Frenchman Hills & Dodson Road we spent quite
awhile at the pond viewing a variety of creatures. There was another
turtle, as well as at least 3 MUSKRATS. The birds included NORTHERN
SHOVELER,PINTAILS, MALLARDS AND REDHEADS. A CORMORANT was also there.
And we had a good look at a Marsh Wren singing. The highlight, however,
was a close-up view of a PIED-BILLED GREBE wrestling a fish into
submission. This little Grebe was determined to get this fish down his
gullet if it was the last thing he did. Except an oppurtunistic gull
noticed, and landed in the water next to him. The Grebe dove with the
fish, and that was the last we saw of it!
From there, we headed north on Dodson Road, stopping once to look at a
hawk preening on a telephone pole. It didn't even notice us stop, and
when it saw us it looked surprised but didn't fly away. We think it was
a young REDTAIL. Even though we were stopped right beside it, it didn't
fly away, and when we moved forward it turned to watch us.
We stopped to hike the Audubon Nature Trail. It was a great afternoon,
we had the whole place to ourselves. Unfortunately there weren't a lot
of birds. Some REDHEADS,MARSH WRENS, AMERICAN COOTS AND RED-WINGED AND
YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDs. The phlox is blooming, and there was a big
bumblebee and some tiny butterflies (sorry I'm not a butterfly person).
Now for the really WEIRD thing. Some of you who have been there might be
able to tell us what this is. Well, we know it's a fungus, but . . . a
few feet from the trail we saw what at first looked like a skeleton of
an animal. We got closer to it and the pieces were so big I started to
have a sick feeling . . . until I saw it was a fungus. Some huge
toadstool or mushroom or something. One of them was big enough that I
momentarily wondered if it was a human skull. There were 4 or 5 that we
saw, and they looked like they were pushing up right out of the dirt
that size. I have lived here all my life and never seen anything like
it. Either it's weird or I have just not been paying attention.
Anyway, we had a great day and hope to do it again soon.

Cheryl Essary
Othello
chiawana at bossig.com