............River-S unit of Ridgefield NWR north of Vanc. Wash. Strolled
and drove the auto route and walked the new 1 1/2 mile Kiwi
trail--really nice. In the Oregon Oak grove just right of the entrance
were a number of yellow birds: Common Yellowthroats; Goldfinches;
Evening Grosbeaks; Yellow-rumpted Warblers, and.....a Western Tanager.
Female Purple Finches; a Western Wood -Peewee; Red-winged Blackbirds;
Brewer's Blackbirds; Savannah and Lincoln's Sparrows; loads of Tree
Swallows; and some Rough-winged Swallows joined them here and at other
locations. And of course many of the "more mundane' songbirds.
..............Many Long-billed Dowitchers; some Greater yellowlegs; a
Sora (heard but not seen!!); and.....just west of the Rest Lake
observation blind a pair of Black-necked Stilts waded around( unusual in
this area!!!). A Wilson's Phalarope was seen (but not by me!!). Killdeer
in the grassy areas, and on the water: Scaup; Ring-necked Ducks; a
Blue-winged Teal; Green-winged Teals; Wood Ducks; lots of beautiful
Cinnamon Teals;Shovelers;Coots;Widgeons; Mallards; and Pied-billed
Grebes.
------------Large Western Canada Geese along with a small flock of 6
smaller migrants. Blue Herons everywhere.
................Then there was the large black and white Tiger
Swallowtail butterfly that fluttered around me. And....of course, the
the Western Painted Turtles sunning themselves on perches in the
sloughs. And the 2 male Harrier Hawks soaring over us with inquisitive
eyes.

................What a fantastic way to spend a lovely sunny
afternoon. (-:
.................Gerald Hamilton
Brush Prairie, Wash.
gerald at e-z.net