Hello Tweets,

My mother and I birded the Wenas area in Yakima County over the Memorial Day
weekend from May 26 through May 28th, combined with camping at the annual
Wenas Campout(an annual campout since 1966, and dedicated to founder Hazel
Wolf, now named the Hazel Wolf Wenas Bird Sanctuary)with additional stops
made to and from destinations in Kittitas and Yakima Cos. The weather was
exceptionally warm on the 26th, with isolated moderate wind at times, and on
the 27th turning to partly cloudy to mostly sunny skies the remainder of our
stay to mid-morning on the 28th, then increasing cloudiness heading south
towards White Pass along Hwy.12 with isolated rain showers turning to
moderate to heavy rain showers along Hwy.12 to LaGrande, then mostly cloudy
skies to Tacoma.

The main highlight during our 3 day visit was 4 LEAST FLYCATCHERS on the
27th, at a near traditional location at Lower Hardy Canyon, just east of
Wenas in Yakima Co., which could be easily 2 pairs since each set was
together, and at entirely different locations, but in appropriate nesting
habitat, as 1 pair were location on the 17th of June, 2000, but NO breeding
evidence was pursued or noted. This is our personal highest count at one
location in WA for this annual species, and probable breeder in WA. It is
very possible that this could possibly be an entire family of Least
Flycatchers, with a pair that we observed at the same location at this site
last summer, and the other 2 bird being the offspring, since this location
receives minimal or NO coverage after late May, but there is NO evidence of
this hypothesis, but another thought could be that they are 2 pairs that may
possibly nest, or 1 pair possibly being the migrants, and the other staying
to breed.

During the remainder of our stay within the general Wenas area, we explored
a few other areas, mainly within limits of the camping area, along Wenas and
Dry Creeks, along with owling on the evenings of the 26th, with a few other
birders in attendance including Charlie Wright, and Phil Kelley, and the
27th, with 4 species of owls on the 26th, including 1 calling LONG-EARED
OWL, 5 FLAMMULATED OWLS, and 1 pair of WESTERN SCREECH OWLS, which were all
located along Dry Creek in appropriate nesting habitat, with the Long-earded
and western Screech Owls being of special note, as they have been missed on
the last 3 to 4 years during this annual event, but the Flammulated Owls,
being usually detected with some effort. A total of 135 species were
encountered during our 3 day birding/camping excursion, as we observed mnay
additional species to be be listed below at listed locations.

EARED GREBE
1 at Wenas Lake, Yakima Co.(YA) on the 27th

Wood Duck
1 pair along Wenas Rd., west of Wenas Lake,YA on the 27th

Lesser Scaup
2 males at Wenas Lake,YA on the 27th

Ringed-necked Duck
1 pair at Ellensburg, Kittitas Co.(KT) on the 26th
1 male along Wenas Rd., west of Wenas Lake,YA on the 27th
2 pair at Leech Lake,YA on the 28th

Harlequin Duck
1 pair along Tieton River, just south of Rimrock Retreat along Hwy.12 on the
28th

Common Goldeneye
1 pair at Leech Lake,YA on the 28th

Barrow's Goldeneye
3 pair at Leech Lake,YA on the 28th

Bufflehead
1 female at Wenas Lake,YA on the 27th

Ruddy Duck
9 at Ellensburg,KT on the 26th

Northern Pygmy Owl
1 calling bird along Wenas Creek at Wenas,YA on the 27th

White-throated Swift
14 along Hwy.12, near the Oak Creek Wildlife Area,YA on the 28th

Black-chinned Hummingbird
3 at Wenas,YA on the 26th-28th(all birds were noted coming to our
hummingbird feeder in intention of attracting any hummingbird species, along
with 1 male Calliope Hummingbird, and 1 immature male Rufous Hummingbird,
with most or all species seen by other observers)

White-headed Woodpecker
3 northwest of theWenas Campground(CG), Kittitas Co. on the 26 and 27th

Willow Flycatcher
1 along Wenas Creek,YA on the 27th

Gray Flycatcher
10 northwest of the Wenas CG,Kittitas Co.,being all in appropriate breeding
habitat

Eastern Kingbird
7 at Wenas Lake,YA on the 27th

Bank Swallow
12 at Wenas Lake,YA on the 27th

Canyon Wren
1 calling bird along Hwy.12, and the Tieton River, north of Rimrock
Retreat,YA on the 28th

American Dipper
1 family along Wenas Creek,YA on the 26th-27th
1 along Hwy.12, and the Tieton River, north of Rimrock Retreat,YA on the
28th

Veery
14 at Wenas, Dry, and Yellowjacket Creeks, YA-KT on the 26th-27th
1 at Lower Hardy Canyon,YA on the 27th
1 along Hwy.12, near the Oak Creek Wildlife Area

GRAY CATBIRD
3 at Lower Hardy Canyon,YA on the 27th
2 at Wenas Lake,YA on the 27th

Black-throated Gray Warbler
1 along Umtanum Creek,YA on the 26th, which is considerd a rare migrant at
this location

Yellow-breasted Chat
9 at Lower Hardy Canyon,YA on the 27th
3 at Wenas Lake,YA on the 27th
1 at the Hwy.12 and 410 intersection,YA

Lark Sparrow
4 along Umtanum Rd., KT-YA on the 26th
1 northwest of the Wenas CG,KT on the 27th

Yellow-headed Blackbird
11 at Ellensburg,KT on the 26th

Purple Finch
2 along Yellowjacket Creek,KT on the 27th

Good birding,

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
GODWIT at worldnet.att.net