On Friday afternoon (April 12) I headed up the Columbia River Gorge with
high hopes of finding Caspian Terns all the way along since I had just seen
many heading up when birding along Lower River Rd. last week. Most must
have turned off and gone up the Willamette River. There was a mere handful
on the sandbar at Lyle and of course at the Walla Walla River Delta. One
highlight was 1 Eared Grebe at the mouth of the Washougal River.

My first stop going east was Franz Lake with a Rufous Hummingbird and then
on Sunday another Rufous Hummingbird in Stevenson, but could not locate any
east of Skamania Co. One lone Townsend's Solitaire was sitting on the
electric lines at Wind Mt. causing me to make a U-turn thinking of what in
the world was that.

My second stop was at Home Valley where there were 100's of Yellow-rumped
Warblers feeding in the fresh new foliage of the trees in the park. I was
amased to see so many since I haven't seen big numbers around Clark Co. On
Sunday at Bingen marina there was one Horned Grebe just starting to show
some color as it gets closer to breeding plumage time. Dallasport ponds
should have had shorebirds, but couldn't even find Greater Yellowlegs.

On Saturday I checked for the Common Grackle in Moxee twice, but only
Brewer's Blackbirds and Brown-headed Cowbirds. At Royal Lake at great
distances were 2 Ross's Geese. Continuing east past Othello on Hwy. 26 was
one Swainson's Hawk. I checked out the Hatton rest stop for Spotted Towhee,
but only one very small brush rabbit and tons of House Sparrows and no
towhees. Almost enough House Sparrows to force one to Ferry Co. where they
are tougher to find.

On Sunday I retraced my steps going down the Columbia River against a strong
head wind until I got to Lyle and very little wind beyond White Salmon River
mouth going west. One highlight was White-fronted Geese at Crow Butte State
Park in southeast Benton Co. The longer I looked the more I was seeing.
Ended up to be 42. At first glance they looked like the boulders along the
bay with their heads and necks pulled in with only one eye open watching me.
Makes me wonder how many other birds have slipped past me by not being
focused in on them.

This has been 3 weeks since my last Columbia River birding and most of the
geese and ducks have left with just small numbers of Greater and Lesser
Scaup here and there. Turkey Vultures were abundant in Skamania and extreme
western Klickitat Cos. It will be at least 3 more weeks before another run
up the river and then there should be much more moving passerine wise. I
can always hope.

Ken Knittle, Vancouver, WA
washingtonbirder at hotmail.com




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