Hello Tweets,

On April 19th and 20th my mother and I birded portions of the Columbia Gorge covering areas from the Steigerwald NWR along Hwy.14 on the 19th east to the Umatilla NWR along Hwy.14 west of Paterson in Benton. We especially searched for any spring migrants at several locations,but due to the seemingly clear,but constant windy conditions both days migrants seemed very few. We had an enjoyable oppurtunity to be joined by Sturat Johnson, who lives and regularly birds Klickitat Co. as he joined us for up to fours hours on the 20th before he had to attend to prior engagements in Goldendale. The wind seenmed to decrease the further east we went of the 20th,especially almost immediately east of John Day Dam, but migrants such as shorebirds,warblers etc. seemed very few or almost absent. We did manage to locate a few shorebird species on the 20th in Benton Co., but most areas seemed to host high water conditions associated with the Columbia River,and the relatively well known shorebird location in Dalesport in Klickitat Co. was thoroughly checked along with Stuart who had 4 Black-necked Stilts last week,but we were unable to locate any shorebirds during our visit. We also our first dragonflies of the season as in last year at Maryhill S.P. with the same species present in good numbers. A list of notable highlights at selected locations follows:

Common Loon
2 along Hwy.14 at McCredie,Klickitat Co.(KL) on the 20th

Horned Grebe
1 at Home Valley Park,Skamania Co.(SM)on the 20th
3 along the Columbia River at North Roosevelt,KL on the 20th
7 along the Columbia River east of Moonax,KL on the 20th
18+ along Hwy.14 at the Umatilla NWR,Benton Co.(BE) on the 20th

Eared Grebe
16+ along Hwy.14 at the Umatilla NWR,BE on the 20th

Clark's Grebe
1 at Crow Butte State Park,BE on the 20th

Am.White Pelican
8 along Hwy.14 at the Umatilla NWR,BE on the 20th

Black-crowned Night Heron
1 pair along Hwy.14 at Pine Creek,KL on the 20th
9+ along Hwy.14 at the Umatilla NWR,BE on the 20th

Wood Duck
6 at Skamania,SM on the 19th
1 male at North Bonneville,SM on the 19th
3 along Hwy.14 at Ashes Lake,SM on the 19th
1 male along Hwy.14 at Pine Creek,KL on the 20th

Cinnamon Teal
17 along Hwy.14 at Steigerwald NWR,Clark Co.(CK)on the 19th
4(2 pair)at Home Valley Park,SM on the 20th
1 pair at Mayhill S.P.,KL on the 20th

Eurasian Wigeon
3 males with 160+ Am.Wigeon at Whitcomb Island,BE on the 20th

Red-breasted Merganser
1 pair along Hwy.14 at the Umatilla NWR,BE

Peregrine Falcon
1 adult at Dallesport,KL on the 20th

Prairie Falcon
1 at Maryhill Museum,KL on the 20th

Sandhill Crane
3+ calling north of Hwy.14 and the Umatilla NWR,BE on the 20th

Black-necked Stilt
1 at Whitcomb Island,BE on the 20th
2 at Crow Butte S.P.,BE on the 20th

Am.Avocet
2 at Crow Butte S.P.,BE on the 20th

Greater Yellowlegs
3 along Hwy.14 at the Steigerwald NWR,CK on the 19th
4 at Crow Butte S.P.,BE on the 20th

Long-billed Curlew
1 male along Hwy.14 at Sundale Park,KL on the 20th
6 north of Hwy.14 and the Umatilla NWR,BE on the 20th
1 pair at Crow Butte S.P.,BE on the 20th

Dunlin
2 aalong Hwy.14 at the Steigerwald NWR,CK on the 19th
150+ along Hwy.14 at the Umatilla NWR,BE on the 20th

Long-billed Dowitcher
1 at Crow Butte S.P.,BE on the 20th

Common Snipe
1 at Crow Butte S.P.,BE on the 20th
2 along Hwy.14 at Glade Creek,BE on the 20th

Caspian Tern
5 along Hwy.14 from McCredie in Klickitat Co. east to the Benton Co. line on the 20th
12 along Hwy.14 at the Umatilla NWR on the 20th

Acorn Woodpecker
1 on the traditional granery tree near Balch Lake,northwest of Lyle,KL on the 20th

Red-breasted Sapsucker
1 pair at Home Valley Park,SM on the 20th

White-breasted Nuthatch
2 near Balch Lake,KL on the 20th

Golden-crowned Kinglet(migrants)
12 at Maryhill Museum,KL on the 20th

Ruby-crowned Kinglet(migrants)
16 at Maryhill Museum,KL on the 20th

Western Bluebird
1 male at North Bonneville,SM on the 20th
8 near Balch Lake,KL on the 20th

Cedar Waxwing
16+ at Crow Butte S.P.,BE on the 20th

Chipping Sparrow
9+ near Balch Lake,KL on the 20th

Savannah Sparrow(locally uncommon)
11 at North Bonneville,SM on the 19th

"Sooty"Fox Sparrow(migrants)
1 at Maryhill,KL on the 20th
4 at Maryhill S.P.,KL on the 20th
1 at the mouth of Wood Creek at North Roosevelt,KL on the 20th

Lincoln's Sparrow(migrants)
1 at Maryhill,KL on the 20th
4 at Maryhill S.P.,KL on the 20th

HARRIS' SPARROW
1 adult in breeding plumage remaining at Maryhill,KL at the same location Stuart Johnson observed this bird last week,as reported to us by him

Golden-crowned Sparrow(migrants)
14 at Maryhill Museum,KL on the 20th
13 at Maryhill,KL on the 20th
10 at Maryhill S.P.,KL on the 20th
2 at Crow Butte S.P.,BE on the 20th

Purple Finch(locally common)
16+ near Balch Lake,KL on the 20th

Cassin's Finch
3+ near Balch Lake,KL on the 20th

Lesser Goldfinch
5 near Balch Lake,KL on the 20th
7+ at Maryhill Museum,KL on the 20th
14 at Maryhill,KL on the 20th
17+ at Maryhill S.P.,KL
4 along Hwy.14 at Sundale,KL on the 20th
3 along Hwy.14 at Pine Creek,KL on the 20th


Good birding,

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
GODWIT at worldnet.att.net






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