Hello Tweeters,
Last Saturday (the 25th), several birders and I headed down to Malhuer
NWR in southeast Oregon. We had over 170 species including some in WA. On the
way down, we got all three Columbia Gorge specialties (2 or 3 Ash-throated
Flycatchers, 3 Acorn Woodpeckers, and about 10 Lesser Goldfinches). Malheur
birding May 25-29 was very productive, with such vagrants as Black-and-white,
Magnolia, and Mourning! Warblers, Ovenbird, Gray Catbirds, Least Flycatcher,
and two species of grackle. Add the common water birds, raptors, passerines,
etc and it made for some exceptionally good birding. Coming back up last
Wednesday we had a flock of about 30 Pinyon Jays along Highway 27 (between
Brothers and Prineville). Back in Washington, we passed Hardy Canyon (hadn't
heard about the gnatcatcher) and began owling at Dry Creek at sunset. Had
spendid views of Common Poorwills (one even perched in a tree!), and a single
Flammulated Owl called a couple of times. Nice end to the trip.
This past weekend, Carol Schulz and I headed up to Pend Orielle Co for
Matthew Moskwik's WOS trip. On the way, we stopped at Huntzinger Road for a
while. There I saw a single, singing BLACK-THROATED SPARROW near the railroad
bridge at the exact same spot as last summer. Had two calling Burrowing Owls
and a Black Tern along Frenchman Hills Road. The WOS trip in the NE corner
was very successful and we got all of the target species, as Matthew has
already posted. A minor correction to his post would be that I believe we had
more like 12-15 Bobolinks on the west side of Calispell Lake. That's all for
now, good birding.

Charlie Wright
Birdking88 at aol.com
Sumner, WA