Hey Tweeters,
Fred Boesche and I headed up Colockum Road from Ellensburg this
morning. Had good views of a pair of Barn Owls at the base as well as
Cinnamon and Blue-winged Teal, Horned Larks, lots of Common Snipe including
one which perched on a telephone wire and another which let us approach to
about 10 feet. Three WILSON'S PHALAROPES flew past with a Killdeer; I'd never
before seen them in Kittitas County. Driving up Colockum Road we got all the
usuals such as White-breasted Nuthatch, Townsend's Solitaire, lots of
wood-pewees, Red Crossbill, Cassin's Finch, Calliope Hummingbird, etc. Also
had Hammond's, Dusky, and Gray Flycatchers along our way. An adult Golden
Eagle was soaring over the ridge. Our best stop along the road was the first
(southernmost) wet aspen grove, where we found the following:

1 Turkey Vulture
2 Williamson's Sapsuckers (at nest hole)
2 Red-naped Sapsuckers
2 Hairy Woodpeckers (plus multiple nestlings calling from in the cavity)
1 Warbling Vireo
6 Mountain Chickadees
6 Mountain Bluebirds (two nest holes found)
4 House Wrens (two nest holes)

At the next wet area were a Downy Woodpecker, Lincoln's Sparrows,
Pygmy Nuthatches, and quite a few elk. By then it was afternoon, and we
decided to backtrack and go to Hardy Canyon for the gnatcatcher. We spent
about a half an hour there (accumulating ticks) before I heard the BLUE-GRAY
GNATCATCHER calling and got it in flight. After a bit of patience, the bird
came right out and I ended up getting some excellent video of the bird at
close range. Great find Tyler and Brendan! We saw the bird chasing a towhee,
Vesper Sparrows, and even a robin. The canyon was rather slow other than that
bird, but a really big surprise was a GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW which was about
a week and a half to two weeks later than I'd ever seen one in the state
before. Otherwise just the usual chats, wrens, and Lazuli Buntings. We then
backtracked again to try for the LEAST FLYCATCHER up Maloy Road. Spent some
time checking the area around the bridge with no luck, so we drove another
0.2 mile up the road and checked the thick aspen grove on the right side of
the road where I have had Least Flys in the past. We waited for quite a while
longer, until a LEAST finally called 6 or 7 times in rapid succession, then
was quiet for the next 25 minutes until we left. We never did see the bird.
Also in that area was a Gray Catbird.

All for now, good birding!

Charlie Wright
Birdking88 at aol.com
Sumner, WA