Subject: Ovenbird and American Redstarts (3) in Klickitat County
Date: Jun 18 08:20:47 2002
From: Bob Hansen - bhansen at wvi.com


A most natural Father's Day gift on Sunday, June 16th, were a group of
three American Redstarts ( 1 mature male, 1 female, and 1 immature male in
the same area, 50 meter radius) and an Ovenbird, a first record for
Klickitat County.

Stuart Johnston and I found the 3 redstarts on the north side of, and
adjacent to, Trout Lake, in a relatively remote area. The Ovenbird was
first heard and then seen 1/4 mile north of the junction of Highway 23 and
the Mt Adams Recreation Highway, north of the Trout Lake community. It sang
out on at least 9 occassions within an hour's time from a dense forest of
second growth Douglas fir, Grand fir, and cottonwoods. Stuart, crawling on
hands and knees, was briefly (for about a minute) able to see the bird
walking on the fir needle and deciduous tree duff, before it disappeared
beyond a fallen log. Several hours of additional looking and waiting Sunday
and Monday were not successful in relocating the bird.

Stuart had observed an female redstart a year ago in the same vicinity as
the redstarts seen this year.

In addition, we observed a single Gray Catbird, and heard many Red-eyed
Vireos, as well as having good looks at a few.

Bob Hansen
Lyle, WA
bhansen at wvi.com