As I mentioned earlier in a quick posting, I ventured out Sunday afternoon, spent a few hours sleeping at a rest stop just west of Moses Lake, went to check on the Alder Flycatcher, birding back on Dodson Road, and a bit on Frenchmans Hill. I then proceeded to Hwy 262 to Hwy 26,going south on 243, and went to Yakima via Hwy 24, and looked for the grackle, which did not show. I then proceeded through Yakima and back up to 410, hitting Horseshoe Bend in the Oak Creek area. Before I list my bird highlights I will warn you about the Horseshoe Bend Road. I wound all the way to the top, and when grass is growing on the road PLEASE TURN AROUND!!!! I was so captivated by the elevation and the many Elk of all different sizes that I didn't pay attention to the road condition, until I COULD NOT TURN BACK..... Maybe I was a bit shy of oxygen, too. Whatever. The rest of the road is hell, and even 4 wheel drives wouldn't tackle it. I spent an eternity, moving boulder, and digging out of spots I became stuck in, driving sideways on either side of the road, fearing I was going to roll. If I had had a taller and more squarely built car, I certainly would have. I don't even think off road vehicles use this any more!!!

Birds along to Nile Road.
Male Northern Harrier.....flying over a partially overgrown clear-cut
Turkey Vulture at mile marker #38 on 410
Red-Breasted Sapsucker past Cayuse Pass
Mountain goat easily seen from 410

Nile Road's FRS 1600 at the 9 mile point DeLorme page 50 R15E---T16N
T. Solitaire
Eve. Grosbeak
Blue Grouse
Hairy Woodpecker
Flicker
W. Tanager
Junco
Audubons Yellow-Rumped Warbler
Ravens
Hermit Thrush
Tounsends Warbler

FRS 1605
Black-Backed Woodpecker

Proceeded after dusk to Moses Lake Rest Stop before the City
left at 4:45AM to proceed to coffee, didn't find any until the Exxon in Ritzville,

Along Marcellus and at Crab Creek

Meadow Lark
Horned Lark (every where along the road)
4 Swallow Species
3 Swainsons Hawk (one Pair nesting)
Say's Phoebe also nesting
Raven family off Altr Road\
Willow Flycatcher
Rock Wren
Eastern Kingbirds (nice numbers)
Western Kingbirds (one nest at crab creek)
Bullock's Oriole
Warbling Vireo
Questionable Flycatcher
Spotted Sandpiper
Killdeer
Magpie family
Snipe
Caspian Tern (I thought this unusual)
California Gull
Ring-Billed Gulls
ETC>>>>>>

Dodson Road and area
BW Teal
Burrowing Owl with 2 juvs.
Black Terns
Forster Tern
and so on.

Along 243 Highlights were
Black Swift (2)
White Throated Swift (started raining)

cont. on nothing unusual

at Horseshoe Bend
passed nice batch of Aspen, thought I would check later for Least, never got back
heading to the top

Cassin's Vireo
Gray Flycatcher
White Headed Woodpeckers
T. Solitaire
Common Nighthawk
Blue Grouse
Mtn. Bluebird

70+ Elk

after the road from hell, I had the Veery, whose song calmed my nerves, and welcomed me back to civilization........
These were just some of the birds, lots more of the regulars, didn't write them all down, or all the roads I went on......
Despite the not turning around on time; Horseshoe Bend was a great spot, like Wenas but the dryer parts of it. It would be great for Flammulated Owl, but I would be careful about mountain lions and black bears if camping. There is also Mud Lake at the beginning of the road.....
Vicki Biltz