On Friday I birded southern Skamania Co. I first stopped at Franz Lake
where the only unusual things there was 3 female Canvasbacks and a pair of
Wood Ducks. At Bonneville Dam there was a pair of Kestrels, Red Crossbills,
and a Townsend's Solitaire. A quick stop at Home Valley park produced a
calling Virginia Rail and a Sooty Fox Sparrow. Out on the Columbia River
were 2 large Common Loons fishing. Just east of Home Valley was my first
Turkey Vulture of the season.

In Klickitat Co. Bingen marina area seemed unproductive. So I drove up to
Dallesport hoping for shorebirds, but no luck. Driving into Spearfish Lake
was 1 Say's Phoebe. The mud flats at Lyle were sterile birdwise so I drove
up to Balch Lake Road and had both Acorn Woodpecker and Lewis's Woodpecker
close to the road. I then drove up to Underwood and came down west of there
where I saw a large dark bat flying for insects over water in one of the
small lakes that were created by the highway and railroad. Scott Downes
probably would have known the species, but I'm not up on bats---any ideas
Scott?

Ken Knittle
washingtonbirder at hotmail.com



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