Subject: Steigerwald Lake N.W.R.- May 5
Date: May 4 22:13:12 2002
From: Wilson Cady - gorgebirds at juno.com


I conducted the Steigerwald Lake N.W.R. census on Saturday, May
5th and came up with 60 species including a pair of courting AMERICAN
BITTERNS. I had good views of the nuptial ruffs on the male as he strode
around the female. A single GREAT EGRET is still at the refuge, last
month there were a pair hanging around the heronry on Reed Island and I
suspect that the other bird may be on a nest there. Six GREATER
WHITE-FRONTED GEESE accompanied by a ROSS' GOOSE flew into the west end
of the pond that is visible from the paved access road on Highway 14.
A SOLITARY SANDPIPER was feeding in the pond north of the model
airplane field. One BONAPARTE'S GULL was on the Washougal Sewage Lagoon,
where there also was a male YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD. A total of four
WESTERN KINGBIRDS were seen with three of them near the barns along the
dike.
Wilson Cady
gorgebirds at juno.com