Hello Tweets,

My mother and I spent the Memorial weekend(May 24th-27th)in the Wenas area
of northern Yakima Co.,specifically at the Wenas Campground along with
leading two scheduled owl prowls on the 25th and 26th for many participants
with the campout that were both full in attendance both nights with many on
a waiting list. The weather throughout the entire 4 day period was rather
good with cooler temperatures and scattered isolated rain showers,but clear
sunny skies at times during the day with favorable calm owling conditions at
night along Dry Creek(west of the Wenas Campground). The main highlight of
our entire stay was the adult male BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER originally found by
Tyler Davis and Brendan McGarry on the 25th,then photographed at several
locations within a 200 yard area by my mother and I on the 25th-27th,as well
as photographed building a nest along the road up Hardy Canyon in a sage
bush. The bird was originally observed actively calling,foraging and chasing
other migrant songbirds from several locations upon our initial visit to the
exact location in Hardy Canyon(uphill from Wenas Creek)after being told of
the sighting from Tyler at the Wenas Campground. Upon our arrival the bird
was well observed upon our immediate arrival to the location,then
photographed until Tyler and Brendan arrived at the location to watch this
exceptional find again. We did NOT observe any nesting behavior until the
26th while visiting the location after 8am with Arthur Grimes,as the bird
was noted selecting and carrying nesting material from several nearby bushes
that included apparent feathers,moss,and other soft nesting material. The
bird was observed taking the material to one exact location in a fairly
large sage bush off the the immediate Hardy Canyon Rd. and placing the
material in the crotch of the bush,then going out to gather more material
with a 5-20 minute period. During the entire observation the bird covered an
area of 250-300 yards,but continued to chase other songbirds away on sight
and in the immediate area such as a male Western Bluebird that was noted
perched atop the same sage bush in which the Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher was
making the presumed nest,but the bird did not chase the bluebird away, but
scolded the bird until the bluebird finally flew off. The bird did not seem
to be as interested in chasing many of the songbird as on the initial
observation on the 25th,but tended to building the presumed nest in the
possible hopes that a female would soon arrive. We did not observe another
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher,but perhaps this nest-bulding behavior may be common
or typical of this species,despite the the bird continued efforts to build
the nest. We were able to take photographs at close range of the bird on the
25th and 26th,as well as take photographs of the nest on the 26th and
27th,while many of ALL the Wenas Campout participants also observed this
bird,creating a highlight for everyone.

My mother and I owled along Dry Creek on the 25th,with scheduled owling
trips on the 26th and 27th that hosted 4 species of owls within all 3
nights,with the main highlight being a pair of Western Screech Owls observed
on the 26th exchanging food,as they perched above us at fairly close range
in spotlights. The birds were noted exchanging an apparent insect back and
forth on a Ponderosa Pine tree branch,as all of the participants viewed this
great behavioral spectacle of apparent courtship behavior of this species.
This was the first interactive behavior that many of the owling participants
observed,as well as my mother and I and was truly rewarding for all the
participants. The Western Screech Owl was the only species of owl seen all
three nights of owling,but our best owl species was a calling Long-eared Owl
near the same location we noted this same species last year on the same
night,while calling in additional Western Screech Owls along Dry Creek and
up to 5 Flammulated Owls noted on the 26th with lesser numbers noted the
previous nights.

During the remainder portions of our stay within the Wenas area my mother
and I encountered many other notable species of the 130+ species noted
during the Wenas Creek Audubon Campout,but at least one of the exceptional
listed species during the campout was not seen again and questional,being 3
Am.Tree Sparrows due to the amount and time of year,which were most likely
Chipping Sparrows. On our way home on the 27th my mother and I stopped by
the White Pass Campground at Leech Lake(accessed from Hwy.12)and noted a few
addtional species to our trip list to be listed in our entire list of
notable species. Conditions comapred to past weeks at this location seem to
be improving,but the road is still partially snow-covered from the entrance
road,but both Leech Lake and nearby Dog Lake are completely unfrozen and
open. A list of our most notable species within the 4 day period follow at
selected locations:

Eared Grebe
1 pair at Wenas Lake on the 25th

Wood Duck
1 male along Maloy Rd.(accessed from Wenas Rd.)

Harlequin Duck
1 pair along the Tieton River south of the Windy Point Campground along
Hwy.12 at MP 176 on the 24th

Golden Eagle
1 adult along upper Hardy Canyon on the 27th

BAND-TAILED PIGEON(very rare for location)
1 at Lower Hardy Canyon on the 25th

Flammulated Owl
3 on the 24th and 25th along Dry Creek,with 5 noted at this location on the
26th

Western Screech Owl
1 pair on the 24th along Dry Creek,with 3 noted on the 25th,and up to 5
noted at this location on the 26th

Long-eared Owl
1 along Dry Creek on the 26th

Common Nighthawk(fairly late for mentioned locations)
1 at Lower Hardy Canyon on the 26th
1 at the Wenas Campground on the 26th

Common Poorwill
6 along Dry Creek on the 24th,with 4 at this location on the 25th,and 3 on
the 26th

Black-chinned Hummingbird
1 female at Lower Hardy Canyon on the 25th
2 females at the Wenas Campground on the 26th

Williamson's Sapsucker
1 pair at the White Pass Campground

White-headed Woodpecker
3 at the Wenas Campground on the 25th and 26th
2 along Dry Creek on the 26th

Black-backed Woodpecker(heard only)
1 at the White Pass Campground on the 27th

LEAST FLYCATCHER(actively calling and observed)
1 pair in an aspen grove at the end of Maloy Rd. on the 25th

Western Kingbird(unusual for location)
1 along Hwy.12 at MP 118 east of Randle in Lewis Co. on the 24th

Veery
4 along Wenas Creek in the Wenas Campground on the 24th,25th,and 26th
1 along upper Hardy Canyon foraging in dry habitats consisting of sage and
other vegetation in apparent migration on the 25th
6 along Yellowjacket Creek(west of the Wenas Campground)on the 26th

GRAY CATBIRD
1 along Maloy Rd. on the 25th
1 pair at Lower Hardy Canyon on the 25ht and 26th

Yellow-breasted Chat
2 at Lower Hardy Canyon on the 25th, with 4 at this location on the 26th and
on the 27th
2 at Wenas Lake on the 25th

"Slate-colored"Fox Sparrow
8 at the White Pass Campground on the 27th

Yellow-headed Blackbird(irregular for locations)
1 pair along Wenas Rd. on the 25th,with 1 there on the 26th
1 pair at Wenas Lake on the 25th

Purple Finch
3 along Maloy Rd. on the 25th


Good birding,

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
GODWIT at worldnet.att.net