Today, Sunday, I hit some places in Klickitat Co. looking for shorebirds. First I tried the 4 different ponds around Dallesport, but could only find ducks, and Lesser Goldfinches which were singing on territory. Also Horned Larks and Vesper Sparrows and a Gopher Snake. I figured perhaps shorebirds might be higher up like around Goldendale. I looked for sewer ponds in Goldendale, but didn't find any. Taking Hwy 142 and going west out of town there were several promising ponds and flooded fields. The only shorebirds I could scare up were 6 Killdeer. The only other bird of note was Evening Grosbeak in town.

Wild flowers were in full bloom of many species, especially going down into the Klickitat River on our way to Glenwood and Conboy NWR. Found some super looking ponds, but very dead except for the Mallards, Wigeons, and Ring-necked Ducks. Just south of Glenwood at the pull-off at the north end of the refuge I found a calling Red-breasted Sapsucker which is good for eastern Washington. 10 years ago I had found one at the exact same place. Perhaps this is eastern Washington's best spot for this species. Also 1 calling Greater Yellowlegs, a herd of Elk, a Northern Harrier, an adult Bald Eagle, and a pair of Sandhill Cranes which the Elk had scared up. Farther down the east side we found Kreps Ln. inviting. Here we had many puddle ducks, including 3 Cinnamon Teal and Wood Ducks. Another herd of Elk, and cranes not paired off yet. The only shorebirds here were 1 Wilson's Snipe and several Killdeer.

Heading south we saw 1 Townsend's Solitaire and then our best bird of the day just north of the mouth of the White Salmon River flying up the valley was a Prairie Falcon. This was within 1 mile of the Skamania Co. line where there is only 1 record that I know of from approx. 10 years ago or so from Howard Armstrong.

To sum it up would be the lack of shorebirds in Klickitat County while they are just north of there in Yakima County and common in many other places. Perhaps food in an issue. I just don't have an good answer why shorebird skip the Columbia River Gorge until you get up to Benton County at Crow Butte State Park and Whitcomb Island NWR.

Ken Knittle, Vancouver, WA
washingtonbirder at hotmail.com Get more from the Web. FREE MSN Explorer download : http://explorer.msn.com
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