Hello Tweets,

My mother and I birded several areas within the central Lower Columbia Basin on the evening of June 7th and the entire day of June 8th,after departing from Charlie Wright's Audubon field trip to the Colockum Pass area in Kittitas and Chelan Cos. Our main area of searching was made in Adams,Franklin and Grant Cos. with additional birding made in a few other nearby counties,mainly in search of any late migrant passerines at various key locations. On the late afternoon of the 7th we worked our way to the Hatton Coulee Rest Area along S.R.26 with a few stops made on route and on the 8th we spent the entire day checking areas from Washtucna in Adams Co. to Lyons Ferry State Park,Palouse Falls State Park and Windust Park,being all in Franklin Co.,then working our way west towards home and checking areas from Othello to the Vantage area. We did not encounter any ultra rare migrant songbirds during our extensive searching made on the 8th,but enjoyed checking several "migrant traps" and a few new birding areas to us. The weather remained quite hot as was experienced both days with increasing high clouds on the 8th with wind at times at several locations we checked that made birding somewhat more pleasant,but still very warm. Our main highlights encountered on the 8th included the lingering immature male Am.Redstart that has been recently observed by several birders at Windust Park along the Snake River in Franklin Co. that was actively singing during our early afternoon visit in tall deciduous trees at the north end of the park,where a few photographs were obtained. The Yellow-billed Loon was also observed below Wanapum Dam yesterday evening nearly immediately upon arriving and scoping the lower dam area from the western side of the Columbia River below the dam. The bird was visible in the extreme northeast corner closet to the Wanapum Dam Heritage Center floating in the less disturbed turbulent waters and was the only bird noted in the immediate area,as the combination of fairly heavy winds and the heavy release of water from the dam made conditions quite severe at times. Other highlights of the trip included good numbers of Am.White Pelicans observed from 4 locations,specifically in congregations from areas along the Snake and Palouse Rivers and a single actively calling Ash-throated Flycatcher observed along the hillside above Bassett Park at Washtucna in Adams Co. during our afternoon visit on the 8th,which was a noteworthy sighting for the location. Overall we had a fairly exhausting two days due to the very HOT temperatures,but we managed to locate a few species that made the trip worthwhile.A list of notable highlights for both days include the following:

Western Grebe
2 along the Snake River above the Lower Monumental Dam in Franklin Co.(FR)on the 8th

Clark's Grebe
1 on the Snake River at Lyons Ferry S.P.,FR on the 8th(swimming into Columbia Co.)

Am.White Pelican
48 along McManamon Rd.(north of the Para Ponds)at Othello,Adams Co.(AD)on the 7th with 25 there on the 8th
12 flying along the Snake River at the Lower Monumental Dam,FR on the 8th
75+ at the mouth of the Palouse River,Whitman Co. on the 8th(observed from Lyons Ferry S.P.)
8 along the Columbia River north of Wanapum S.P.,Kittitas Co.(KT)on the 8th

Great Egret
1 along the Columbia River at Rock Island Dam,Douglas Co.(DO)on the 7th
1 along S.R.281 near George,Grant Co. on the 7th

Wood Duck
7 near Malaga along the Malaga-Alcoa Hwy.,Chelan Co. on the 7th

Redhead
22 at the Para Ponds near Othello,AD on the 7th with 15 there on the 8th
4 along S.R.260 east of Kahlotus,FR on the 8th

Greater Scaup
1 pair at the Para Ponds near Othello,AD on the 7th

Common Goldeneye
1 1st year male at the Para Ponds,AD on the 8th

Bufflehead
1 female at the Para Ponds,AD both days
2 males along the Snake River south of Lyons Ferry S.P. in Columbia Co.

Swainson's Hawk
1 dark-morph adult at the Corfu Woods along Corfu Rd.(south of S.R.26),Grant Co.(GR)on the 8th
1 light-morph adult along S.R.26 east of Royal City,GR on the 8th

Ferruginous Hawk
1 adult along S.R.260(southwest of Washtucna,AD)on the 8th

Peregrine Falcon
1 pair circling over Palouse Falls S.P.,FR on the 8th(with very large numbers of White-throated Swifts)

Prairie Flacon
1 at Lyons Ferry S.P.,FR on the 8th

Black-necked Stilt
28 along S.R.26 at the County Line ponds,GR on the 7th
22+ at the Para Ponds,GR both days
15 at the Hatton Coulee Rest Area,AD both days

Am.Avocet
17 along S.R.26 at the County Line ponds,GR on the 7th
8 at the Para Ponds,AD on the 7th
7 at the Hatton Coulee Rest Area,AD both days

Spotted Sandpiper
4 at the Hatton Coulee Rest Area,AD both days

Long-billed Curlew
1 at Othello,AD on the 7th with 3 there on the 8th
2 along S.R.26 east of Othello,AD on the 7th

Wilson's Phalarope
12 along S.R.26 at the County Line ponds,GR on the 7th
4 at the Para Ponds,AD on the 7th

Caspian Tern
4 at Lyons Ferry S.P.,FR on the 8th
6 along the Columbia River north of Wanapum S.P.,KT on the 8th

Forster's Tern
5 along the Columbia River north of Wanapum S.P.,KT on the 8th

Barn Owl
1 at Bassett Park(Washtucna),AD on the 8th

Great Horned Owl
1 pair along S.R.261(north of Nunamaker Rd.),FR on the 8th
1 family at the Corfu Woods,GR on the 8th

Olive-sided Flycatcher(notable late date for the location)
1 at the Corfu Woods,GR on the 8th

Willow Flycatcher
1 at Bassett Park,AD on the 8th
3 at Lyons Ferry S.P.,FR on the 8th

Bewick's Wren
2 at Bassett Park,AD on the 8th
2 at Lyons Ferry S.P.,FR on the 8th

Gray Catbird
1 flying along I-90 east of Cle Elum,KT on the 7th

Loggerhead Shrike
1 along S.R.28 south of Rock Island,DO on the 7th

Cassin's Vireo(notable late date for location)
1 singing bird observed at Bassett Park,AD on the 8th

Warbling Vireo
1 at Bassett Park,AD on the 8th

Wilson's Warbler
1 at Bassett Park,AD on the 8th

Yellow-breasted Chat
1 at Lyons Ferry S.P.,FR on the 8th
1 below the Gingko Petrified Forest S.P.,KT on the 8th

Lazuli Bunting
1 pair at Bassett Park,AD on the 8th
6 singing males at the Corfu Woods,GR on the 8th


Good birding,

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
godwit at worldnet.att.net



























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