Friday morning, May 16th, my Niece, Cyndi, her daughter, Kristen, and I left
Federal Way for my annual overnight birding trip to Eastern Washington. We
went to Ellensburg, did the Umptanum to the end, travelled north alongside
Yakima River on Highway 821 back to I-90 and then to Vantage for Gingko,
Huntzinger rd and Wanapum Dam, spending the night at the Vantage Riverside
Inn (which was a real dive!). Saturday, we hit the Frontage road East of
George, The Potholes, Dodson Road, Frenchmans Coulee and Vantage-Cle Elum
Highway (getting on it at Ellensburg). We had one heck of a birding weekend
including the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher. Here are the birds we saw:
Day One: (In no particular order)
WESTERN GREBE
RED-TAILED HAWK
BALD EAGLE (JUVENILE)
AMERICAN KESTREL
CALIFORNIA QUAIL (Many in many places)
RING-NECKED PHEASANT
KILLDEER
BANK SWALLOW
NORTHERN FLICKER
NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW
CLIFF SWALLOW
SONG SPARROW
KINGFISHER
ROCK WREN
MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD
WESTERN BLUEBIRD
WILSON WARBLER
BULLOCKS ORIOLE
SPOTTED TOWHEE
WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW
GOLD-CROWNED SPARROW
BREWERS SPARROW
WESTERN MEADOWLARK (many in many places)
CASSINS FINCH
VAUX SWIFT
MALLARD
CANADA GEESE

Specialties from Day One:
CHUKAR (standing on rock on way to Wanapum Dam, the wind fluffing out his
feathers. He sat there for many minutes then flew away)
AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN (a flock of about 30 flying over the Yakima River on
Highway 821
SAGE THRASHER (on the Umptanum, standing looking at us for many minutes)
Mammals seen: Marmot, Mule deer (2 bucks, antlers in velvet and a doe),
ground squirrel and a bunny)

Day Two:
SAYS PHOEBE
CINNAMON TEAL
BLUE-WINGED TEAL
AMERICAN KESTREL
COMMON NIGHTHAWK
VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW
WESTERN KINGBIRD
CASPIAN TERN
SWAINSONS HAWK
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT
COMMON LOON
YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD
NORTHERN SHOVELER
MARSH WREN
GADWALL
CANVASBACK
GREAT BLUE HERON
WILSON'S PHALAROPE
AMERICAN COOT
AMERICAN WIDGEON
DUSKY FLYCATCHER
NORTHERN HARRIER
TURKEY VULTURE
WESTERN GULL
BLACK-NECKED STILT

Specialties from Day two:
LEWIS' WOODPECKER (right across the street from our Vantage motel)
GREAT EGRET (1 seen on Frontage rd. and 6 seen at various points at the
Potholes esp. swampy area near Frenchmans Rd.)
COMMON RAVEN (chasing and beating up RED-TAILED HAWK from cliffs along Old
Vantage-Cle Elum Highway)
BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON (two of them hunting by Frenchmans Rd at Potholes)
SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER (on road to Frenchman's Coulee)
VIRGINIA RAIL (foraging with chicks near her nest right next to the road in
swampy area just off Silica Road exit from I-90. Please don't scare her if
you try to see her. They are very shy)
Mammals
Marmot (seen very close)
Rabbit (trying to hide at Frenchmans Coulee)
Birds seen in copious amounts on both days:
ROCK DOVE
MOURNING DOVE
RAVEN
AMERICAN CROW
AMERICAN ROBIN
EUROPEAN STARLING
HOUSE SPARROW
RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD
BREWERS BLACKBIRD
MALLARD
AMERICAN MAGPIE
WESTERN MEADOWLARK

We arrived home at 8:30 pm, exhausted, and stumbled right into bed where I
am going to return as soon as I send this off.
Wow!
Rahne Kirkham
Federal Way, Washington
rahnek at foxinternet.com
"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle."
Philo