Hello All,
17 May 2003-----What a birding day!!! Early yesterday morning Ginger and Rodger Shoemake, Joe and Carolyn Corvino, Shirley Muse and MerryLynn and I set off on a birding adventure to Rock Creek Canyon in southwest Klickitat Co..The first species out of place was an adult Am. White Pelican over Lowden along HWY 12,16 miles west of Walla Walla. First time we have seen this species in the Walla Walla Valley in 20+ years of birding here. We next stopped at the Walla Walla River delta and discovered 26 Am.Avocet, 4 Alt. Plumaged Dunlin, 6 Forsters Terns and three Caspian Terns that were dyed a vivid pink. No doubt an attempt by some wildlife agency to track their movements in order to justified killing them to protect salmon.Stopping at Port Kelley in far western Walla Walla Co. along HWY 730 we located 30+ White-throated Swifts. On down the road many miles to the west we drove HWY 14 and 7.3 miles west of Roosevelt along S.R.14 we turned onto Rock Creek Rd. and the birding really began as strong cold winds blasted in all directions, Bullocks Orioles, Chukar, Spotted Sandpipers met us at the long abandoned state park at the mouth of Rock Creek. Driving north at a snails pace we encountered dozens of Vaux's Swifts low over the ground, as we kept pushing north the swift numbers increased to where every view in the binocs was full of swifts in any direction. All were blasting north up the canyon into strong head winds. Here and there we located little groups of migrants such as Townsend's Warblers, Warbling Vireos, Dusky Flycatchers, Yellow Warblers and more swifts. After lunch we continued on north up the canyon in spotty sunshine and a cold north wind. A few butterflies appeared where the wind was blocked along a seep, here we saw dusky winged skippers, black swallowtails, ringlets, coppers and azure blues plus one anise swallowtail. Then back out into the cold winds and the discovery of the day. About 1.2 miles south of the Goldendale-Bickleton Rd. suddenly there were Western Tanagers everywhere dozens and dozens flew out ahead of us into the strong head winds. Racing ahead we stopped and waited and within a few moments more than one hundred Western Tanagers flew across the road over our heads and into a thick oak stand. There were tanagers all over this clump of trees with reds, yellows and blacks appearing and disappearing in the fresh foliage of the oaks. Along with the tanagers were warblers and vireos a black-headed grosbeak and two AMERICAN REDSTARTS and a singing Cassins Vireo. We now reached the Goldendale-Bickleton Rd and turned towards Bickleton. About 4.4 miles east on this road we stopped and watched a lone Lewis's Woodpecker, Mountain and Western Bluebirds and a Gray Flycatcher. Then we were hit by a combination snow/hail storm that whitened the road and ground. Reaching Bickleton we took Stagman Rd and 12 miles later we were overlooking a deep canyon covered with sage, Vesper sparrows and blooming bitter root. Over all a great day and great company.
Later Mike

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Mike & MerryLynn Denny
323 Scenic View Drive
College Place, WA 99324
509.529.0080 (h)

IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN BIRDING, YOU HAVEN'T LIVED!
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