Monday, Sept. 15, I conducted the census at the Steigerwald Lake
N.W.R., which is located along the Columbia River, East of Washougal, in
Clark County. A kettle of sixteen TURKEY VULTURES were over the lake and
eight BLACK SWIFTS were visible from Highway 14 as they flew high above
the lake.
There was one LEWIS' WOODPECKER in the cottonwoods along the dike
just East of the barns. This is the first Lewis' I have seen on the
refuge in twenty-eight years of birding there. With the multiple Lewis'
Woodpecker sightings at our home which is six miles Northeast of the
refuge I wonder if there is something behind the movement such as a low
acorn crop east of the Cascades.
LINCOLN'S SPARROWS were wide spread I tallied fourteen during the
seventeen stops on the census route. GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS are also
back in good numbers both at the refuge and at our home where DARK-EYED
JUNCOS arrived in large flocks. We also had our first VARIED THRUSH
calling in the early morning at home.

Wilson Cady
N45 35.618' W122 13.738'
Washougal, Skamania County, WA
gorgebirds at juno.com