Fellow Tweeters,

Alan and I were so fortunate as to bird along River Road south of Plain near
Leavenworth this morning. We were aiming for FS RD 6601 under the powerlines
when we couldn't resist the temptation to drive further south on River Road to
look on the river. The best pull out we could find was FS FD 6602, which,
fortunately as it turned out, distracted us from the river for a good hour. Just
getting out of the car we were entranced by what turned out to be hundreds of
small passerines just a couple hundred feet up the road. We'd tried to move on
several times when Alan spotted a bird neither of us recognized. A very yellow
breast turned to white on the belly. We struggled for a glimpse of the head,
back and wings, but I managed only a fleeting impression of an eyeline. Neither
of us could say whether there had been wingbars, nor did we have any clue about
the rest of the bird as it foraged amongst the leaves maybe 20'-30' up. There
were at least two giving a strong glimpse of yellow, but that white belly. It
was 9 or 10 a.m. When we returned to the car, the only bird I could find that
fit my memory of those birds was TENNESSEE WARBLER. Rare, to be sure, and never
ID by either of us. Obviously, I'm open to alternative suggestions, or
confirmation.

Other birds seen, in no order, were:
Northern Flicker-surprising shortage of woodpeckers!
Steller's Jay
BC Chickadee
Robin
Starling
Purple Finch-heard, I believe
Common Merganser (we finally made it to the river)
Red-tailed Hawk
Oregon Junco
Possible Pink-sided Junco-new for us, this bird was more assertive than the
accompanying ORJU
GC Kinglet
RC Kinglet-I've never seen so many, dozens
YR Warbler-probably at least a hundred
RB Nuthatch
OC Warbler

At FS RD 6601, we picked up Hermit Thrush and Ruffed Grouse around noon. On each
road, we encountered a flock of 20-30 GC Kinglet, and both times they were in a
stand of Douglas Fir. Is this a preferred tree for them?

On Sunday morning, we spent a late hour at the Icicle Creek Hatchery in
Leavenworth where we picked up:
Cassin's Vireo
Warbling Vireo
California Quail-possible family moving through a thicket just 10-15' away from
us
Great Blue Heron
Kingfisher
House Finch

Our thanks to those who have reported previously on the area around Plain.

Patricia Lott
--
Seattle, WA
VariedThrush at comcast.net