Below is a summary of the highlights of both field trips to Field Spring State Park and a short description of places birded for those who wanted the information and I ran out of time getting back to you at the Convention.

The field trips covered a loop through Asotin County beginning at Swallow's Park (and at an Asotin Park on Sat.) then south on Hwy 129 turning west on Onstot Rd. then north on Davis Rd. then back to the Hwy on Savage Rd. stopping at Savage Ponds. We continued south through Anatone to Park Rd and birded the forested areas then dropping into the state park proper. From the state park we back tracked to Smyth Rd. then west on East Moutain Rd. on passed Anatone Butte to Wenatchee Guard Station. From the guard station we continued west to FR 44 then dropping down along Smoothing Iron Ridge to Asotin Creek which was full of water down to Asotin and back to Moscow. Below are highlights by area.

Swallow's Park
1 breeding plumaged Horned Grebe
2 Black Terns Friday only--rare in Asotin Co.
1 Common Yellowthroat seen by Doug Watkins--rare in southeastern WA
1 female Wood Duck
2 Western Grebes
1 Sharp-shinned Hawk Sat. only
2 or more Spotted Sandpipers
Downy Woodpecker heard Friday only
tons of Bank Swallows
Cedar Waxwings
Bullock's Orioles

Asotin
Nighthawks flying above ridge
Osprey
Double-crested Cormorant
Common Merganser
Cooper's Hawk

Hwy south of Asotin
Lark Sparrow passed while driving switchbacks
Chukar--Friday only
Gray Partridge once on top
Short-eared Owl-seen Thurs evening

Onstot Rd. - Davis Rd. - Savage Rd. (Savage Ponds)
Mountain Bluebirds
Savannah Sparrows
Horned Larks
Northern Harrier
flock of Ring-billed Gulls--Friday only
crows cawing-Sat. only
Savage Pond
coot
2 Wilson's Phalropes-Friday only
3 Green-winged Teals-Fri only
Mallards
Barn and Cliff Swallows

Anatone
Snipe
Crows-Fri
1 Tree Swallow-Sat only
both Bluebirds
more Gray Partridge-Sat. only

Field Spring State Park
1 Turkey Vulture-Fri. only, very rare in southeastern WA
1 Northern Pygmy-Owl calling--Sat. only
Nighthawks passing over
1 White-throated Swift moving south-Sat. only. Very unusual in Asotin Co.
Red-naped Sapsuckers
Hairy Woodpecker-Fri. only
Pileated Woodpecker-Sat. only
Hammond's Flycatcher -Sat. only building nest and giving Pygmy Nuthatch call note
Dusky Flycatchers-quite common
Pacific-slope Flycatcher
Gray Jays-Sat. only
Steller's Jays
Mountain Chickadees
Chestnut-backed Chickadees-Fri. only
Winter Wren-Fri. only
White-breasted Nuthatch-heard
Red-breasted Nuthatch-common
Swainson's Thrush-singing
Yellow-rumped, MacGillivray's, and Townsend's Warblers
Western Tanagers
Red Crossbills not giving type 3 calls which one would expect

mountains to Wenatchee Guard Station
1 Cooper's Hawk--Friday only
tons of Chipping Sparrows
1 non-vocal Olive-sided Flycatcher-Fri. only
Hermit Thrush
Orange-crowned Warblers

Wenatchee Guard Station
Green-tailed Towhee-poor looks Fri. only. Wed. had great looks at 2 birds
Vesper Sparrows
Rock Wren
Chipping Sparrows
tons of different flowers blooming even saw a Gentian species unknown to me

high elevation mts. (5,000-5,500)
Williamson's Sapsucker
Brown Creeper-heard on Friday only
both kinglets singing
Hermit Thrush
Orange-crowned, Townsend's Warblers
Chipping Sparrows
Slate-colored Fox Sparrow-Friday only
Pine Siskins

dropping down into Asotin Creek
Lazuli Buntings
Canyon and Rock Wrens
Spotted Towhees
Say's Phoebe
both Kingbirds
Ruffed Grouse sitting along road-Sat. only
Common Merganser
no Dipper or Cordilleran Flycatchers (the Cord. Flycatchers were common in the Tucannon River alders at each bridge crossing on Wed.)

The scenery was great also.


Ken Knittle
Washington Birder newsletter
2604 NE 80th Street
Vancouver, WA 98665
mailto:washingtonbirder at hotmail.com<mailto:washingtonbirder at hotmail.com>
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