Hello Tweets,

Today my mother and I led a TAS(Tahoma Audubon Society)field trip to the Ridgefield NWR-Woodland area with a total of 85 species amongst 8 participants along with very good weather. We encountered several highlights that many of the participants enjoyed individually,but probably the best highlight of the day was the lingering immature Harris' Sparrow that continues near the south end of Roberson Rd.(accessed from Whalen Rd. within the Dike Access Rd. complex near Woodland,Cowlitz Co.). We began the day at the River S Unit of Ridgefield NWR,where we observed the bulk of our species with fairly good numbers of waterfowl and various other species and Tree Swallows continued to be the most abundant species observed followed by lesser numbers of Violet-green Swallows. We encountered a total 5 species of shorebirds from the River S Unit of which highlights included a single Lesser Yellowlegs flying with one of 9 Greater Yellowlegs we noted from this location followed by 3 Long-billed Dowitchers.We observed 500+ Tundra Swans flying from the north in the direction from Bachelor Island,which all came flying overhead as we drove the last portion of the River S Unit and a few of the bird flew in and landed on Rest Lake. It seems that the birds are gathering up and may begin to migrate north in upcoming weeks. Most of the Tundra Swans we observed continued to the south towards the Vancouver Lake area. We briefly walked a portion of the Carty Unit of Ridgefield NWR after 1pm,but conditions were very slow so we headed north to the Woodland area. Other highlights noted from the Ridgefield NWR included the following:

3 Great Egrets(2 at the River S Unit,1 at the Carty Unit)

3 additional Tundra Swans at the Carty Unit

5 Wood Ducks at the River S Unit

13 Cinnamon Teal at the River S Unit

3 Canvasback at the River S Unit

36 Ruddy Ducks at Rest Lake(River S Unit)

1 Turkey Vulture at the River S Unit

1 adult dark-morph Red-tailed Hawk at the River S Unit

1 Peregrine Falcon at the River S Unit

1 Ring-necked Pheasant at the River S Unit

9 Wilson's Snipes at the River S Unit

1 Red-breasted Sapsucker in the wooded canyon above the River S Unit

1 Barn Swallow at the River S Unit

1 pair of White-breasted Nuthatches at the River S Unit


At Woodland we checked several locations within the Dike Access Rd. complex,which were most all productive,despite slightly windy conditions during the afternoon. We located the Harris' Sparrow with little effort in a bramble patch associating with a small flock of Golden and White-crowned Sparrows,which allowed good scoping views of it until it flew to a father bramble patch and could not be relocated. Perhaps this bird may continue at this location through spring and begin to change plumages. We also observed a scattered flock of 15+ California Quail at this same location,which have fairly regular at this location in past visits.It was a good bird to see for everyone. We located a single flock of 600+ Sandhill Cranes along Dike Rd. south of Whalen Rd. that were noted foraging in a recently plowed field and a our 4th Great Egret of the day that was observed along a canal south of Caples Rd. Other few highlights noted from the Dike Access Rd. complex included 8 Wood Ducks,10+ Savannah Sparrows,2 Lincoln's Sparrows and our only "Sooty"Fox Sparrow of the day. On our way home we observed our last species of the day,being a single Merlin along I-5 north of Maytown in Thurston Co.

Highlight mammals of the day consisted of the following:

1 Harbor Seal in the Columbia River along Dike Rd. near Woodland
1 Racoon and 1 Mink at the River S Unit of the Ridgefield NWR


Good birding,

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
Tacoma,WA
godwit at worldnet.att.net