Hi Tweets,

After birding Saturday morning with Bob Flores in Washtucna, Barb and I
continued on to finish birding a loop that took us through parts of Whitman,
Adams, Lincoln, and Grant counties.
Our first stop was the Whitman County section of Hooper (DeLorme pg. 55,
7.1/B.5) where we were able to locate a few more migrants. Townsend's
Warblers were prevalent here, but we also located a single Yellow Warbler, a
single Nashville Warbler, and our first Western Tanager of the year.
We then went to a small migrant trap in the town of Ralston (DeLorme pg.
55, 5.8/.5 A) where we found Hammond's Flycatcher and a pair of Chipping
Sparrows.
The City Park at Ritzville was relatively quiet for warblers, there being
only a few Yellow-rumped of the Audubon's race. We were able to locate a
large group of 38 Ruby-crowned Kinglets feeding in a single maple tree.
Associating with the kinglets was a single Red-breasted Nuthatch.
Our route followed SR-21 Through portions of Adams and Lincoln counties and
was rewarded with several nesting Swainson's Hawks, loads of Savannah
Sparrows, several Vesper Sparrows, several Brewer's Sparrows, a single Lark
Sparrow, and many common shrub-steppe birds.
Our next stop near Wilson Creek was quite rewarding. A pair of Ferruginous
Hawks were observed as they sat along the bluffs near the Tricolored
Blackbird area (Crab Lake). Also noted were 10 Snow Geese sitting with
Canada Geese on a small point in the dwindling lake. Tricolored Blackbirds
were present, but views were at long distance and unremarkable.
Brook Lake (near Stratford) offered 19 American White Pelicans, several
Greater Yellowlegs, 4 Dunlin, and a single Warbling Vireo in the roadside
bushes.
Soap Lake offered 38 Least Sandpipers, a half-dozen American Avocet, and a
single Semipalmated Plover.
Along SR-17 on the way back to Moses Lake we were able to located
Long-billed Curlew and a pair of Burrowing Owls.
A long, but great, day with 86 species located and observed.

Cheers

Doug Schonewald
Moses Lake, WA
dschone8 at donobi.net