On Saturday, Sherry and I used the Eastern Columbia Gorge and Klickitat
River section of the Birder's Guide to Washington to do some birding in
the Lyle area. We started at Rowland Lake where the birding was quiet,
but managed to get some birds that included 2 Turkey Vultures, and a
pair of Bullock's Oriole's.
We then stopped at the Catherine Creek Preserve and walked the paved
trail in the southern section. Here the birding was much better. We had
8 Red Crossbills, 2 Western Wood Pewee, 1 Yellow Warbler, 1 Western
Tanager, 1 Red Breasted Nuthacth, 1 Vaux's Swift, 1 Lewis Woodpecker,
and 1 active Ash Throated Flycatcher.
Next was Balch Rd. and Balch-Lyle Cemetery. Here we had, 1 Western
Kingbird, 2 California Quail, many Chipping Sparrow, and 6 Wesrtern
Bluebirds. Just before the "Y", after the cemetery, we had 1 Cassin's
Vireo and 1 Black Throated Gray Warbler. Then it was on the Lyle County
Park for a quick visit. We added 3 more trip birds including several
Northern Roughed Winged Swallows.
Up the Klickitat River to the wildlife area we headed. The river was
loaded with Roughed Winged Swallows, Violet Green Swallows, and Vaux's
Swifts. After turing on Goldendale-Glenwood Rd., in about 1/4 mile on
the right side was a small muddy pond. Hoping for some shorebirds, all
we got were 2 male Green Winged Teals, 1 male Northern Shoveler, 2
Killdeer, 2 Gadwalls, and some Mallards. We also saw 1 American Kestrel
hunting in the fields. At the Klickitat Headquarters, we got a Nashville
Warbler.
Our final stop for the day was at Grayback Road. Here we had our second
Ash Throated Flycatcher for the day, 4 Gray Flycatchers, 8 Western
Bluebirds, 1 Cassin's Vireo, many Chipping Sparrows, 1 Mountain
Chickadee, 1 Yellow Rumped Warbler, and 1 White Breasted Nuthatch.

Dave Hayden
Lakewood WA
dtvhm AT nwrain.com