Hello All,
On this outstandingly cool, beautiful day in Southeastern Washington, 11 of us from Blue Mountain Audubon went into the field to see all the Wild Turkeys we could locate under the able leadership of Tom Scribner. Its a Thanksgiving tradition. Below are some of the highlight species were observed.

Species seen in Walla Walla and Columbia Counties.

Mountain Bluebird...........1 male, along 7 mile Rd., WW Co.. a bit late for this area.

Common Redpoll.............12 birds, saw 9 birds along Mill Creek Rd., WW Co. and 3 birds along South Touchet River Rd. Col. Co.

Northern Pygmy Owl........3 birds, One bird along Mill Creek, WW Co. after the Redpolls, one along The Wolf Fork of the Touchet River, Col. Co.after the Redpolls, one bird along the South Touchet River Rd., Col. Co..

American Crow................100+ in one flock at 3200' on the western flanks of the Blue Mountains in WW Co. very unusual to see this species at this location, at this elevation and in these numbers.

Merlin..............................1 adult columbarius race along Payne Hollow, Col. Co.

Wild Turkey......................243 birds, big number, but not par with last years trot with over 300 birds. One flock contained 130 birds along S. Touchet River Rd., Col. Co.

Pileated Woodpecker........1 ad. along Biscuit Ridge Rd., WW Co..

BLUE JAYS.......................15 birds in Dayton, Col. Co. watched and listened to at the corner of S. 5TH and HANNAN Street east off S.4th.. This is the most we have ever seen at one site at one time in the Pacific Northwest. We were there at 3:45 P.M. as these jays were flying towards their roost sites off the hill from the east. In company with this flock of Blue Jays were 10+ Stellers Jays. The attractant to this location are three large oak trees. We obsereved 9 birds at this site on 16 Oct. and at the time we thought that was amazing numbers. What did we know.

Great trip and very good company.

Later Mike


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Mike & MerryLynn Denny
1354 S. E. Central Ave.
College Place, WA 99324
509.529.0080 (h)

IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN BIRDING, YOU HAVEN'T LIVED!
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