Tweeters,

We drove quite a bit starting after noon today from Othello, WA and
finishing at Leavenworth at dusk. At the first ponds near the Potholes we
saw a Pied-billed Grebe, American Coots and Mallards, but the ponds were
rather empty otherwise. We decided to go straight on back to Hwy 26 and
followed it to the Crab Creek crossing. There were plenty of peeps there
when we first arrived, but not long after setting up the scope they all
startled and flew out of view. A few moments later we spotted the hawk that
had frightened them--but on closer inspection discovered it to be PRAIRIE
FALCON. We had good views of it, and it appeared to have snagged one of the
sandpipers, as it was clutching a white prey significantly larger than a
mouse. It lighted on a rock not too far away, and pecked at its quarry
until it decided to seek a more remote asylum. On the other side of the
road, we again found the usual Mallards, some Canada Geese, and a
Greater-Yellowlegs. We never did identify the sandpipers as we failed to
bring them into view again. Probably Westerns, since the legs had appeared
dark, but so had their backs.... Continuing on to Vantage, we stopped
briefly there to check for more peeps but were disappointed. We headed up
for some mountain air, passing Black-billed Magpies, at least one Western
Meadowlark, till we neared the summit of Blewett Pass. There, we were
greeted by Red-breasted Nuthatches, a Stellar's Jay, and a couple of
Northern Flickers. We heard chickadees, but could not be certain from the
call which kind. We also saw either Goldfinches or Pine Siskins, but
unfortunately too momentarily to distinguish. We next went to the
river-side park in Leavenworth. Here we encountered Turkey Vultures, quail,
Black-capped Chickadees, American Robins, Cedar Waxwings, and some swallows
passing through high overhead. I left my National Geographic, 2nd ed. bird
book on a park bench and remembered it afterward, but upon returning it
wasn't there. Thinking that perhaps I had forgotten, and had taken it with
me and left it along the trail, I ran back, hoping to find it. I ran too
far, and found myself on a trail I hadn't been on before, and suddenly
beside me, two grouse had startled. Standing still as a statue for about
the next ten minutes, they continued to feed, and I was able to get very
good views at close range (within 25 feet). It was two RUFFED GROUSE. I
never found the book--someone must have picked it up--but I wouldn't have
seen the grouse had I not lost it.

Keep enjoying the blessings of nature,

Erik Mundall
Connell, WA
emundall AT hotmail.edu

_________________________________________________________________
Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today - it's FREE!
hthttp://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/