Hello Tweets,

Today my mother and I ventured over to Moses Lake in search of the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher after a long day of birding yesterday at Ocean Shores,etc. We arrived at the intersection of Tyndall and Randolph Rds.(near the Moses Lake International Airport)at 7:45am and immediately located the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher perched along the fenceline at the Grant Co. PUD substation(east side of Randolph Rd.),as we pulled off along the side of road to view the bird better. Doug Schonewald soon arrived and joined us,as we watched the bird actively forage from several fencelines in the immediate area,as well as forage from brush tops. The bird was striking and going by the relatively short tail is most likely a female. We continued watching the bird,as well as obtain many photographs along with Doug,as the bird remained very active flying around the perimeter of the substation,then eventually into an open brushy field northeast of the substation. It was at this location the bird was pursued by several Western Meadowlarks,as it looked for fencelines to perch. The bird returned to the substation close to the road,where we all obtained excellent,close views of the bird within 30 feet and at times heard the bird call several times. We were joined by Keith Brady,then by Scott Downes,as the bird moved onto the west side of Randolph Rd. within the vicinity of the west substation,where the bird foraged low to the ground,as well as on the ground at times "snapping" up various insects including yellow jackets and grasshoppers. The bird in flight showed very distinctive rusty axillaries bordered by salmon inner wing linings contrasting to the pale gray head and upper breast(with a darker grayish-brown back). The undertail coverts were fairly pale contrasting to obvious salmon sides and flanks with dark wings. The black tail was deeply forked with white outertail linings and a small black area was noted between the eye and the base of the bill. The bird was quite nervous at times,but also was noted resting calmly along fencelines and powerlines and didn't seem to wary of our presence.

We watched the bird until 9:55am until bird flew off to the northeast into a large brushy field east of Randolph Rd. and we were unable to relocate the bird,as we scanned the fields and fencelines until 10:30am. Upon arriving back to the location at 12:30pm we joined other birders from abroad and learned that the bird was again seen at a distance and further north along Randolph Rd. near the boundary of the Moses Lake International Airport. We scanned the fields along with several birders,as conditioned warmed up causing heat waves,so we continued on our way home after some unsuccessful searching of the bird. We along with several other birders at the location were very surprised that the bird has made it to day 3,but there is ample food sources as well as vast areas of perching potential for the bird,as it may wander from the original location as the days go on. Nonetheless, we were very happy to view the bird at such a close range,as well as obtain photographs of this life bird for us! Other species of note observed from the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher location included the following:

6 Turkey Vultures
1 Sharp-shinned Hawk
1 Prairie Falcon
3 Am.Kestrels
1 Say's Phoebe
18+ Horned Larks
2 Am.Pipits
24+ Western Meadowlarks


Away from the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher we checked a few other areas during the day beginning at the Moses Lake Community Park(accessed off of I-90 at Moses Lake)between 11am-12pm,which hosted good movements of passerines,predominantly large numbers of Yellow-rumped Warblers(250+),as well as a few other species. Most noteworthy sorting through many Yellow-rumped Warblers a single Least Flycatcher and a Red-eyed Vireo were noted. Additional highlights noted at this location included the following:

1 Common Loon
29 Western Grebes
3 Clark's Grebes
1 Spotted Sandpiper
4 Bank Swallows
2 Red-breasted Nuthatches
1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet
1 Warbling Vireo
4 Yellow Warblers
2 Townsend's Warblers
17+ Western Tanagers
2 Dark-eyed"Oregon"Juncos

Continuing west on our way home we checked several areas within the Vantage area,including the Gingko Petrified Forest State Park(including lower boat launch area)and the Wanapum State Park and Wanapum Dam. Several of the locations were quite productive,especially for passerine movements,although not impressively large though diverse. Highlights encountered from these locations included the following:

Common Loon
1 along the Columbia River(north of the I-90 bridge with 8 Western Grebes)

Blue-winged Teal
1 along the Columbia River at the Gingko S.P.

Bonaparte's Gull
2 at the Vantage Boat Launch

Herring Gull
3 along the Columbia River between Wanapum S.P and the Columbia River below Wanapum Dam

Glaucous-winged Gull
2 along the Columbia River below Wanapum Dam

Common Tern
10 along the Columbia River north of Wanapum S.P.

Vaux's Swift
1 at Gingko S.P.(with 5 Violet-green Swallows)

Northern"Yellow-shafted"Flicker
1 at Wanapum S.P.

Western Wood Pewee
1 at the Gingko S.P.
1 at Wanapum S.P.

Red-breasted Nuthatch
4 at the Gingko S.P.
3 at Wanapum S.P.

Rock Wren
2 along the rocky cliffs south of Wanapum Dam

House Wren
1 at the Gingko S.P.
1 at Wanapum S.P.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet
3 at the Gingko S.P.

Hermit Thrush
1 at the Gingko S.P.
1 at Wanapum S.P.

Gray Catbird
1 at the Gingko S.P.

Warbling Vireo
3 at the Gingko S.P.
2 at Wanapum S.P.

Orange-crowned Warbler
1 at the Gingko S.P.

Yellow Warbler
2 at the Gingko S.P.

Yellow-rumped Warbler
5 at the Gingko S.P.
35+ at Wanapum S.P.

Western Tanager
1 at the Gingko S.P.

Lincoln's Sparrow
1 at the Gingko S.P.(with 1 Spotted Towhee)


Our last species of the day and noteworthy for the location was a single Great Egret observed at a large pond along I-90 east of Cle Elum near MP 86.


Good birding,

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