Hi all -
Today I headed over to the Davenport Cemetery and points nearby. As
the subject line mentioned, I was pleasantly surprised to find the
MAGNOLIA WARBLER still present. Yay. In addition the area was pretty
active with many other birds including: [9:00 - 11:00]
Long-eared Owl - 1 sitting calmly amidst sputtering kinglets & nuthatches
Hermit Thrush - one
Varied Thrush - 1 or 2
Wilson's Warbler - 1
Yellow Warbler - 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler - many
Mountain Chickadee - a few
Brown Creeper - 2
Red-breasted Nuthatch - only outnumbered by the RC Kinglets
empid, sp
Northern Flicker - many, including one intergrade showing red malar & red nape
Sharp-shinned Hawk - one fly-by
Northern Harrier - one in surrounding fields
Red-tailed Hawk - one in cemetery trees
[Davenport Cem: ~1 mi south of Dav on SR 28, then w [rt] onto Mtn
View-Cemetery Rd. Delorme p. 87 C-7 , WA ABA p. 400]

I stopped next at the Readan Ponds, where good numbers of waterfowl,
but no shorebirds were present [also had another Mountain Chickadee
here in the reeds - seemed an odd combo]
[Delorme p. 88 C-1/2, WA ABA p. 400]

Just west of Deep Creek, [Delorme p.88 C-3] I looked in vain for the
Ferrig. Hawk that's been reported by others. Overall today, there
seemed to be a good amount of raptor movement -- Red-tails everywhere
[though never in big kettles], scattered TVs, and a pair of Osprey,
circling over what seemed like a very water-free section of Whitman
County, near St. Johns.

Down at Sheep Lake, in Whitman Co., the waterfowl numbers were also
pretty good [normal suspects again] - the only shorebirds I saw there
were 27 Long-billed Dowitchers. [Delorme pg 72 B/C-1, WA ABA p. 402]

Finally, before turning on the debate & starting the drive home, I
stopped by Bassett Pk in Washtucna - and was rewarded with very
little activity [It was 5:00, though] - A few Yellow-rumps, several
Ruby-crowned Kinglets, and a Varied Thrush. [WA ABA p. 374, Delorme
p. 55 B/C - 6]


A good day -

Matt Bartels
Seattle, WA


--