Subject: [Tweeters] Walla Walla to Lyle
Date: Apr 3 23:50:46 2005
From: washingtonbirder - washingtonbirder at hotmail.com


Alan Richards and I dropped Mike and MerryLynn Denny off in College Place and Alan and I birded our way west down the Columbia River. First stop was Blalock Pond west of College Place where 1 Black-crowned Night-Heron was roosting in the lower branches over the pond. Then at the Walla Walla River mouth we observed a total of 6 Avocets, 3 Least Sandpipers, 1 American White Pelican, and too many to count Caspian Terns.

We made a brief stop at Crow Butte and noted the water being high and no waterfowl where there usually is large flocks of geese and ducks. Just east of Roosevelt we saw 2 Common Loons already close to full breeding plumage. Just west of Roosevelt we shot up "Old Highway 8" in pouring rain and turned onto Dot Road. A wet looking Prairie Falcon was hunkered down against the top of the electric pole trying to keep out of the blowing rain and the temp. was almost cold enough to snow (38 F). Rock Creek was dead bird wise and we headed toward Goldendale. Approximately 5 miles east of Goldendale a Northern Goshawk flew across the road as we screeched to a stop. We were eyeballing the Western Juniper Trees and dreaming of a possible flock of Pinyon Jays and how we could increase our chances of finding a flock. I think we would even have settled for one lone Pinyon Jay. We noted there were no roads where we wished we could drive.

Going west of Goldendale we stopped by the pond at Crofton Prairie to check for shorebirds and waterfowl only to find the pond bone dry, even though it had been raining. Couldn't believe our eyes. Dropping down to the Klickitat River we stopped for a Dipper and several Common Mergansers. The water is too open and not rough enough for prime habitat for Harlequin Ducks. Perhaps farther up stream.

Our weekend trip netted 116 species and a great time birding with Tom and Diane Weber, and Mike and MerryLynn Denny. Also would like to thank Kelly Cassidy in Pullman for posting that she had Varied Thrushes in her yard since that was my last county in Washington State in which I didn't have Varied Thrush in and now I do. Also needed Horned Grebe for Garfield County as my last county to see this species in and we found several at Central Ferry near the grain elevators and also at Willow Bar.

As always a great weekend of exploring some of Washington's lesser known hot birding locations.

Ken Knittle