Hi Tweeters,

On Thursday May 26 I started slow birding to the Wenas
Memorial weekend campout then up to the Okanogan,
Freezeout pass and Sinlahekin Valley, around to
Osoyoos Lake and to Aenas Rd and home.

Highlights:

Thursday saw the 2 Peregrine Falcon nestlings at
Snoqualmie Falls. At Teanaway Bridge saw a Gray
Catbird singing a robinlike quiet tune.

Stayed in Ellensburg and early Friday before 7am I saw
my only truly unexpected bird of the trip, a
Yellow-billed Loon on Huntzinger Road, not too far
from the private campground. It was with a Common
Loon providing nice contrast. Not being at the
computer I called into the hotline. One of the few
times I wished I had a real camera for photo's to
document. Of course that was the bird of the day...
Did get to watch some interesting behavior of Bank
Swallows here. They were copulating on the road. At
Ginko overlook saw a prey exchange (lizard) between 2
Kestrels. Arrived at Wenas campground and camped next
to Carol Schultz and Carolyn.

Sat. morning at Wenas great to hear the Ruffed Grouse
drumming, the Veery singing, and the Common Poorwill
overnight. Close my campsite was a Hairy Woodpecker
nest hole which I saw on the morning walk with Carol
Schultz upstream. We also saw Townsend's Solitaire
and good looks at Cassin's Vireo. At the campfire
several Common Nighthawks flew over.

Sun. took the 4 wheel drive tour with Wilson Cady as
the leader. I went with my camp neighbors Beth,
Roger, and Valerie. Sharon rounded out our crew, a
weed-watcher as the camp vernacular went. Nice to
have her with us to tell us about the high country
flowers. Northern Goshawk the definite bird
highlight.

Monday before I left I did the upstream walk again on
my own and heard the Townsend's Solitaire do it's toot
call. Interesting sound, to me this is THE tin horn
sound. Stayed in Yakima.

Tuesday to Conconully Park. On the way I went through
Umtanum Canyon. I found one of the Prairie Falcon
aeries with 3 youngun's up there waiting for chow to
arrive. At Conconully heard Western Screech Owl but
could not locate the bird. Also Sora and Virginia
Rail here, along with displaying Calliope
Hummingbirds.

Wed, mild insanity, over the high country of Freezeout
Pass to Long Swamp. I did not know what to expect.
The high country trip up Harts Pass I have heard
stories about and knew if this was like that I would
likely bail out. I am not a lover of sheer dropoffs.
This road was wonderful in that respect. Only one
short stretch, very doable of the dropoff aspect. The
road was in good condition and my Ford Escort did
fine. About 3 sort of questionable spots and I was
grateful that one person did pass me. I think they
cleared a fallen tree in the road. I had to move a
small tree myself. I saw was the Boreal Chickadee, a
lifer. I didn't see it until just before the rise to
Coral Butte. I did see a lot of the other high
country birds, Gray Jay, Clarks Nutcracker, Fox
Sparrow, Hermit Thrush, many singing Ruby-crowned
Kinglets. Williamson's Sapsucker got views of and
heard their interesting drumming sound.
One group of Nutcrackers seemed to be mobbing
something but I could not visualize the victim. The
forest was in every condition imaginable here, new
growth, old growth, burned, and blown down, logged. I
saw some Snowshoe Hares and 3 nest boxes, presumably
for owls? The views from Toats Coulee Rd down to
Loomis are spectacular.

On Thursday I went through Sinlahekin Valley. I read
the writeup in the Birders Guide p440-41 and was
expected to be wowed and I was. I saw or heard about
75 species from Olive-sided Flycatcher, to Red-necked
Grebe on the nest, to Yellow-breasted Chat, to Ruffed
Grouse, to 2 adult Golden Eagles. Also a White-tailed
deer with a very very young fawn. I drove over the
Loomis-Oroville Road to Osooyos Lake State Park. I
saw my first ever roosting Common Nighthawk near the
town of Nighthawk, rather appropriate I think. Fun to
study and compare to Common Poorwill.

I camped at the park. The campground lawn bird was
the Yellow-headed Blackbird, literally scads of them.
Their foraging technique in the grass was a little
weird and made their alternate name Black-assed
Yellowbird appropriate. They would poke their head
deep into the grass showing only their back end, like
a head stand and apparantly digging holes in the
ground. When they popped out the yellow head was
startling.

Friday morning I spent some time in the park. It was
hard to leave. Must have been around 2 dozen or more
Red-necked Grebes here. They were involved in pair
bonding courtship displays, fighting over mates, and
some flying around. It is always special for me to
see any Grebe fly. I had decided to come home that
night late as I found out about some family stuff I
needed to be home for. I stopped at Aenas Valley Road
and the first pullout was successful in seeing and
hearing many Bobolinks.

Great trip. I would love to do the Freezeout Pass
route again with some more experienced birders to get
a chance for Spruce Grouse, Three-toed Woodpecker and
Boreal Owl.

Kathy
Roosting in S. King County






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