Subject: [Tweeters] Wanapum Tufted Duck on 03/07/05
Date: Mar 7 20:59:23 2005
From: Gina Sheridan - gsherida8502 at yahoo.com
On this breezey mild day, Karen and Harold Cottet and
I headed out to the Vantage area to try for the Tufted
Duck. Upon arrival, it was obvious that we were going
to have to cough up the $5 entry fee and view the
scaup flocks from the Wanapum State Park grounds.
Fortunately, we found the male TUFTED DUCK relatively
quickly. An immature BALD EAGLE conveniently flushed
the duck flock past the mid-point in the river so that
I could count the bird on my Grant County list too.
After the ducks settled back down, the Tufted Duck
began actively diving and feeding. At times, it was
difficult to keep track of the bird. However, we did
have some extended excellent views.
A little farther south (on the entrance road to the
Yakima Training Center), we found two singing SAGE
SPARROWs. A SAY'S PHOEBE was on western gate of
Wanapum Dam, and we noted one COMMON LOON and a couple
of HORNED GREBES as well.
At the boat ramp on the north side of the I-90 bridge,
there were two GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLs (1-1st winter &
1-2nd winter) towering over the nearby Ring-billed
Gulls. Across I-90 on the Grant County side of the
bridge, we saw a GOLDEN EAGLE
Unfortunately, we could not relocate the Swamp Sparrow
in Moses Lake. There were swarms of House Sparrows in
the bulrushes though.
As we drove up to Sheep Lake in northwestern Whitman
County, the first bird that I viewed just happened to
be the male EURASIAN WIGEON that we discovered last
month. The drake EUWI appeared to be paired up with
it's mate. We flushed a pair of GRAY PARTRIDGES along
the track too. Finally, we observed a PRAIRIE FALCON
banking into the wind just across the highway from
Sheep Lake.
Gina Sheridan
Spokane, WA
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