Hello Tweets,

Today Ken Knittle and my mother and I birded around the Vancouver Lake area in Clark Co. with a few other stops made during the mid to late afternoon from Steigerwald Lake NWR eastward to Franz Lake in Skamania Co. Our weather for the day wasn't too bad with off and on rain showers. We encountered 76 species for the day with several highlights including a MUTE SWAN at the Steigerwald Lake NWR and a "BLACK"BRANT along Lower River Rd. near Vancouver Lake County Park. The Mute Swan was observed amongst a flock of 14 Tundra Swans from 2 separate pull-offs along Hwy.14,but am times it remained by itself in the same flooded area at the Steigerwald Lake NWR. Ken first spotted the Mute Swan in flight soon after we pulled off of Hwy.14,then we all obtained excellent scope views of the bird as it swan around the water. It was a nice surprise no matter what the origin of this bird!

The "Black"Brant was observed directly across the road from Vancouver Lake County Park within a large flock of Cackling Geese in a partially flooded stubble field. We checked several areas surrounding Vancouver Lake including the Vancouver STP, as well as the road following to Post Office Lake. Additional areas covered included the Shillapoo Wildlife Area. At times birding was quite slow with low numbers of passerines such as sparrows, but other times the activity increased. We also noticed that due many areas flooded with high water much of the waterfowl diversity was very dispersed and at times almost absent. We ended the day along Hwy.14 at Franz Lake in Skamania Co., where the Tundra Swan count at hat location consisted of 15 birds.

Other key species of the day included the following:


27 Great Egrets at the Shillapoo WA with an additional bird at the Steigerwald Lake NWR

35+ Sandhill Cranes at the Shillapoo WA

1 Wood Duck at Franz Lake

1 Redhead at Post Office Lake

14 Greater Scaup at Vancouver Lake

25 Canvasback at Post Office Lake with 15 birds noted at Franz Lake

30 at the Vancouver STP and 25 birds at Post Office Lake

2 Sharp-shinned Hawks and 28 Am.Kestrels noted at various locations

1 adult Peregrine Falcon at the Shillapoo WA

1 Merlin (with prey) near the Vancouver STP

1 Red-breasted Sapsucker near Vancouver Lake County Park

1 White-breasted Nuthatch near Post Office Lake

1 White-throated Sparrow near Vancouver Lake

5+ Western Meadowlarks at the Shillapoo WA with 4 additional birds at the Steigerwald Lake NWR


Good birding,

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
(roosting with the Knittle's in Vancouver)


Ken Knittle
Washington Birder
2604 NE 80th Street
Vancouver, WA 98665
360.574.2590
email to: washingtonbirder at hotmail.com<mailto:washingtonbirder at hotmail.com>