Hello Birders,

We enjoyed a combined dragonfly/birding trip to the Horn Rapids area of Benton Co. on the 30th of June through the 2nd of July. The weather was extremely hot and perfect for dragonflies,especially in the Tri-Cities area on all 3 days ranging upwards of 100+ degrees. Our trip was a success on both ends with good results on locating most of the dragonflies we searched for,as well as doing some additional birding at selected locations between the Elk Heights "burn" in Kittitas Co. to the Wallula area in Walla Walla Co. Our main 2 bird highlights of the trip consisted of a breeding plumaged MARBLED MURRELET in the Columbia River off Wanapum State Park on the 30th 0f June followed by a single adult ARCTIC TERN(with 6 Common Terns)at Priest Rapids Dam on the 2nd of July.

We will begin with the MARBLED MURRELET,which was initially observed for 15 minutes between 9:15am-9:30am approximately 45 yards offshore in the Columbia River looking southwest from the Wanapum State Park boat launch south of Vantage. The bird was well observed in our spotting scope as it rested calmly on the calm water with descent lighting for 5 minutes until the bird became rapidly active,as it dove several times before finally flying off to the east and north as observed in both Kittitas and Grant Cos. The bird's overall plumage was a uniform mottled brown with darkest areas on the back and mantle and palest brown and white mottled areas from the upper chest to the throat. The bird was very small and typical in all manner for a Marbled Murrelet although Long-billed Murrelet was also considered due to the inland location. The overall structure of the bird appeared completely wrong for Long-billed Murrelet,as lacking an overall murre profile including the relatively long bill and neck that are consistent with that species. During the 15 minute observation the bird dove 4 times before flying off to the northeast in the direction of the I-90 bridge,as if flew extremely quick and in a direct path showing it's completely blackish underwings. Away from all the details that were noted during the observation this bird was an extremely unexpected species for this location and the remote thought of this bird flying from possible nesting areas somewhere in the Cascades was considered as a likely theory. Whatever the case,this was a great surprise species for this inland location and our first inland record of Marbled Murrelet for eastern WA!

Secondly,upon working our way home today(July 2nd)we observed an adult ARCTIC TERN on a small offshore island just north of the Priest Rapids Dam in Grant Co. between 7:30am-8:30am. We accessed the exact location from the end of he road that takes you to Priest Rapids Dam directly west off of S.R.243. The bird was well viewed in our spotting scope,as it perched atop a small snag in the water next to a small island that was next to Goose Island,as we looked north of the dam. The bird remained perched from this snag,as it preened and positioned itself several times allowing us great views of it's fairly uniform dark gray body showing almost no contrast except for the paler areas on the cheeks. The bird soon lifted from the small snag,as we followed it northward in our spotting scope until it looped back in the direction the dam. We were able to get even better views of the bird from another vantage point north of the dam and just south of the town of Desert Aire directly across from Goose Island fairly close to shore in the Columbia River. The birds mantle color was uniform darkish gray(with slightly paler underwings)with just an extremely small narrow edge of black on the outer edges of the primaries followed by a black cap and short orange bill. During our primary observations of the bird we were able to get good comparisons with 6 nearby paler Common Terns that actively foraged in the general vicinity from where the Arctic Tern was being viewed and lighting conditions were superb from both locations. We also observed much extensive black on the primaries of the Common Terns,which was a key field mark for us as both species interacted on a least one occasion.The Arctic Tern eventually flew out further into the middle of the Columbia River just north from dam area into Yakima Co.,as we were able to watch it catch a fish then carry it's prey off to the north. We attempted to get an even better vantage point for viewing from the south end of Desert Aire,but we in turn were unable to relocate the Arctic Tern upon thoroughly scoping the area,so it is possible the bird could have found a good resting spot on the west side of the main island to remain hidden from our view.

This like the Marbled Murrelet was a great surprise species considering the inland location and were equally happy to see the 6 Common Terns,which probably followed the Columbia River south to this location.

Our trip actually bean on the morning of the 30th of June at a small burn area just north of I-90 at Elk Heights previously reported by Eugene Hunn and others,where we were able to locate 2 juvenile BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS with a short walk made into the hart of the burn. Both birds were very jumpy and uncooperative,but they did allow good,but brief views as they worked their way high in trees through the burn. It was nonetheless a god sighting to begin our trip before we headed east to Vantage!

Next,we arrived at Vantage at 8am where we easily located up to 3 adult BLACK-THROATED SPARROWS 1.8 miles south of I-90 OR .8 miles north of Wanapum State Park along Huntzinger Rd. This is the same location that many other birders have been reporting this species with good results recently and during our visit we were entertained with quality views,as well as full songs of al 3 birds before they slowly dispersed and went quiet by 9am. All 3 birds were viewable east of Huntzinger Rd. with one single bird observed flying west over Huntzinger Rd. At least 2 of the bird were highly cooperative during our morning visit by responding fairly well to "pishing",but eventually scattered around alot along the sage slope and joining with both Lark and Sage Sparrows between .8 and 9 miles north of Wanapum State Park. It was a species that had eluded us for many years in Washington,as far as photographs so we were equally pleased in getting some descent photos of them!

The remainder of our trip was great in addition to these 2 highlights including a nice morning visit on the 1st of July to the Walla Walla River Delta and the Iowa Beef-Dodd"ponds" near Wallula in Walla Walla Co. Both of these locations produced good species including southbound migrating shorebirds. We began by spending a considerable time thoroughly scoping the Walla Walla River Delta that yielded some small areas of mudflats,then a short drive from Hwy.12 at Wallula to the Iowa Beef-Dodd"ponds" for more shorebirding. A list of noteworthy sightings made from both of these locations included the following:

Walla Walla River Delta

1 CLARK'S GREBES
28 Am.White Pelicans
1 male Ring-necked Duck
1 SEMIPALMATED PLOVER
2 Spotted Sandpipers
29 Western Sandpipers
12 Least Sandpipers
1 adult FRANKLIN'S GULL
1 adult GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL(with small numbers of California and Ring-billed Gulls nearby)
1 Forster's Tern(with small numbers of Caspian Terns)

Iowa Beef-Dodd"ponds"

2 adult Black-crowned Night Herons
8 Green-winged Teal
2 Northern Pintail
5 Blue-winged Teal
12 Cinnamon Teal
1 Am.Wigeon
18 Redheads
12 Ruddy Ducks
2 Northern Harriers
1 Swainson's Hawk
26 Black-necked Stilts
15 Am.Avocets
2 Greater Yellowlegs
13 Lesser Yellowlegs
1 Spotted Sandpiper
1 adult SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER
48 Western Sandpipers
3 Least Sandpipers
10 Wilson's Phalaropes


Our 3 day trip was centered at the nice oasis of Horn Rapids Park and although very,very HOT we were treated nice birding at that location. We enjoyed having the entire camping area all to ourselves and having just a few shade trees really helped,especially when temperatures were the hottest! The water level of the Yakima River was dropping considerably by the 2nd day,but we also noticed than many areas surrounding the river were using it's water for irrigation. We spent the greatest deal of time along the Yakima River itself from various locations in and around Horn Rapids between Horn Rapids Park east to the Twin Bridges area,as we searched for dragonflies. A few of the main bird highlights from these locations included the following:

14 Am.White Pelicans
2 Great Egrets
2 Black-crowned Night Heron
1 pair of BUFFLEHEADS(observed only on the 30th of June at Horn Rapids Park)
2 Osprey
1 adult FERRUGINOUS HAWK(observed flying over Horn Rapids Park on the 30th of June)
3 Forster's Terns
1 Great Horned Owl
2 LONG-EARED OWLS
good numbers of Mourning Doves and Common Nighthawks(primarily at Horn Rapids Park)
1 Willow Flycatcher
1 Gray Catbird
2 adult NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRDS(observed at Horn Rapids Park primarily alone,but on one occasion both birds were noted flying together,but overall both birds were quite elusive and skulky")
1 juvenile Loggerhead Shrike
1 male WESTERN TANAGER(observed at Horn Rapids Park on the 30th of June and quite noteworthy for the location as for the time of year)


Other notable bird species encountered during the remainder of our trip included the following species:

Common Loon
2 at Vantage,Kittitas Co. on the 30th of June
1 at Priest Rapids Dam,Grant Co. on the 2nd of July

Western Grebe
12 birds at Priest Rapids Dam,GR on the 2nd of July

GREATER SCAUP
12 birds at Priest Rapids Dam on the 2nd of July

AM.BITTERN
1 calling bird at a wetland area immediately east of Priest Rapids Dam in Grant Co. on the 2nd of July

Black-chinned Hummingbird
1 immature male at Wanapum State Park,Kittitas Co. on the 30th of June



We identified 12 species of dragonflies during our trip(primarily from the Horn Rapids area wit several additional species noted from other nearby locations)including the following species:

Vivid Dancer
Tule Bluet
Pacific Forktail
Variable Darner
Common Green Darner
COLUMBIA CLUBTAIL(male)
SINUOUS SNAKETAIL(Male & Female) (a species that has eluded for many years with fairly good numbers noted during our 3 day visit to the Horn Rapids area)
Western River Cruiser(including one caught by an Eastern Kingbird along the Yakima River just north of Horn Rapids Park) (Male only)
Twelve-spotted Skimmer
Black Saddlebags
Blue Dasher
Western Meadowhawk



Good birding,

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
Fircrest,WA
godwit513 at msn.com