Sorry, all, I managed to hit the send button before finishing, sigh...! Maybe I should have hit the sack instead of typing this up tonight.

So, back on the Vantage Highway from Ellensburg, after the SAGE THRASHER, I was entertained by a swarm of blackbirds harrassing a COMMON RAVEN. Across from the Gingko State Park HQ, I saw what I believe was a prarie falcon, but didn't count it as I wasn't totally sure of the ID in the brief look I got. From Vantage, I headed down the west side of the river to the dam and back. In that stretch, I saw CALIFORNIA GULL, CASPIAN TERN, and a PACIFIC LOON, which was south of Wanapum State Park perhaps a third of the way to the dam. It was close to shore and I had plenty of time to confirm the ID.

Then it was on to Royal City via Hwy 26 and head north on Dodson Road. I spent a lot of time around the Dodson/Frenchman Hills intersection area and picked up YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD, KILLDEER, PIED-BILLED GREBE, EASTERN AND WESTERN KINGBIRDS, CINNAMON TEAL, GADWALL, MALLARD, DOUBLE CRESTED CORMORANT (doing an extremely thorough job of reducing the biomass in the marsh), SWAINSON'S HAWK, multiple AMERICAN KESTRELS and LARK SPARROW (on the public fishing access road to the west of the parking area). Further north on Dodson on the other water and marsh areas, I found GREAT EGRET, MARSH WREN (heard) and REDHEAD. Reaching I-90, I took the South Frontage Road instead of the freeway which paid off with two lifers for me in a small pond near the wasteway - BLACK NECKED STILT AND AMERICAN AVOCET.

Heading back home, I decided (fortunately) to take a quick stop by the railroad ponds on the Cle Elum hatchery road. In the snags area north of the hatchery road, near the fenced in valve location, a PILEATED WOODPECKER was trying hard to settle in on a tree. I say 'trying' because a very ornery male WESTERN BLUEBIRD drove him off three separate times until he took the hint and moved some distance away. Presumably the bluebirds have a nest nearby, as I also saw the female. Also got a RING NECKED DUCK pair.

Took a walk in the woods and slash/brush area near our house when I got home and found a bunch of the usual suspects and an OLIVE SIDED FLYCATCHER.

I got some good shots of the bluebird, avocet and both kingbirds, but haven't had the energy to do the RAW conversion and adjustments tonight.

John Tubbs