Subject: [Tweeters] wenas region
Date: Jun 21 14:01:16 2006
From: wheelermombi at comcast.net - wheelermombi at comcast.net


Hi Tweeters,

I finally had some free time on Tuesday to do some serious birding and decided to explore the Wenas Creek region near Ellensburg. I had never been there before and was amazed by the diversity and numbers of birds. Here is a partial list of the birds that I spotted in the order that they were spotted:

Umtanum Road: Several Western Kingbirds, Loggerhead Shrike, numerous Mountain and Western Bluebirds, Vesper Sparrow, Brewer's Sparrow, Sage Thrasher, Western Meadow Lark, Bank Swallow, Hermit Thrush, Short-eared Owl (which was getting harrassed by an American Kestril, which in turn was getting harrassed by a Western Bluebird), Northern Flicker, Raven, Mourning Dove.

Umtanum Falls parking lot & trail: Western Wood Peewee (they were extremely common), Lazuli Bunting (several could be seen and heard in the trees bordering the parking lot), Bullock's Oriole, Brown-headed Cowbird, California Quail, Turkey Vulture, Red-naped Sapsucker, American Goldfinch, Cedar Waxwing, Yellow Warbler, Spotted Towhee, Black-headed Grosbeak. I also managed to collect more than 20 ticks here.

Unpaved portion of Wenas Road: What I believe were a couple of Gray Flycatchers (they would not call and I have never seen this species before, but they looked exactly like the Sibley drawing), Red-breasted Nuthatch, Eastern Kingbird, Great-horned Owl (by bluebird box #2 in a Ponderosa Pine, just where the pavement starts), Common Raven

Audubon Road: Black-chinned Hummingbirds everywhere, often sitting on the telephone wires, Peregrine Falcon, Hairy Woodpecker, a flock of 12+ Common Nighthawks, Fox Sparrow, Ruffed Grouse

Wenas Campground: Chipping Sparrow, 20+ Common Nighthawks (their calls sound like bad sound effects from the Jetsons), 3 White-headed Woodpeckers, one of which sounded like a ground squirrel on meth, Western Tanager, Dusky Flycatcher. I also saw a couple of flycather species that I could not ID.

Paved portion of N. Wenas Road: several Horned Larks.

Yakima Canyon along SR 821: Swainson's Hawk, Rock Wren, Canyon Wren. I also spotted a herd of Bighorn Sheep near mile marker 5 near the 3rd turnout going north on the western side of the canyon.

In addition, there were numerous species that I could not get a good look at that were singing and calling, but with which I was not familiar and could not ID. I'll get them next time. A total of 6 lifers on the day!

Good birding,

Lonnie Somer
Olympia, WA
wheelermombi at comcast.net