Hi Tweeters:
I've had some questions about where Birder's Corner is located. It's at the
intersection of Dodson Rd, and Frenchman Hills Rd.
Dodson Rd should be called "Birder's ROAD". About halfway between Vantage
and Moses Lake, Dodson Rd goes south from I-90 at exit 164. The road goes
about 10 miles south to Frenchman Hills Rd. This area is called the Desert
Wildlife Area. Here's what the Birder's Guide to WA has to say about it:
DESERT WILDLIFE AREA - 35,100 acres of shrub-steppe, sand dunes, marsh,
lakes, wasteways, and drainage canals south of I-90... Watch for birds in
the ponds, sloughs, and remnant shrub-steppe. [The book cautions you to
pull well off the road or you may get a ticket. It is well-traveled.]
Drive south 2 miles, turn left onto Rd I SW, and take an immediate right to
parking and trails to the first ponds of the Audubon Dodson Road Nature
Trail... The book goes on to talk about other pullouts and many bird
species along that road. A little later in spring, we look for Swainson's
Hawks in a small stick nest to the east just north of 4th SW. On Sun, Mar 5
we saw the cat ears of a great Great Horned Owl in a nest in a little line
of Russian Olive trees on the west side of the road about 2 miles north of
Birder's Corner. Down near the south end of the wildlife area, you start up
the hill at the insersection w/ Frenchman Hills Rd. You can turn right here
on FH Rd to view the ponds. Many bird species can be seen on the ponds and
in the nearby areas. About 3 Burrowing Owl nests have been seen in this
small area. (The owls and the Swainson's Hawks should be returning soon.)
Birder's Corner can be located in DeLorme Atlas, pg 52, grid 4A. Many
details about the birds and roads and a nice map are in "A Birder's Guide to
WA" pg 365.
Yours, Carol Schulz
DesMoines
Mail to: linusq at att.net