Friends,



I set our early this morning for the beginning of what turned out to be a
rewarding and fun day.



On Silver Creek Rd in southern Ferry county, I found my targeted WHITE
HEADED WOODPECKERS (2 pair) just .2 east of the Wilmont Creek Junction. On
Friedlander Meadow, there were two pair of WILLIAMSON'S SAPSUCKERS and
numerous Red Naped. Also, many Soras and Snipe called from the meadow and
there were many Hammond's Flycatchers, Yellow, Yellow -Rumped, Nashville,
and Orange Crowned Warblers all along the way.



Crossing the Columbia by ferry, I noted an adult Golden Eagle flying along
the cliffs (Ferry County side) and White Thr Swifts.



Swanson Lake Wildlife Area south of Creston was pretty dull. No shorebirds
to speak of and a few common migrants in the isolated groves of trees. There
were quite a few Sage Thrashers.



Along Old Kuchs road south of Davenport, the pond is still holding some
water and there were six Wilson's Phalaropes present. Davenport Cemetery was
very "lively." Hermit Thrushes, White Crowned Sparrows, and Townsend's
Warblers were abundant and a few Fox and Chipping Sparrows were scattered in
among them along with a Western Wood Peewee.



On my way to Sprague Lake, I stopped and checked the Harrington, a little
more of what you would expect from a cemetery - dead! Except there were two
Gray Partridges and a pair of EURASIAN COLLARED DOVES - my first for the
state.



At Sheep Lake, south of Sprague, there were not many birds, but I did
accidentally pull up on a BADGER that was courageously guarding his burrow
(saw another badger enter before this guy). My car was only 12 feet away
from the badger and his look convinced me that it would be in everyone's
best interest for me just to stay in my car. So I did! And he didn't move!
Finally I did. That was fun.



Sprague Lake has been so good to me over the years and it was faithful again
today. All day long I had been looking for (migrant) shorebirds with no
success. On a little muddy grassy wet (almost pond) on the south side of Max
Harder Rd (Lincoln County side) these birds were gathered: Greater and
Lesser Yellowlegs, Solitary Sandpiper, Wilson's Snipe, Killdeer, Baird's,
Least, and Western Sandpiper, Spotted Sandpiper and a beautiful SEMIPLAMATED
PLOVER. There was also a nice flock of American Pipits.



Sprague Lake had several flocks of White Pelicans, Western, Horned, and
Eared Grebes, Bonaparte Gulls, 2 FRANKLIN'S GULLS, and many Black Terns. Two
Swainson's Hawks were on their usual perch along Max Harder Rd. The sewage
ponds east of town were pretty bare except for about a dozen Wilson's
Phalaropes.



Other notable mammals. White Tailed and Mule Deer, 1 Moose



Have a good day



Terry

Mead, Wa

terry at crossoverchurch.info