Subject: [Tweeters] Gray Catbird in Garfield County
Date: May 30 08:26:49 2006
From: Carl Haynie - cbh at pluggablelogic.com


Hi Tweets,

Just returned from conducting a breeding bird survey near Pomeroy.
Best bird had to be a GRAY CATBIRD yesterday in the draw 1.3
miles south of the 15th St and Arlington St intersection in
Pomeroy. I had heard one once or twice in recent years in this
draw but was rewarded with visual confirmation this time around
just before sun up.

There was a Grasshopper Sparrow singing 3.25 miles south of the
aforementioned intersection, and Gray Partridges were at the 4.2
(2 birds) and 5.7 (3 birds) mile marks. Continuing the route on
Peola Road (turn left at the 7.6 mile mark), the small isolated
population of Brewer's Sparrows were in evidence at the 23 mile
mark (sage covered slope). I have missed them a couple of times
in years past. A couple of stops saw Rock Wrens including one
stop approximately a half mile before reaching the sparrows.

A burn just after the 9.2 mile mark may account for my missing
Veery this year.

Interestingly, there is a very large wind farm that can be seen
by looking west from the 5.3 mile mark on the route.

Carl Haynie
Sammamish, WA