Hello All,
Yesterday morning Jim Nestler, MerryLynn and I joined Phil Bartley and
birded the shoreline of the Snake River in northwestern Walla Walla County
from Hood Park east to Charbonneau Park. This was a day so spectacular in
beauty and temperature that we just could not get enough. It warmed to 65
degrees, no wind, great fall tree colors and clear. Birds of note
were.........

Hood Park

Great Egret......1 bird-this is the first time we have seen this species
here.
Fox Sparrow....1 bird
Wood Duck......18 birds
Golden-crowned Kinglet..1 bird
Bewicks Wren.....3 birds

Strawberry Island

SNOW GOOSE......1 sub-adult
Wood Duck.......20 birds
Mule Deer Buck..1 chasing ducks & coots around out in the shallow waters of
the Snake River

Ice Harbor Dam ( below the dam)

Am. White Pelican......2 birds
Common Merganser...32 birds-all females
Long-billed Dowtcher..1 bird
Dunlin..........................6 birds
Merlin..........................1 suckleii bathing in the river. Took
photos-unusual to see this species standing up to its belly in a river.
Greater Yellowlegs.......2 birds
Killdeer........................26 birds
BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER..1 in winter basic. Spotted by MerryLynn. A first for
us at this location in 25 years of birding the area.
Herring Gull...................6 birds
Common Loon...............2 birds

Charbonneau Park

Western Grebe..............116 birds-this is the largest number we have ever
seen on the Snake River.
Horned Grebe................1 bird
EARED GREBE.............1 bird. rare in this area.
California Gull..................1 first winter bird-should be out on the
coast at this time of year.
Sharp-shinned Hawk.......1 ad.
Orange-crowned Warbler..1 bird
Bewicks Wren...................2 birds
Red-breasted Nuthatch......1 bird
RIVER OTTER.........................3 - spotted by Phil.swimming towards our
shoreline. We ended up with these amazing animals right below us 15 ' as two
of these liquid moving animals had caught large 18-20 inch Channel Catfish
and were ripping them apart and eating these sizable fish while the fish
were very much alive. The water below the bluff on which we stood was clear
and we could watch as these powerful swimmers moved around under water
directly below us. How folks can trap and kill these wonderful animals I
will never know.

Lukenbill Rd.

Northern Shrike.................1 adult
Horned Lark.......................2 birds

This was one beautiful, fun, relaxing day birding in the field with long
time friends.

Later Mike


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Mike & MerryLynn Denny
1354 S. E. Central Ave.
College Place, WA 99324
509.529.0080 (h)

IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN BIRDING, YOU HAVEN'T LIVED!
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