Hi Tweets,

Summary:
Barbara and I spent Sunday and Monday birding from the Columbia River at Vantage to Lyons Ferry Park on the Snake River in eastern Franklin County. We had pleasant weather with highs in the low-to-mid 70s on both days, with showers threatening late Monday. It was altogether a nice early autumn trip to some excellent birding and scenic areas. We located 96 species, with good numbers of some migrants. Highlights of the different stops we made are below:

Kittitas County:
9/17 -- Vantage, Huntzinger Road, Wanapum State Park:

Violet-green Swallow -- 300+ [V,HR]
Ruby-crowned Kinglet -- 8
Townsend's Solitaire -- 7 [V,WSP]
Hermit Thrush -- 3 [WSP]
Yellow Warbler -- 12 [V, WSP]
Yellow-rumped Warbler -- 20 [WSP]
Townsend's Warbler -- 5 [WSP]

Grant County:
9/17 -- Soap Lake, Perch Point, Lind Coulee
9/18 -- County Line Ponds

Sandhill Crane -- 46 [LC, CLP]
American Avocet -- 3 [CLP]
Greater Yellowlegs 2 [LC]
Lesser Yellowlegs 4 [LC]
Sanderling -- 3 [SL]
Pectoral Sandpiper -- 8 [LC]
Long-billed Dowitcher -- 20 [SL,LC,CLP]
Red-necked Phalarope -- 10 [SL]
Peregrine Falcon -- 2 [PP]

Adams County:
9/18 -- Washtucna (Basset Park), Hatton Rest Area, Para Ponds

American White Pelican -- 1 [PP]
Black-crowned Night Heron -- 3 [PP]
Wild Turkey -- 3 [BP]
Greater Yellowlegs -- 2 [HRA, PP]
Lesser Yellowlegs -- 8 [HRA, PP]
Solitary Sandpiper -- 1 [PP]
Baird's Sandpiper -- 1 [HRA]
Pectoral Sandpiper -- 1 [PP]
Long-billed Dowitcher -- 18 [HRA, PP]
Wilson's Snipe -- 2 [PP]
Eurasian Collared-Dove -- 6 [BP]
Vaux's Swift -- 4 [BP]
Lewis's Woodpecker -- 1 [BP]
Western Wood-pewee -- 1 [BP]
Ruby-crowned Kinglet -- 10 [BP]
Townsend's Solitaire -- 6 [BP]
Hermit Thrush -- 3 [BP]
Warbling Vireo -- 1 [BP]
Wilson's Warbler -- 12 [BP]

Franklin County:
9/17 (late), 9/18 -- Lyons Ferry Park

Sharp-shinned Hawk -- 1
Sandhill Crane -- 2
Caspian Tern -- 2
Horned Lark -- 100+ [SR 261 & Palouse Falls SP]
Townsend's Solitaire -- 2
Hermit Thrush -- 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler -- 1
Yellow Warbler -- 1
Wilson's Warbler -- 2
Cassin's Finch -- 4

Good birding!

Paul Webster
Seattle
paul.websterATcomcast.net