Hi all,

On Sunday, I spent a good piece of the day birding the Ellensburg - Old Vantage Highway - Huntzinger Road area. The day was gorgeous (once over the pass) with bright blue skies, little wind (by local standards anyway) and pleasant temperatures. Total species seen for the day was 45.

Some of the species seen included a number of migrating TURKEY VULTURES between Snoqualmie Pass and Ellensburg, a pair of WESTERN SCRUB JAY on Highway 10 between Cle Elum and Ellensburg, several OSPREY on nests (one near Ellensburg and one on the Cle Elum exit nest), several RUDDY DUCK on the pond behind the Bar 14 on Canyon Road, a GREAT HORNED OWL sitting in front of one of the ranch houses on the old Vantage Highway, two singing SAGE THRASHER, and a pair of MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD inspecting a nest box on a ranch fenceline (bluebird image link is at http://www.tubbsphoto.com/-/tubbsphoto/detail.asp?photoID=3660710&cat=38989). Several LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE, numerous WESTERN MEADOWLARK singing on territory at the top of their lungs and a gorgeous adult male NORTHERN HARRIER soaring quite like a Buteo rounded out the sitings along the Vantage Highway. A SAY'S PHOEBE was working the Gingko State Park center. Wanapum Lake was rather thin in the waterbird department, though a single C!
OMMON L
OON right by the road and dam made a nice photo op (not on my website yet) - BUFFLEHEAD and GREATER SCAUP represented the only other ducks seen.

John Tubbs
Snoqualmie, WA
johntubbs at comcast.net
www.tubbsphoto.com