Subject: [Tweeters] Clark County Birding
Date: Aug 12 22:27:38 2007
From: Wilson Cady - gorgebirds at juno.com


Andy and Ellen Stepniewski and my wife Susan and I did a little
birding in Clark County today, Sunday Aug 12. We met at the Steigerwald
Lake NWR near Washougal and checked the PURPLE MARTIN colonies there so
Ellen could get some photos of these birds. While there were several pair
of these birds still using the gourd nesting structures the largest
number of martins were around the natural nesting cavities in cottonwood
snags. A YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT called from the woods just east of the
Gibbons Creek fish ladder and an AMERICAN BITTERN flew from the pond
where the MUTE SWAN was sleeping.
From the edge of Highway 14, Ellen spotted a single RED-NECKED
PHALAROPE in the Washougal Sewage Lagoons, but the big surprise there was
an EGYPTIAN GOOSE. There was a pair that showed up there about ten years
ago but no recent records in the county.
We then proceeded to the Vancouver Lake Lowlands and birded
Ruefner's Pond, the first body of water you come to as you drive out
Fourth Plain Boulevard. This pond held 50 GREAT EGRETS, GREATER
YELLOWLEGS, LESSER YELLOWLEGS, a WESTERN SANDPIPER, LEAST SANDPIPER,
LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER and another RED-NECKED PHALAROPE. Vancouver Lake
had few birds on it and the only grebe seen was a CLARK'S GREBE far out
in the lake. The best birding here was in the willows along the Flushing
Channel where we encountered a mixed flock of migrant passerines
including DOWNY WOODPECKER, PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER, BLACK-CAPPED
CHICKADEE, BROWN CREEPER, BEWICK'S WREN, ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, YELLOW
WARBLER, numerous BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLERS and a MACGILLIVRAY'S
WARBLER. We did heard several PURPLE MARTINS flying over the lake while
we were there.
We finished the day out at the Ridgefield NWR River "S" Unit
where the birding was fairly slow with the best birds seen being three
GREEN HERONS. PURPLE MARTINS were also evident in several spots along the
Auto Tour Route with about fifteen perched in the trees at the start of
the Kiwa Trail.
It was a pleasant day of birding with good company.

Wilson Cady
Washougal, WA