On Saturday (2/03/07), Kim Thorburn left Spokane (temp
+9 degrees), and birded the more moderate climes of
Asotin County. Guiding us for most of the day were
Rick Welle and Keith Carlson. Whether the groundhog
saw it's shadow or not, we were able to see ours.

Some of the birds in the Clarkston area included
EURASIAN WIGEON (Confluence Park), COMMON MERGANSER
(eight on Golfview Pond), HOODED MERGANSER (Snake
River), RING-BILLED GULL, CALIFORNIA GULL, HERRING
GULL, COMMON GOLDENEYE, BUFFLEHEAD, and AMERICAN COOT.

While searching in vain for the White-throated Sparrow
that had previously been seen in Chief Timothy S.P.,
we saw numerous Song Sparrows, and a few White-crowns,
Downy Woodpecker, No. Flicker, Great Blue Heron,
Black-capped Chickadees, TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE (east of
the state park), COOPER'S HAWK, and Bald Eagle.

On the Silcott Plateau, we were pleased to find
AMERICAN TREE SPARROW - 4, NORTHERN SHRIKE - 1, and
GOLDEN EAGLE - 1, Although there were several flocks
of HORNED LARKS up there too, we did not detect any
Snow Buntings or Lapland Longspurs.

Swallows Park had standard issue Canada Geese,
Mallards, a few American Wigeon, and a nice drake
NORTHERN PINTAIL. Asotin Slough had a RUBY-CROWNED
KINGLET, GREAT HORNED OWL - 2, and BEWICK'S WREN.
Farther south on the Snake River, we finally saw a
pair of BARROW'S GOLDENEYE (near Tenmile Rapids) on
the Asotin County shoreline.

After Kim and I departed company from Rick and Keith,
we dashed on eastward to Sunnyside Bench east of
Lenore, Idaho. At dusk, Jerry Cebula was gracious
enough to show us our Idaho state lifer WESTERN
SCREECH OWL. As the little owl popped up into the
entrance of a nest box, we enjoyed a fitting grande
finale to the day.

Gina Sheridan
Spokane, WA



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