The WOS field trip began Sat. night at Boundary Campground in southern
Garfield County south of Pomeroy. The night sky was alive with Common
Nighthawks and a Common Poorwill flew through the edge of the burn, which is
next to the campground right before dawn. Instead of going up Scoggin Ridge
we went down and began our day at Pataha Creek with Veeries singing loudly.
As we birded our way east on Peola Rd. we found both Brewer's and
Grasshopper Sparrows. Alpowa Creek mouth produced a Bufflehead and a female
Lesser Scaup, unusal birds for mid-summer. The wildlife management area
just east of Chief Timothy Park produced several Gray Catbirds and
Yellow-breasted Chats. Just west of Clarkston up on the high rock cliff sat
a Peregrine Falcon. Swallows Park and then up Asotin Creek to Lickfork
Creek produced many species. No Short-eared Owls were seen on Onstot Rd.
But we did find a Yellow-headed Blackbird, another Bufflehead, and a
Cinnamon Teal at Savage Ponds. The day was warm when we stopped by Fields
Spring State Park before we headed over to the Wenatchee Guard Station and
back to Fields Spring State Park for the night. Our only Swainson's Hawk of
the trip flew over us near the Wenatchee Guard Sta. which was unexpected at
such a high elevation. This first day netted us 98 species seen in Asotin
Co. The Poorwill, Veeries, and Brewer's Sparrows were seen in Garfield Co.

The second day July 2 was mainly mountain birding. We began at Fields
Spring State Park and headed down to the Grande Ronde River while the air
was still cool. Several Red-eyed Vireos were singing on some of the side
creeks. A herd of Bighorn Sheep was seen on the high hillside overlooking
the Grande Ronde River. We checked several roads up on Grouse Flat and
found some interesting wetlands, which need to be explored at a later date.
Brewer Sparrows were singing just north of the small cemetery on Grouse
Flat. FR 40 was great to view the steep ridges and valleys that run down to
Grouse Flats and Grouse Flats is a long way up a switchback road from Troy,
OR. We made a brief stop at Misery Springs and birded our way east to
Wenatchee Guard Station where we had been the day before. This day was
absolutely the best in terms of super moutain scenery where one would like
to spend the summer soaking up the views. Right after drving into Asotin
Co. from Wickiup Campground at an old clearcut we had many Brewer's Saprrows
singing. This seemed very high in elevation for such a species. The hot
afternoon was spent driving up to Kamiak Butte County Park where we spent
our third night.

The third day July 3 began with birding Kamiak Butte Co. Park before working
our way over to Steptoe Butte by way of Glenwood Rd. Wild Turkeys were
encountered along Glenwood Rd. The ditch before the entrance to Steptoe
Butte produced a Common Yellothroat which was seen when stopping to see two
Gray Partridges. The picnic area was crawling with passerines including the
still singing Clay-colored Sparrow. Many Bewer's Sparrows were singing
everywhere. At the lower parking lot between red-flagged bushes we looked
and looked for the Black-throated Sparrow and was just giving up when there
it was. Quick stops were made at LaCross, Washtucna, Palouse Falls before
ending up in Columbia County for the rest of the day. Washtucna was hot and
the only notible birds were the Eurasian Collared-Doves and 2 "Tom" Wild
Turkeys. A Prairie Falcon was near the entrance to Palouse Falls. At the
falls were White-throated Swifts and a Peregrine Falcon. The Last Chance
Store up the Tucannon had a bird feeder and two hummingbird feeders. We try
to stop and buy a few items and let the owner know we appreciate his feeders
behind the store. As the temperature got warmer we were gaining elevation
so we could bird all afternoon. We checked several burn areas and found a
nesting American Three-toed Woodpecker pair in a short small snag. Right
before Godman Springs we had a fly-by Merlin. We didn't know they were even
in the Blue Mts. during mid-summer. We stopped by Rainbow Lakes and then
headed up to Godman and then east to Tepee Trailhead where we spent our last
night and enjoyed the solitude and beautiful scenery looking south to the
Wallowa Mts. Nesting Williamson's Sapsuckers were making lots of trips back
to the nest hole with food.

On our way out of Tepee Trailhead July 4 we again found high elevation
singing Brewer's Sparrows. This is surely odd in finding Brewer's Sarrows
all over. At the ponds at Godman Spring we saw a family of Brown Creepers
playing tag on old growth fir trees. They seemed fresh out of the nest.
Winter Wrens, Fox Sparrows, and Varied Thrush were singing as we left the
high country. We went our separate ways at the Lewis & Clark Trail State
Park.



Ken Knittle
mailto:washingtonbirder "at" hotmail.com

Washington Birder newsletter
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