Subject: [Tweeters] Mid-July Birding in Douglas County
Date: Jul 23 01:13:16 2007
From: Gina Sheridan - gsherida8502 at yahoo.com


Taking advantage of a break in the summer heat wave on
Saturday (7/21/07), Kim Thorburn and I birded Douglas
County. Overall, the weather was mild and pleasant,
but it was rather muggy in the afternoon along the
lower elevations of the Columbia River.

Our first good bird of the day was found near MP 3 on
St. Andrews Road. Within the upland grassy areas of
some CRP land, we were pleased to find singing
GRASSHOPPER SPARROWs. Immediately north of St.
Andrews, we saw more Grasshopper Sparrows, and family
groups of BREWER'S SPARROWs.

Despite significant heat distortion over Stallard
Lake, we could still pick out AMERICAN AVOCET -2, and
scattered groups of peeps that consisted mainly of
WESTERN SANDPIPERs. While we out there, we saw
disoriented looking GREAT BASIN POCKET MOUSE.

At the junction of 6 NE & N NE, we saw a nice family
of GRAY PARTRIDGEs. Meanwhile, a rather impressive
number of shorebirds were working the shorelines of
West Haynes Lake. GREATER YELLOWLEGS - 8, LESSER
YELLOWLEGS -2, WESTERN SANDPIPER -10, SPOTTED
SANDPIPER, KILLDEER, LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER - 30+,and
WILSON'S PHALAROPE. Best of all, there was an
alternate plumaged, Pacific race, SHORT-BILLED
DOWITCHER. Although hidden, a MARSH WREN sang from
the tules.

A midday visit to Douglas Creek, yielded LAZULI
BUNTING, YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, CANYON WREN, ROCK WREN,
STELLER'S JAY, SPOTTED TOWHEE, NO. HARRIER, LARK
SPARROW, LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE, BREWER'S SPARROW, VESPER
SPARROW, EASTERN KINGBIRD, WESTERN KINGBIRD, AMERICAN
KESTREL. Dozens of CHUKARs were milling around the
canyon (including some half grown youngsters) and were
feasting on berries in the thickets of Chokecherry,
Hawthorn, and rose hips. Chukars were quite active and
vociferous through out the lower sections of the
grade.

West of Farmer, we saw a SWAINSON'S HAWK. Later, a
visit to the Waterville STP was quite productive.
Aside from the graceful aerial ballet of six species
of swallows, we noted BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON
(immature), COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, AMERICAN COOTs and
various eclipsed plumaged ducks, LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER
- 12, LEAST SANDPIPER - 3, CHIPPING SPARROW, SAVANNAH
SPARROW, HOUSE FINCH, EASTERN KINGBIRD, and SAY'S
PHOEBE.

Our stop at Rocky Reach Reservoir/Lake Entiat was
rewarded with the sight of a dozen CASPIAN TERNs
plying the waters. While most of the terns hugged the
Douglas County side of the shoreline, there were some
roosting Caspian Terns on the Chelan County side too.

On Badger Mountain, my pygmy owl imitation brought in
BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE, MOUNTAIN CHICKADEE,
RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, RED CROSSBILL, SPOTTED TOWHEE,
MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLER, CASSIN'S VIREO, and WESTERN
TANAGER.

One of the highlights of day occurred when Kim called
me over to observe a WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH. Since I
had failed to find this species over half a dozen
times in the past, I considered this bird to be me
Douglas County nemesis bird. Fortunately, Kim put me
on a nice cooperative bird that effectively removed my
"nemesis" of the county.

Racking up ten Douglas County lifers for the day, I
was extremely pleased with our results. This is a fun
county to bird, and I will look forward to more visits
in the future

Gina Sheridan
Spokane, WA





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