Subject: [Tweeters] Ridgefield audubon trip
Date: May 19 21:49:46 2007
From: David Hayden - dtvhm at nwrain.com


Today I led a Black Hills Audubon field trip down to the River S unit of
Ridgefield NWR. The main highlight were 21 White-faced Ibis located at
the northern end of Ruddy Lake. While scanning the Ibis with our scope,
we noticed one with a darker face, and lacking prominent white markings
around the eye. We asssumed it may have been a Glossy Ibis, but they all
flew off (except 4) towards Bachelor Island. We did not get out the
cameras in time for a distance photo. Being digital, we could have
possibly gotten a least one photo that we could zoom in on for a little
more study. But that's just how things go sometimes. During the day we
searched for more Ibis, but found none elsewhere. We even made a second
trip around and rechecked Ruddy Lake, but the main flock was still
missing. Our miss was the Black Terns, and we looked over every large
body of water twice. Just can't get them all. Other noted birds were;

Earred Grebe - 1 in breeding plumage (south end of Rest Lake)
Northern Pintail - several
American Wigeon - several
Eurasian Wigeon - 1 (on South Mantrap Lake - viewed from the corner by
the gate)
Blue-winged Teal - 2
Green-winged Teal - 1
Cinnamon Teal - many
Redhead - 5 (3 male 2 female)
Lesser Scaup - 3
Great Egret - 2
American Bittern - 3
Sora and Virginia Rail - many heard
Greater Yellowlegs - 2
Turkey Vulture - 3
Western Wood Pewee - 3
Willow flycatcher - 1
Northern Rough-winged Swallow - 1
White-breasted Nuthacth - 3
Swainson Thrush - 2
Yellow Warbler - several
Wilson's Warbler - 1
Yellow-headed Blackbird - 11
Bullock's Oriole - 2 (by the railroad crossing)
Western Tanager - 1


Dave Hayden
Centralia, WA
dtvhm AT nwrain.com