Today (Wednesday May 23rd) I spent the day (7am to
6pm) at Ridgefield NWR (~4mi W of I-5 at Exit 14 in SW
Washington; http://www.fws.gov/ridgefieldrefuges/ ).

I moved around the River "S" Unit at a very leisurely
pace making only 2 loops, and stopping quite a few
times to walk and or listen. I did not walk the Kiwa
Trail.

Highlights were:

BULLOCKS ORIOLES: On the E side of the bridge next to
the railroad tracks, I saw two male Bullocks Orioles
"fighting". From about 70 feet up in a Cottonwood
they tumbled nearly to the bottom of the tree before
they separated. What a Flash of Color!

BABY CHICKS: Coots (9), Pied-Billed Grebes (6),
Mallards (13)

BITTERNS: Nuthin fancy here except that there were a
lot seen flying, some in a hurry, but most were loping
along on their way from here to there.

EURASIAN WIGEON: One Very Bright Drake on Mantrap
Lake.

WHITE-FACED IBIS: I only saw one today. It was in
the open and actively feeding in the shallow muddy
area directly E of the tree at Bachelor Wetlands
plaque and at a distance of about 400 yards away. In
my old scope the Ibis had to turn its head just right
to see the white face line, but its iridescence was
plainly visible.

PURPLE FINCH: Oh Dad, Poor Dad. One small flock had
a Dad being Hungrily pursued by 4 young. This was
quite cute, as it seemed wherever he landed, they were
all begging from him so immediately and incessantly
that I am sure he had no time to find any food for
them, so he would move to another tree or to a patch
of grass or road. I do not really know what was up,
but surmise that this was Dad's way of weaning the
kids.

VIRGINIA RAIL + SORA + SNIPE: All three species seen
quite close from the Blind. Two SORA obviously
together. Two VIRGINIA RAIL calmly feeding within
6-10 feet of each other. WILSON'S SNIPE flew in, and
began walking in the open.

WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH and BROWN CREEPER: Both seen
several times taking food into their respective nest
holes along the walkway to the Blind.

REDHEAD: One beautiful pair in great light seen at
about 100feet on South Quigley Lake.

EARED GREBE: Two seen always together (assumed pair)
on Rest Lake. These were for the most part quite
actively diving. Seen from the Blind and also from
the road on the E side of Rest Lake.

Oh what a beautiful morning, Oh what a beautiful day!

Bill Clemons
SW of Portland in Mtn Park
Willclemons AT Yahoo dot com

Complete list of 81 Species seen/heard:

Pied-billed Grebe
EARED GREBE
American Bittern
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret (1 seen)
WHITE-FACED IBIS (1seen)
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE (3 seen)
Canada Goose (some with large goslings)
Wood Duck
Gadwall
American Wigeon
EURASIAN WIGEON (1 seen)
Mallard
BLUE-WINGED TEAL (a few)
Cinnamon Teal
Northern Shoveler
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal (1 pair)
REDHEAD (1 pair)
Ring-necked Duck
Lesser Scaup
Bufflehead
Ruddy Duck
Osprey
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel
VIRGINIA RAIL
SORA
American Coot
Killdeer
Greater Yellowlegs
Spotted Sandpiper
Long-billed Dowitcher
Wilson's Snipe
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Vaux's Swift
Belted Kingfisher
Red-breasted Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Western Wood-Pewee
Willow Flycatcher
Pacific-slope Flycatcher
Steller's Jay
Western Scrub-Jay
American Crow
Tree Swallow
Violet-green Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Barn Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
White-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
Bewick's Wren
House Wren
Winter Wren
Marsh Wren
SWAINSON'S THRUSH (heard and seen)
American Robin
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Orange-crowned Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Wilson's Warbler
Western Tanager
Spotted Towhee
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Black-headed Grosbeak
Red-winged Blackbird
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
BULLOCK'S ORIOLE
Purple Finch
House Finch
American Goldfinch




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