Just got home a little bit ago from a very busy two days. I birded
Washtucna, Lyons Ferry, Lind Coulee and Sentinel Bluffs yesterday. As the
headline states I got a brief but diagnostic views of a TENNESSEE WARBLER,
an adult male in fall plumage I believe. Details on that later.

I arrived in Washtucna yesterday morning around 8 am, the Sullivans and
Steve Mlodinow's group were already busy tracking down the migrants. I felt
a little better knowing a group of westsiders had beat me to the spot by
learning that both had stayed over Friday night. They may have other
highlights to post, but I'll put in my highlights. Washtucna wasn't
extremely birdy, but did have a nice mix of a few TOWNSEND'S WARBLER,
WILSON'S, YELLOW and YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, 2 OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER, 1
LEAST FLYCATCHER, a few DUSKY, HAMMOND'S and 1 PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER
quite a few WARBLING VIREO, 1 CASSIN'S VIREO, 4 LINCOLN SPARROW, 1 FOX
SPARROW (slate-colored) and at least 2 EURASIAN-COLLARED DOVE (is that even
a highlight any longer at Washtucna?).

On to Lyons ferry where I arrived about 9:45 and found the place crawling
with WILSON'S and YELLOW WARBLER, more than 50 of each in the park. Also
present here was 1 NASHVILLE WARBLER, good amounts of WARBLING VIREO again,
1 CASSIN'S VIREO, HAMMOND'S and DUSKY FLYCATCHERS, 1 GRAY FLYCATCHER, 1
LEAST FLYCATCHER and I managed to flush out both BARN and GREAT-HORNED OWL
from the island in addition to flushing a BLACK_CROWNED NIGHT HERON as I
walked out the island.

A brief stop at Lind Coulee found the place nearly devoid of Shorebirds,
only 2 Western Sandpipers and a STILT SANDPIPER were present.

I arrived at Sentinel Bluffs near Mattawa about 3:15 and on first inspection
the place appeared to be quite dead. On second look there were a few birds
around including about 20 Yellow-rumpred Warblers, 15 or so Warbling Vireo,
at least 2 Dusky Flycatcher and then it got interesting. About 3:50 I was
watching Yellow-rumps and Warbling Vireos in a tree when I saw a very small
warbler take flight and issue a very distinctive flight call, think
Golden-crowned Kinglet with a microphone and a husky voice (for those that
can't imagine, a high thin tseet call that is clearly audible and don't have
to strain to hear like you do with Kinglets). I watched this bird fly into
the top of a cottonwood and begin to rapidly, and I do mean rapidly move
about and forage. Staying on this bird for as long as I did was tough. When
the bird landed two things immediately jumped out at me, teeny-tiny little
stubby tail and the undertail coverts appeared to be almost snow white in
the afternoon sun, the snow white seemed to run clear into the tail.
Beginning to realize what I had I quickly moved up the bird that was moving
very quickly.. the lower breast was darker, though I'd call it
off-white/gray and not olive or tinged with yellow. The wings appeared
longish, though that could have been a function of the short stubby tail,
the primary projection I'd estimate came about halfway down the tail. I only
got very quick looks at the head and back as mostly I was looking up at this
bird and trying frantically to follow it... head and bill, classic Vermivora
warbler shape or a sharp-thin bill. The head and back seemed more grayish
than olive, part of that was likely real if this was an adult male in fall
plumage, part could have been the lighting. The brief look I got at the back
was olive, not yellowish/olive and the flanks appeared to be mostly grayish
with what I thought was a hint of olive color though it was brief enough
can't say for sure other than the grayish color. While the view was shortly
(only 2-3 minutes in length) the flight call, size, shape, short tail and
snow white undertail coverts pretty much eliminate everything else in my
mind. I'll send notes into the WBRC.Needless to say no photos could be taken
due to the quick movement and the height in the trees.

All in all a great day.

Scott Downes
downess at charter.net
Yakima WA