Yesterday, 9/4, my wife and I made a quick visit to the
Ridgefield NWR before I headed to our Audubon meeting. During a single
loop of the Auto Tour loop we found the continuing GREEN HERON at Long
lake, a juvenile RED-SHOULDERED HAWK at the end of the ash grove along
Canvasback Lake and one WESTERN KINGBIRD perched in a snag at the south
end of Canvasback Lake. The number and variety of waterfowl are
increasing and some are beginning to come out of eclipse plumage which
will make identification easier. The refuge has begun pumping water into
some of the ponds prior to wintering and hunting season but this is a
long and slow process. Hopefully the water in Rest Lake will continue to
drop for a while and attract more shorebirds.
Today, 9/5, we had another good movement of passerines including
numerous ORANGE-CROWNED, TOWNSEND'S, and BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLERS. We
are hoping that a Cassin's Vireo will show up today to give us a "bingo"
on vireos as HUTTON'S, RED-EYED, and WARBLING VIREOS have been here this
morning. We still have two RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRDS despite having received
over an inch of rain yesterday which usually moves them out at this time
of year.

Wilson Cady
Washougal, WA