Hello Birders,

We enjoyed another great 4 day trip to eastern Washington in search of migrants from the 6th-9th of September. The trip mainly covered the same areas that we visited last weekend including the Vantage area(including Sentinel Bluffs), Othello, Washtucna, Palouse Falls and Lyons Ferry State Parks, Windust Park and the towns of Kahlotus and Hooper. Many of the areas we visited several times,where we were joined by Alan Richards much of the time. The day time weather was great all 4 days with some minor wind at times,although a large dust storm covered the Washtucna area during the late afternoon of the 7th. The evenings and nights were clear and crisp with evidence of fall in the cool air. Overall we noticed a good assortment of migrant passerines at all locations we visited with an increase in several species compared to last weekend including both Ruby and Golden-crowned Kinglets, Wilson's Warblers, Yellow-rumped Warblers, and White-crowned Sparrows. Small numbers of Warbling Vireos and Yellow Warblers were present too at nearly every location,but seemed to decline in numbers each day.

***A note to all birder's visiting Lyons Ferry State Park***

A new $4 fee is now required to park in the picnic area,which is clearly visible as you enter the main parking area. This fee was created by new ownership of the park.


One of our main highlights of the trip was great,but brief views of a BLUE-HEADED VIREO in the park area at Lyons Ferry State Park on the afternoon of the 7th,where it foraged by itself in a healthy Locust tree. The bird was also viewed by Alan Richards before the bird finally slipped out of the tree before a windy period. The bird showed classic field marks for the species including a crisp diagnostic contrast from the bluish-gray head, white throat to the olive-green back and bright yellow-green sides and flank area. Unfortunately, the bird was never relocated upon further searching thereafter so most likely the bird moved on with the wind. Nearby, during the same afternoon a much duller,but standard Cassin's Vireo was observed near the same location,which showed only a slight contrast between the head, back and underparts.

Another nice highlight and a great surprise for the location was a male WILLIAMSON'S SAPSUCKER photographed at the south end of Bassett Park on the morning of the 7th and also observed by Alan Richards before it flew up and over the rimrock cliffs west of the park. This bird was exciting to see and our first one during active migration,which represented 1 of 5 woodpecker species during our 4 day stay at Washtucna.

Our 4 day trip started nicely on the 6th south of Vantage along Huntzinger Rd.,where water levels along the Columbia River were very low. We began by checking both the Gingko Petrified Forest and Wanapum State Parks for migrant passerines,then scope the Columbia River for any waterbirds. Our searched for passerines proved very unproductive,but our scoping efforts along the Columbia River north of Wanapum S.P. were filled with great excitement. Here, we scoped the calm Columbia River from a high ridge and almost immediately located 2 adult SABINE'S GULLS followed by a resting adult dark-morph PARASITIC JAEGER on the water. As the 2 Sabine's Gulls flew back and forth along the Kittitas Co. shoreline of the Columbia River efforts turned back to the Parasitic Jaeger,which remained loafing atop the water. Eventually the Parasitic Jaeger took flight as it flew south and towards the center of the river and clearly into Grant Co.,but in no apparent pursuit of any terns or gulls. The bird continued south towards Wanapum Dam,then attention was turned back to the Sabine's Gulls that eventually joined a flock of 25 Common Terns,as they all flew together into Grant Co. then back to the Kittitas Co. side of the Columbia River. It was glorious sight to see both species flying together until a 3rd species was added with 4 Bonaparte's Gulls that never joined the mixed flock. A more extensive scoping of nearshore waters from our vantage point produced 5 grebe species including 2 Clark's Grebes, 20 Western Grebes, 8 Eared Grebes, 18 Horned Grebes and 2 Red-necked Grebes. A single Am.White Pelican circled overhead before drifting off to the south followed by 10 Common Loons in various plumages on he Columbia River. Nearby, and onshore due to the very low water levels of the Columbia River here mudflats were exposed just south of a private landing strip south of Vantage. Here, highlights included a single Great Egret and a Baird's Sandpiper,which are both good species for Kittitas Co.

After birding the Vantage area we continued east then south to the infamous Sentinel Bluffs(accessed north of Mattawa along S.R. 243). This area produced our first good movements of passerines of the trip,but with nothing exceptional to note. We continued our way towards Washtucna,but making a few sops on the way in the Othello area. Much of the rest of the trip was centered at Washtucna,as we made daily visits to many nearby migrant traps with our last stop of the trip made back at Sentinel Bluffs yesterday afternoon. It was great birding in good company including several other birders we ran into in the field!

A list of our main highlights of our 4 day trip include the following species at selected locations:


Wanapum State Park,Kittitas Co. (September 6th)

2 Red-breasted Nuthatches
1 Golden-crowned Kinglet
1 Hermit Thrush
2 Townsend's Warblers
1 Lincoln's Sparrow


Sentinel Bluffs,Grant Co. (2 visits)

2 Great Egrets
7 Am.White Pelicans
2 Osprey
1 Northern Harrier
2 Caspian Terns(9-9 only)
1 Great Horned Owl
1 Olive-sided Flycatcher
4 Red-breasted Nuthatches
2 Bewick's Wrens
2 Golden-crowned Kinglets
3 Ruby-crowned Kinglets
1 Townsend's Solitaire
1 Swainson's Thrush(9-9 only)
1 Gray Catbird
2 Orange-crowned Warblers
150+ Yellow-rumped Warblers on the 6th(with far lesser numbers here on the 8th)
1 female BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER(9-9 only)
3 Townsend's Warblers
3 MacGillivray's Warblers
1 Black-headed Grosbeak(9-6 only)
5 Lincoln's Sparrows


County Line Ponds,Grant Co.

1 Semipalmated Sandpiper(9-9 only)
8 Western Sandpipers
3 Least Sandpipers
3 Baird's Sandpipers


Para Ponds/McCain's Potato Ponds near Othello,Adams Co. (September 6th)

3 Greater White-fronted Geese
1 Turkey Vulture
7 Least Sandpipers
2 STILT SANDPIPERS
38 Long-billed Dowitchers


Bassett Park at Washtucna,Adams Co. (September 6th-9th)

1 Northern Harrier
1 Sharp-shinned Hawk
1 Prairie Falcon(9-6 only)
12 Wild Turkeys
10 Eurasian Collared Doves
1 Common Nighthawk(9-6 only)
3 Vaux's Swifts(9-7 only)
1 Belted Kingfisher
1 LEWIS' WOODPECKER
1 RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER(observed only briefly,but well on the morning of the 9th)
1 WILLIAMSON'S SAPSUCKER(9-7 only)
2 Downy Woodpeckers
2-3 Olive-sided Flycatchers
1 LEAST FLYCATCHER(9-7 only)
2-3 Hammond's Flycatchers
8+ Dusky Flycatchers
2 Gray Flycatchers
2 Pacific-slope Flycatchers
4 Red-breasted Nuthatches
1 Canyon Wren
2 Bewicks Wrens
4+ House Wrens
1 Winter Wren(9-8 only)
8+ Golden-crowned Kinglets
10 Ruby-crowned Kinglets
4 Townsend's Solitaires
3 Hermit Thrushes
3 Cassin's Vireos
2+ Orange-crowned Warblers
5 Townsend's Warblers
6 MacGillivray's Warblers
2 Common Yellowthroat(9-8 only)
1 YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT(9-7 only)
5 Western Tanagers
2 Spotted Towhees
10+ Chipping Sparrows
1 Savannah Sparrow
1 Fox Sparrow
15+ Lincoln's Sparrows
1 Golden-crowned Sparrow(9-9 only)
1 adult WHITE-THROATED SPARROW(9-9 only)
8+ "Oregon"Juncos
5 Pine Siskins


Lyons Ferry State Park,Franklin Co.

1 Western Grebe(9-7 only)
8 Northern Shovelers(9-7 only with 1 there on the 8th)
1 female Canvasback(9-8 only) A somewhat surprise for this location.
5 Ruddy Ducks(9-7 only)
1 Osprey
1 Northern Harrier
1 Sharp-shinned Hawk
1 Cooper's Hawk
1 Spotted Sandpiper
5 Ring-billed Gulls
13 California Gulls
1 COMMON TERN(observed on the 8th only,where it rested on floating logbooms on the Snake River at the southwest corner of the park. The bird eventually flew out over the Snake River into Columbia Co.)
2 FORSTER'S TERN(2 birds observed together on the 7th beginning in both Whitman and Franklin Cos.,then eventually flying southwest along the Snake River into Columbia Co. for a 3 county sighting! The birds eventually flew back into Franklin Co.,where they rested on the floating logbooms with several gulls)
1 Barn Owl
1 Great Horned Owl
35+ Vaux's Swifts(9-8 only)
4 Dusky Flycatchers
1 Violet-green Swallow
5+ Bank Swallows
3 Red-breasted Nuthatches
1 Winter Wren
2 Marsh Wrens
3 Golden-crowned Kinglets
7 Ruby-crowned Kinglets
2 Townsend's Solitaires
1 BLUE-HEADED VIREO(9-7 only)
2 Cassin's Vireos
1 RED-EYED VIREO(9-7 only)
2 Orange-crowned Warblers
3 Townsend's Warblers
4 MacGillivray's Warblers
1 COMMON YELLOWTHROAT
2 Western Tanagers
1 Spotted Towhee
5 Chipping Sparrows
6 Lincoln's Sparrows
8 "Oregon"Juncos


Palouse Falls State Park,Franklin Co.

2 Osprey(9-7 only)
2 Peregrine Falcons(observed on the afternoon of the 8th,where an adult was present along with an immature bird that entertained many observers. The immature bird flew around calling several times over the park area,as well as over Palouse Falls and occasionally attempted to land in several trees along the edge of the park. The bird eventually landed along the edges of the cliff at a safe distance.
1 Common Nighthawk(9-7 only)
1 Gray Flycatcher(9-7 only)
2 Dusky Flycatchers
2 Red-breasted Nuthatches
3 Ruby-crowned Kinglets
1 Townsend's Solitaire
1 Am.Pipit
1 Cassin's Vireo
1 Orange-crowned Warbler
2 MacGillivray's Warblers
1 Western Tanager
9 Chipping Sparrows
1 Lincoln's Sparrow
8 "Oregon"Juncos


Windust Park,Franklin Co. (September 8th)

1 Osprey
2 Sharp-shinned Hawks
3 Dusky Flycatchers
1 Winter Wren
3 Ruby-crowned Kinglets
2 Townsend's Solitaires
2 Townsend's Warblers
2 MacGillivray's Warblers
20+ Chipping Sparrows
3 Lincoln's Sparrows
35+ "Oregon"Juncos


Kahlotus,Franklin Co. (September 8th)

1 Sharp-shinned Hawk
2 Dusky Flycatchers
1 Townsend's Warbler
1 Spotted Towhee
8+ Chipping Sparrows


Hooper,Whitman Co. (September 9th)

12 Common Mergansers(observed along the Palouse River in both Adams and Whitman Cos.)
1 GREAT EGRET(observed along the Palouse River in both Adams and Whitman Cos.)
1 Northern Harrier
1 RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER
1 Olive-sided Flycatcher
2-3 Dusky Flycatchers
1 LEAST FLYCATCHER
4 Red-breasted Nuthatches
1 Winter Wren
1 Hermit Thrush
1 Cassin's Vireo
1 RED-EYED VIREO
1 Nashville Warbler
2 Townsend's Warblers
5 Chipping Sparrows



Other noteworthy sightings encountered from other locations during our trip included he following:

1 FORSTER'S TERN and 2 COMMON TERNS above the Lower Monumental Dam along the Snake River in both Franklin and Walla Walla Cos. on the 8th. 1 Western Grebe was observed below the Lower Monumental Dam along the Snake River on the same date.

1 Swainson's Hawk, 1 Willow Flycatcher, 1 COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, 1 Bewick's Wren, 1 Orange-crowned Warbler and 1 MacGillivray's Warbler along "old" S.R. 26 in Whitman Co. near the Palouse River leading into the town of Hooper.

1 Common Nighthawk observed along I-90 over Easton,Kittitas Co. on the evening of the 9th

1 Loggerhead Shrike observed along S.R. 260(east of McAdam)in Franklin Co. on the 7th

1 Turkey Vulture observed soaring over S.R.26 just east of Hwy.17 and Othello in Adams Co. on the 9th

1 Western Kingbird observed along Lucy Rd.(north of S.R.26)in Adams Co. on the 9th


Also noted during the trip were several species of butterfly and dragonflies,as well as many other insects and one Gopher Snake near Vantage. Our mammal highlight of the trip were 2 River Otters observed along he Palouse River near the town of Hooper on the 9th.



Good birding,

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
Fircrest,WA
godwit513 at msn.com