Having birded northern Whitman County this afternoon
with Michael Woodruff, it was interesting to compare
our trip results with what the Webers reported
finding. Although the temps spiked up in the mid-70s,
there were plenty of snowbanks lacing the the north
facing hillsides of the Palouse, and emergent green
vegetation was quite sparse.

At Rosalia, we detected some early CLIFF SWALLOWs.
Despite how quiet Steptoe Butte was, we managed to dig
out a Slate-headed FOX SPARROW, GOLDEN-CROWNED
KINGLETs, MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD -2 (On Ragon Road), and we
had a singing VESPER SPARROW at the summit. In the
town of Steptoe, there was a RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, and
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER -2.

At the southern, marshy margin of Rock Lake, there was
a nice adult SNOW GOOSE. Since this species had been
on my most wanted list for Whitman County for quite
some time, it was a most welcome sight!

Meanwhile, we enjoyed viewing two dozen BLACK-NECKED
STILTS appeared quite impressive looking in their
formal, bicolored, splendor. Puttering around with
some GREEN-WINGED TEAL, were my first of the year
CINNAMON TEAL.

Although a furtive, calling VIRGINIA RAIL haunted the
matted down cattails of Crooked Knee Lake, it had to
remain on my heard only list. Other notables on the
lake included LESSER SCAUP, CANVASBACK, YELLOW-HEADED
BLACKBIRDs, COMMON GOLDENEYE, GADWALL, RUDDY DUCK, and
MARSH WRENS.

Sheep Lake hosted AMERICAN AVOCETs, REDHEAD,
CANVASBACK, HOODED MERGANSER (female) -1, AMERICAN
WIGEON, RUDDY DUCK, GADWALL, BUFFLEHEAD, COMMON
GOLDENEYE, NORTHERN SHOVELER, TUNDRA SWANs, and DUNLIN
-30. The Dunlin were coming well into alternate
plumage. As we scanned the waterfowl, a SAVANNAH
SPARROW tried it's best to serenade us.

At the Sprague STP (Lincoln County) , there were
BLACK-NECKED STILTs -8, GREATER YELLOWLEGS - 3, RUDDY
DUCK, LESSER SCAUP, RING-BILLED GULL, NO. SHOVELER,
AMERICAN COOT, AMERICAN WIGEON, and GREEN-WINGED TEAL.

Cutting back through the backroads of southwestern
Spokane County, we surveyed the flooded pastures
along Martin Road. We found CINNAMON TEAL,
YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD, TUNDRA SWAN, and NO.
SHOVELER. Unfortunately, the wigeon flock that
contained the Eurasian Wigeon was missing from Philleo
Lake, but we settled for a pair of OSPREYs.

All in all, it was a very pleasurable early spring
outing.

Gina Sheridan
Spokane, WA


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