Tom Mansfield and I birded Columbia County on Thursday Aug. 7 and then Garfield County on Aug. 8 and then Matt Bartels joined us on Sat. when we birded Asotin Co. and Sun. we hit along the Snake River for a few Whitman birds.

Highlights on Thursday in Columiba Co. were birding along the Tucannon River from Hwy 12 southward to Rainbow Lakes and then up to Godman Springs and Tepee Trailhead. We stopped by a small wetland near one of the bridges crossing the Tucannon River where we had Cordilleran Flycatchers already in moult and nearby a calling Virginia Rail. At Rainbow Lakes the first fish hatchery pond was muddy with large rocks showing where we had 3 Greater Yellowlegs and 1 Solitary Sandpiper. Checked this pond again on Sunday and all shorebirds except 1 Killdeer where gone. Up in the high country we saw several Turkey Vultures. A hen Dusky Grouse flew from the road side and landed in a large fir tree branch for great looks at her.

Highlights on Friday in Garfield Co. were first birding Central Ferry and Hastings (Willow) Bar, then to Lower Granite Dam, then south to Pomeroy and we headed for the high county to Misery Springs, and the road leading west to the trailhead for Diamond Peak. Our last stop was along Pataha Creek where the Peola Road crosses. Chukars were calling at Central Ferry and we heard and saw them at many places along the Snake River. Along the road to Hastings Bar we encountered several American White Pelicans roosting on a small gravel bar close to the southern shore of the Snake River. Lower Granite was hot and pretty dead at the end of the road passed the dam where normally the Chat and Red-eyed Vireo hang out. In the high country on Scoggin Ridge were Clark's Nutcrackers. Then birding along the road to Diamond Peak Trailhead we had Winter Wren, and at the end were two male Williamson's Sapsuckers. The big snag there at the parking area now had a new woodpecker hole and is believed that the Williamson's Sapsuckers may have nested there as they have in passed years.

Sat. our day started at the mouth of Alpowa Creek in Asotin County before we worked our way east to Chief Timothy WMA and Swallows Park before heading south to Onstot Rd. and the Savage Ponds. After the ponds we birded Fields Spring State Park and headed west to Wenatchee Guard Station in the heat of the day with not much moving. We then drove west to Misery Springs and headed south on FR 40 to Grouse Flats and then south to the Grande Ronde River. At Alpowa Creek mouth were 2 different visual Virginia Rails along with Baird's Sandpipers (a new county first by my records) and 1 Western Sandpiper. Chukars again were sitting on rock outcroppings on the hillside. One Green-winged Teal was there also which seemed odd for the middle of the summer, but then at Savage Ponds we spotted a couple more. At the boat launching area at Swallows Park on the small sandy/mud island were more Baird's Sandpipers and 1 lone Solitary Sandpiper was along the rocks. Onstot Rd. didn't produce Short-eared Owls as they have been seen there many times in the past. Savage Ponds weren't very productive except on our way back we did spot 3 Wilson's Snipe fly in.

Fields Spring State Park was quite birdy with Gray and Steller's Jays and our only Red Crossbill fly over. Just south of Misery Springs on FR 40 we had a few hummers and our only Townsend's Warbler. This road is narrow, but not too bad of shape. This road covers habitat that makes me think there could be some rare birds here if only it was birded more. This is the road many years ago that I had a Hermit Warbler respond to a Pygmy Owl call which is the only record for Asotin Co. Down along the Grande Ronde River we saw Gray Partridge which was a surprise as I did not know they were down there. And mixed in with them were some young Ruffed Grouse. Another new one to me who had never seen the two species co-mingle together. Our day produced 102 species just in Asotin Co. plus 1 Hermit Thrush near Misery Springs, but in Garfield Co. barely.

Sunday along the Snake River produced more Chukar on the railroad tracks waiting for their pictures to be taken. Not much else of note except a fly by Caspian Tern.

Every time I bird the Blue Mts. makes me want to return. There is something that makes me think there are birds there going undetected and no one to document them.
Ken KnittleVancouver WA 98665 mailto:washingtonbirder at hotmail.com Washington Birder online http://www.wabirder.com/