Tweeters,

I led a field trip for Black Hills AS this morning, which followed Teitzel and Little Hanaford Roads through the South Hanaford Creek valley in Lewis County. We endured a rather chilly morning and tallied 63 species. Highlights were a pair of PURPLE MARTINS nesting in a natural cavity (this same location was also used last year), hearing CALIFORNIA QUAIL (this is a code 4 species for the county), and two people were lucky enough to see a BLACK BEAR, all of which occurred in the same clearcut. Other enjoyable sightings were a pair of GADWALLS with 5 ducklings, an OSPREY nesting on a cell phone tower, SPOTTED SANDPIPER, HUTTON?S VIREO, 5 warbler species (ORANGE-CROWNED, YELLOW, BLACK-THROATED GRAY, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, AND WILSON?S), plenty of BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAKS, and a pair of PILEATED WOODPECKERS making an extended flight high over the open valley.

Gary Wiles
Olympia, WA
wilesharkey at yahoo.com