Expounding on Randy's report from last Saturday
(5/31/08), I wanted to add a few details. In addition,
I birded the Columbia NWR.

Within Bassett Park, we certainly enjoyed sorting
through HAMMOND'S, GRAY, WILLOW, OLIVE-SIDED,
PACIFIC-SLOPE, and LEAST FLYCATCHERs, as well as
TOWNSEND'S, YELLOW, WILSON'S (abundant),
ORANGE-CROWNED, and MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLERs. LAZULI
BUNTING, BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK, BULLOCK'S ORIOLE, ROCK
WREN, HOUSE WREN, WESTERN TANAGER (numerous),
EURO-COLLARED DOVEs, BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD, NO.
HARRIER, AME. KESTREL, all made appearances.

Both the YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT and SWAINSON'S THRUSH
in Bassett Park were Adams County lifers for me. The
VAUX'S SWIFT flying on both sides of the Palouse River
in Hooper provided another Adams County lifer.

While there were RED-EYED, WARBLING, and CASSIN'S
VIREOs in the park, I heard another vireo singing that
didn't sound like any of these species. At first, I
thought that it might be a Blue-headed Vireo singing,
but when Randy and I saw the bird fly past us, we did
not detect any wingbars. A few minutes later, I
spotted bright yellow and green vireo in the upper
canopy of a Russian Olive. The bird in question,
looked rather like a painted Warbling Vireo. It was
solid yellow on the ventral side (from the throat to
through the vent), a green back, distinctive eye line,
somewhat stubbier bill than a Warbling, and even the
supercillium appeared yellowish.

After enjoying the good birding company of Randy Hill
and Doug Schonewald, I headed west to follow up on
some other Adams County target birds that Randy had
suggested that I might try. Even though the Willet and
the Baikal Teal were gone, I had excellent results
with most of my want list of target birds.

AMERICAN WHITE PELICANs and DC CORMORANTs decorated
the Para Ponds. At the junction of McMannaman Road and
Seeps Lake Road, I viewed a pair of cooperative LARK
SPARROWs. In Marsh Unit 3, I easily found COMMON
YELLOWTHROATs, which was another Adams County lifer.

In Grant County, I parked at the Crab Creek trailhead.
As I exited my SUV, an AMERICAN BITTERN flew over. The
bittern was a much wanted Grant County lifer that
pushed my Grant County life list up to an even 240.

A short excursion on the Crab Creek Trail quickly
produced BANK SWALLOW, LAZULI BUNTING, and a couple of
YELLOW-BREASTED CHATs. In Marsh Unit 1, there was a
conspicuously displaying AMERICAN BITTERN. Several
more bitterns were flying around. In the early evening
an adult BLACK-CROWNED HERON flew over. On the
impoundment pond where the Baikal Teal had been seen,
there were BLUE-WINGED, GREEN-WINGED, and CINNAMON
TEAL; BLACK-NECKED STILTs, CASPIAN TERNs, and WILSON'S
PHALAROPEs. After chatting with some friendly birders
from Bend Oregon, I returned to the parking lot, and
picked up COMMON NIGHTHAWK, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, and a
COOPER'S HAWK.

All in all, it was fantastic day of birding. I added
five Adams County lifers and one Grant County lifer
for the day. In addition, I just enjoyed communing
with the bitterns, the chats, and with birder friends
through the day.

Gina Sheridan
Spokane, WA