Anne Kahle, Wilson Cady, and I birded Skamania County following along the Columbia River. Highlight included Cackling Goose in a field with Canada Geese at Beacon Rock State Park picnic area, California Quail at Spring Creek Fish Hatchery, 1 Great Egret at Skamania Landing, at least 4 different Virginia Rails (3 calling at a marshy area north of Bass Lake near North Bonneville and 1 at a swampy area north of Stevenson), 1 Mew Gull at the mouth of the Wind River, 1 Anna's Hummingbird at Underwood - a first for me at this location, Red-breasted Sapsucker using Bonneville's metal power poles for territorial drumming-sounded sort of weird, Violet-green Swallows at Stevenson-an early date for the gorge, approx. 30 Purple Finches at Spring Creek Fish Hatchery feeding on Oregon Ash seeds which were on the ground-mostly females.

Places visited are St. Cloud Rec. Area, Franz Lake NWR, Skamania Landing, Beacon Rock picnic area, Hamilton Island, North Bonneville area, Ashes Lake, Stevenson and area, Wind River mouth, Drano Lake, Little White Salmon Fish Hatchery, Spring Creek Fish Hatchery, Underwood.

We ended up with 66 species for the day and had very little wind which helped greatly.
Ken KnittleVancouver WA 98665 mailto:washingtonbirder at hotmail.com Washington Birder online http://www.wabirder.com/