On May 11, my wife and I encountered a constant stream of WESTERN
TANAGERS in Klickitat County. We found them moving through the oaks along
Major Creek Rd. and further east on Balch Road. At the latter site we
were a little more wind protected so the birds were feeding low among the
trees along with a few YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS, TOWNSEND'S WARBLERS and
WILSON'S WARBLERS. A pair of ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHERS were actively
feeding in the small canyon.
With all of the talk of good movements of migrant birds we had
gone looking for some of these birds since we have been having one of the
poorest spring migrations that I remember at our place in the western
Columbia Gorge. My feeling is that a lot of the birds are following the
lower elevation corridors along rivers and through the Willamette and
Puget Trough and avoiding the higher and cooler elevations. I have spent
most of the last three weeks with a leg problem that had me sitting
around with my foot in the air so I have had lots of time to sit on my
deck waiting for the few birds that have come by. Today we were rewarded
with 4 NASHVILLE WARBLERS and a MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLER at our bird bath
at the same time. CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRDS have been present here since
April 22, with two males fighting at the feeder today.

Wilson Cady
Washougal, WA