Hi Tweeters!

Just returned from a wonderful trip to the Wallowas with my partner. The weather was spectacular but a bit hot so the birding was not as great. However, I managed to find a few nice surprises in this area where spring is a little late to arrive.

Highlights including seeing several SPRUCE GROUSE including one handsome male performing his full display including the double wingclaps within several feet of us. The gorgeous male aggressively pursued a nonchantant female, oblivious to our presence!

I was very lucky to witness this display and be able to get some good photos of the fancy forest chicken in action. I tried to record the wingclap, but the action was so fast that it was just a blur. The male would extend his primaries behind his back and violently strike them together twice to produce this loud, double clap sound about five feet before he landed! He then continued to strut along and follow the female with his tail feathers fully fanned and red eye combs, enlarged with color and intensity. He repeated this several times as the female emitted her unattractive, glutteral sounds. This was a total delight to watch as it added more beauty and intrigue of my favorite all-time grouse!

Other highlights included my first Wallowa County FORSTER'S TERNS and NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH on this early spring trip.

Here are some photos of the grouse displaying along with a few scenic images. The mountains looked spectacular!

http://www.pbase.com/spruce_grouse/recent_photos&page=all

Here is my trip report:

My somewhat challenging hike in four feet of snow covered trails at McCully Creek near Joseph, Oregon produced several SPRUCE GROUSE. The males were quite active and gorgeous in color. Other birds in the area were three AMERICAN 3-TOE WOODPECKERS, one pair of PINE GROSBEAKS, several HAMMOND'S FLYCATHERS, WILSON'S WARBLERS, and many WESTERN TANAGERS.

At one point we had a RUFFED GROUSE simulanteously drumming about 50 yards from the spruce grouse display. Later on, I flushed a NORTHERN GOSHAWK along the trail. On the way out, I found one DUSKY GROUSE on the gravel road. Mammal wise, a had a trusting photogenic SNOWSHOE HARE along the trail as well. It was clad in a nice transtional coat for summer.

I had one NORTHERN PYGMY OWL along the Little Sheep Hwy. Excellent views of the mountains along this beautiful road.

The ponds 12-14 miles north of Enterprise on Hwy 3 produced four FORSTER' TERNS, a few CINNAMON TEALS, and several WILSON'S PHARALOPES. Leap Lane road produced many VESPER AND BREWER'S SPARROW and one GRASSHOPPER SPARROW.

The richly flanked riparian road to Imnaha, Oregon produced much smaller number of songbirds. The loud, high level creek-resulting from the drastic snow melt, made it a little tougher to hear birds. However, the loud ringing song of a NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH was easily heard while driving down the road and with some coaxing, I got a brief glimpse of the skittish warbler. This area is one of my favorite scenic roads in Oregon and often very birdy. Exercise caution as there few pullouts and the shoulder is quite narrow.

Numbers of yellow warblers, willow flycatchers, yellow breasted chats, lazuli buntings, and Northern Orioles were quite low. Heard no Veeries or Red eyed vireos but it is a tad early. Stefan Schlick and I had many birds the first week of June last year from this area. Other birds included a close encounter with a GOLDEN EAGLE and several LEWIS WOODPECKERS.

Spring Creek area near LaGrande, Oregon produced several GREAT GRAY OWLS along FR21. Woodpeckers were in good numbers with BLACK BACKEDS being the most numerous. I easily found a dozen of these satin feathered beauties without trying very hard. Others included WILLIAMSON'S and RED NAPED SAPSUCKERS, PILEATED, and HAIRY WOODPECKERS. Also, found my first WHITE HEADED WOODPECKERS in this area; always a treat.

We had an excellent meal at Calderas in Joseph, Oregon to celebrate. I highly recommend this restraurant. You can never have a bad time in the Wallowas!

Good birding,

Khanh Tran (Portland, Oregon)