This morning Doug Schonewald and I headed east to Washtucna, Hooper, and areas north in Adams County for the late migration. Gina Sheridan showed up soon after we arrived and we spent a couple of hours checking out the willow, Russian-olive and Bassett Park trees. It was the birdiest I have seen this spring. Among the finds at Washtucna were 8 flycatchers including one calling (and seen) LEAST FLYCATCHER, 4 vireos including a heard then seen PHILADELPHIA VIREO, about a quarter bazillion Western Tanagers, 6 warblers including a very vocal YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, and many turkeys and collared-doves. At Hooper only a tenth of a bazillion tanagers, VAUX' SWIFT, a TURKEY VULTURE, and 2 SWAINSON'S THRUSH. Doug and I continued north while Gina headed west. We found a nice wetland near the Whitman County line (Winn Lakes) that had more than 100 WILSON'S PHALAROPES and a BLACK TERN plus lots of waterfowl. I'm pretty sure I saw three White-faced Ibis heading into the wetland but we could not find them on the ground. Doug and I had 90 species in Adams County for the day plus a few more in Whitman and Grant.

Randy Hill
Othello