Tom Mansfield, Russ Koppendrayer and I birded Taklakh Lake, Horseshoe Lake, and Riffe Lake (east end) on Sunday 10-7-08.

Highlights are: male Surf Scoter on Taklakh Lake, 1 Pine Grosbeak in the campground at Taklakh Lake, 12 Greater White-fronted Geese in a forest meadow before getting to Taklakh Lake.

At Horseshoe Lake we had a large flock of Gray Jays, a female Northern Shoveler, 1 Horned Grebe, a large flock of Mt. Chickadees, and 1 White-crowned Sparrow.

At Riffe Lake, east side, we had 50+ Greater White-fronted Geese, 1 Greater Yellowlegs, 5 Long-billed Dowitchers, 6 Wilson's Snipe, a few scatering of Am. Pipits, several Common Loons and Western Grebes.

We could not locate any Spruce Grouse along the Forest Service Roads. May have been due to traffic on the roads scaring the grouse off, even though we got up there early.
Ken KnittleVancouver WA 98665 mailto:washingtonbirder at hotmail.com Washington Birder online http://www.wabirder.com/