Highlights today from two loops around the Auto-tour Route of the
River S Unit of Ridgefield NWR in Clark County include:

On the shorebird front, there were 2 DUNLINs, 1 PECTORAL SANDPIPER (SW
corner of Rest Lake), 10 LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS, and 25+ GREATER
YELLOWLEGS. The dowitchers, several yellowlegs, and one of the Dunlin
seemed to be posing for photos in the westernmost portion of Rest Lake
that abuts the road, between signs 11 and 12. They were there both
times I went by, hours apart.

I came across at least 2 MERLINS. One was an adult male Taiga/Boreal
(F.c. columbarius), going after (and catching) a Song Sparrow and
dragonflies from the snags above Long Lake. The other was either a
juvenile or adult female Black (F.c. suckleyi), successfully hunting
dragonflies in the open area around Canvasback "Lake" (east of the
woods that are south of the Kiwa Trail parking lot, between signs 9
and 10).

6 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE (4 juveniles and 2 adults) were in the
grasses in the SW corner of Rest Lake.

I was enjoying watching an AMERICAN BITTERN hunt, when all of a
sudden, it looked up, and sprinted back into the tall grasses. I've
never seen a bittern move that fast (and I've watched bitterns for
hours at Ridgefield), but apparently it was concerned about the adult
BALD EAGLE flying overhead. The eagle was quickly joined by two
PEREGRINE FALCONS, who made half-hearted attempts to chase the eagle
off, and then apparently decided to join it in circling above the
refuge.

Once again, I came across a COMMON RAVEN at the River S Unit. This
one was in the company of 6 circling but southbound TURKEY VULTURES.

At one point, 5 SANDHILL CRANES were in front of the observation
blind. As luck would have it, I was at the south end of Rest Lake,
and they were gone during my second loop.

A juvenile WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW was between the bridge and the
entrance kiosk. I did not manage to see and Golden-crowned Sparrows,
but I thought I heard one calling from the woods west of Ruddy "Lake".

Scott Carpenter
Portland, Oregon