Subject: [Tweeters] E. WA Birding/13,14 Sept
Date: Sep 16 18:58:21 2008
From: Mike and MerryLynn - m.denny at charter.net
Saturday morning in Washtucna - no exciting birds but very nice to see Ruth Sullivan, Matt Bartels, Roger and Michael Woodruff, Taylors, and Tony Greager!!! out birding after a loooong convalescence. Saw Red-eyed Vireo, Swainson's Thrush, several Townsend's Solitaire's and pipits flying over.
After Mike's book signing at Aunties in Spokane (THANKS those of you who came!) we headed to the Little Spokane River Natural Area by way of the Riverside State Park - which is just beautiful. Birds there included all three nuthatches, Clark's Nutcracker, Pileated and Downy Woodpeckers, Rock Wren, Bewick's Wren, Wilson's Warbler, Wood Duck, Common Yellowthroat, Western Wood-Pewee, Common Merganser, Osprey, and Calif. Quail.
Sunday Jon Isacoff and Gina Sheridan picked us up and showed us a Baird's Sandpiper just a couple blocks from our motel, then on to Liberty Lake County Park - great place to bird!! We added Evening Grosbeaks, Gray Catbird, Steller's Jay, House Wren, Red Crossbill, Lincoln's Sparrow and lots of Yellow-rumped Warblers. Jon then drove us to Peone Wetland which was great to finally see after reading post about it. There we added Long-billed Dowitcher, Savannah Sparrows (many), Violet-green Swallows - (1000+ birds), Lapland Longspur - 1 which flew around us and landed in the mud but not long enough for good looks (sorry Jon!). Holcomb road was not real active in the heat of the day but did add Townsend's Warbler. There were also Evening Grosbeaks, Gray Catbird, Spotted Towhee and Cedar Waxwing.
Thank you very much Jon and Gina for showing us several great Spokane county bird spots.
Lincoln County - - -
At Reardon we were fortunate enough to see the Black-bellied Plover reported earlier along with 3 Pectoral Sandpipers. Many waterfowl coming in there for the fall season. Then on to Davenport Cemetery where we looked hard and long for Michael's Blackpoll Warbler. No luck there but did have a Winter Wren, Mountain Chickadee, Western Tanager, Wilson's Warbler, Hermit Thrush, Sharp-shinned Hawk (these guys hunt those vagrant traps just like we do!!!), Great Horned Owl, both kinglets and 8 Pine Siskins. And of course Yellow-rumps all over.
At Harrington were 8 Eurasian-collared Doves, Fox Sparrow, Orange-crowned Warbler, Townsend's Warbler, Y-rumps.
At Odessa - Hammond's Flycatcher, Yellow Warbler, Chipping Sparrow, RB Nuthatch.
At Lind Cemetery - 3! Sharp-shinned Hawks terrorizing a few White-crowned Sparrows and Y-rumps. Also 2 kestrels.
Washtucna at dusk - no nighthawks?! and no owls that we could call up. Then home through a flight of moths - car was plastered with them.
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Mike and MerryLynn Denny
Birding the beautiful Walla Walla Valley
If you have not birded, you have not lived