I decided it was time to check the cemetery again this evening. It is worth
a look. The Great Horned Owl has at least one nestling visible. The nest
is 4' down from the top of the pine tree at row 21 looking south (near the
west flagpole) from the north parking lot. Long-billed Curlews were calling
and foraging north and south of the cemetery and at the east end on the
lawn. Also at the Scooteney Springs Elementary Scool fields on the way in.
American Goldfinches were using the spruce (and pine) trees showing all
sorts of plumages. At one time I had a quick view of a female crossbill.
I'm pretty sure it was with a male based on size/structure of the other
bird, and my guess is that was the pair that was last verified during the
Sandhill Crane Festival on March 21, but I was unable to relocate them where
they landed in a pine tree.



Also today a Swainson's Hawk on Road E SE over the Frenchman Hills. Cinnamon
Teal at the Para Ponds, and the first migrant White-crowned Sparrow this
spring in the back yard. Yesterday there were enough blackbirds along
McManamon Road near the Para Ponds to show at least 5 Tricolored Blackbirds.
Great Egrets, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, stilts and avocets have moved in as
well. Sandhill Cranes and small geese are still here in large numbers,
although I haven't been out to the concentration areas where they feed.



Randy Hill

Othello