Tweets,

Made a solo trip to the prairies April 18. Following Doug Canning's
report, went looking for the Sooty Grouse at Mima Mounds. Just as he
indicated the grouse was in the stand of Doug Firs with the interpretive
trail. Had to work at it, but finally found the brightly colored male
about 50 feet up. Also in the same woods, a singing Hutton's Vireo.

Had Scatter Creek all to myself. The Camas Lilies have not yet
started--had a single bloom in the 2 hours there and single plant with
blooms of Shooting Star. A pair of Red-breasted Sapsuckers were
cavorting: swapping trees, climbing up in unison, swapping again,
climbing again--very well choreographed. Chipping Sparrows were all over
the meadows. Watched a Rufous Hummingbird chase a Purple Finch that got
too close to what appeared to be a nest. Heard at least 3 Cassin's
Vireo, but couldn't get a view. In the creek remained a pair of
Ring-necked Duck and two female Common Mergansers.

Another first-of-year: had to wear a hat for the sun, not the cold!

Scott Ramos
Seattle


Trip list: Mima Mounds, Scatter Creek
Mallard
Ring-necked Duck
Common Merganser
Sooty Grouse
California Quail
Bald Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk
Mourning Dove
Rufous Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Red-breasted Sapsucker
Northern Flicker
Cassin's Vireo
Hutton's Vireo
Steller's Jay
Common Raven
Tree Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
Bewick's Wren
Winter Wren
American Robin
Orange-crowned Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Spotted Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Purple Finch