Birding in Columbia County and along the Snake River last weekend neted some good birds for anyone wanting to chase them. Tom Mansfield and I started before daybreak near the mouth of the Tucannon River with Long-eared and Great Horned Owls calling. It just seemed like good owling weather with the temperature over freezing and no wind. Heading up along the Sanke River towards Little Goose Dam we heard several Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches at several different stops come flying off the face of the cliffs. This is a great place to see these finches. Long-eared Owls were very vocal across the Snake River in Whitman Co. Not much at Little Goose Dam and above it except Bufflehead were everywhere. Common Goldeneye were seen on our way down the river. At the Tucannon River mouth a flock of Canada Geese with 1 Cackling Goose with them. Just west of the Tucannon River mouth was a loaded barge below the grain bins. A quick stop produced Barrow's Goldeneyes. Diving ducks like the spilled grain at these grain loading terminals. At the Lyons Ferry Marina were lots of Robins and a few Cedar Waxwings feeding on the small crab apples.


Heading south of Kahlotus we checked the cliffs for Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches and ended up finding them on the cliffs near Lower Monumental Dam in Franklin Co. On the extreme edge of Wind Dust in small leafless bushes were 5 Long-eared Owls of various sizes. They blend in with the brush. Back at Lower Monumental Dam we scoped the gulls across the Snake River and located a nice adult Lesser Black-backed Gull. On the way back to Lyons Ferry we spotted a Prairie Falcon in Franklin Co.



We headed to Pomeroy and checked the southern most cemetery which had tons of fresh owl pellets. 1 Barn Owl flew out and a very brownish looking Sharp-shinned Hawk. The hawk must have been feeding on small birds as there were a few piles of feathers.



Sunday morning we found the Tucannon River Valley very quiet except for flocks of Wild Turkeys. At camp Wooten were 3 Red-breasted Nuthatches, 1 Dipper, and not much more. A Townsend's Solitaire was sitting on the row of Western Junipers just east of Dayton on Hwy 12. In Dayton near Guernsey & 5th were 2 Eurasian Collared-Doves, Columbia County's 4'th record. Our last stop was seeing the Anna's Hummingbird south of Dixie in Walla Walla Co. No Bohemain Waxwings or Blue Jays, but lots of Mt. Ash berries were seen in Dayton.


Ken Knittle
Vancouver WA 98665
mailto:washingtonbirder at hotmail.com
Washington Birder online
http://www.wabirder.com/