Today, I followed up on the great birds that Randy Hill has been reporting around Othello. I managed to get all my target birds today. And I even had one state trooper and an Othello city cop check on me. Not the usual day in the field! Here's the highlights:

Othello cemetery: 1 male and 1 female White-winged Crossbill

Othello (along Highway 26): Merlin - prairie subspecies

Para Ponds: 2 Tricolored Blackbirds

Sutton Road (north of Othello): 2 Burrowing Owls (life bird)

14.8 Rd. SE (just NW of Royal Lake): Ross's Goose (gazillions of Canada and Cackling Geese too)

Linda Lake: 2 Tundra Swans, 1 Bald Eagle, and 1 Greater Yellowlegs (and more ducks)

Sandhill Cranes - I had them in 3 counties today: 1) Grant Co. at the intersection of 15.1 Rd. SE and E Rd. SE; 2) Adams Co. on Bench Road; and 3) Franklin Co. - hundreds of them with several dancing along Coyan Road.

There is more open water in Grant and Adams county than in Spokane and Lincoln counties. It is raining today in the Spokane area so hopefully some of these frozen over lakes and ponds will start to open up for some good birds!

Good birding,

Tim O'Brien
Cheney, WA
mailto: kertim7179 at yahoo dot com