On Saturday, I accompanied 21 participants on a Friends of the Columbia Gorge Family Hike on the Steigerwald Lake NWR, near Washougal, WA. The MUTE SWAN, which has been present since 2/6/06 was in the first pond as you head south from the visitor's parking lot. I was able to set the spotting scope in front of a rock bench so that everyone could view this non-native invasive species and be able to note the differences when we viewed the TUNDRA SWAN in the next pond. While I was trying to explain the geology of the wetlands while standing next to a cattail patch we were serenaded by a VIRGINIA RAIL. Red-tail Lake, the second pond with the Tundra Swan is the best place on the public portion of the refuge to view AMERICAN BITTERN and one obliged us by standing in the open for scope views. For raptors we saw OSPREY, NORTHERN HARRIER, RED-TAILED HAWK, MERLIN, and AMERICAN KESTREL But not the Red-shouldered Hawk that is known to be in the area.

Wilson Cady
Washougal, WA


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