Today (9-4-09) I led a visit the Steigerwald Lake NWR in Clark County, for the Vancouver Audubon Society. This was a fitting destination since this was our chapter's first environmental/conservation project. The chapter formed in 1975 and took on the protection of this wetland that was then zoned heavy industrial and slated for draining and inclusion in the Camas/Washougal Industrial Park. As usual the MUTE SWAN and TUNDRA SWAN were easily viewable along with an AMERICAN BITTERN. While walking out the trail we spotted a large flock of small geese flying east over the Columbia River and were surprised that they turned out to be 200 SNOW GEESE. I kept these birds in scope view as they flew up the Columbia River Gorge so that I could add them to the 2009 cumulative Skamania County checklist when they passed Rooster Rock. Later we saw two large flocks of CACKLING GEESE fly east up the Gorge. In the cottonwoods forest along the Dike Trail there was a nice group of migrants including 4 YELLOW WARBLERS, 6 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS and a WARBLING VIREO.
At the Washougal Sewage Lagoons we found 5 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE, 2 RUDDY DUCKS, a LESSER SCAUP, 2 LEAST SANDPIPERS and a PECTORAL SANDPIPER. The marsh at the south end of the lagoons rang with the calls of VIRGINIA RAILS after I coaxed them with my rail imitation.
We then proceeded to check the riparian forest at Capt. William Clark Park and quickly found a very active flock of ORANGE-CROWNED, YELLOW, YELLOW-RUMPED and BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLERS with a few RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS. It was a great day of birding with fine people in good weather.

Wilson Cady
Washougal, WA


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