Everyone showed up on time at the Lyon's Ferry fish Hatchery. Two Trumpeter Swans were found by Tom a half hour before everyone else showed up. They were in the small pond in Columbia Co. south of the marina. Then when everyone showed up they flew into Franklin Co. and down the Snake River. What a great bird to start the day off. Other birds in Franklin Co. at Lyon's Ferry were Hooded Merganser, Cackling Goose, both kinglets, Varied Thrush, Kingfisher, and Bufflehead. Little Goose Dam had few gulls, but we did see 4 otters in mid river a few miles below the dam. South of the dam on Riviera Rd. was a Northern Shrike.



In Garfield Co. at Central Ferry we had Redheads, Ring-necked Ducks, Am. Wigeon, Western Grebes, and lots of hawks (Rough-legged, and Red-tailed were most of them with Sharp-shinned and Cooper's at several places). On the way to Willow Bar we stopped at Texas Rapids where we spooked a Great Horned Owl and had lots of Yellow-rumped Warblers. Just west of Texas Rapids Terry Sisson found a Red-necked Grebe-a tough bird in Garfield Co. At Willow Bar was a female Surf Scoter (Garfield County's 2'nd record), and across on the Whitman side of the Snake River was a Common Loon.



South of Pomeroy the wheat fields were void of birds, so we dropped down Blind Grade to the Tucannon River Valley and up to Rainbow Lakes where we had a River Otter and heard a Virginia's Rail--getting late and also tough in Columbia Co.



We birded south of Dayton where Guy McWethy found a very white (arctic spp?) Great Horned Owl. Not far away a Golden Eagle was seen soaring along one ridge. We ended the day at Lewis and Clark Trail State Park where a Hermit Thrush and Cackling Goose was seen.



The wind was blowing most of the day, but it was great to find some quality birds for some of the toughest counties Washington State has.





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