Tweets,

Sorry for the late report. This weekend, on either side of Ken Knittle's
great WOS trip, I birded in several counties with John Hebert. Friday, on
the Lincoln County end of Sprague Lake, we found a PACIFIC LOON. On the
Adams County end were several COMMON LOONS, EARED GREBES, and a nice
assortment of ducks.

Sunday, we started in Asotin County, and found one CLARK'S GREBE among many
Westerns, at the mouth of the Alpowa outside Clarkston. Near Swallow's
Park, along the Snake River, we saw a sole LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER hanging
with a flock of Green-winged Teal. Whenever they took to the air, it did
too, returning with them to the same area a couple of times.

In Garfield County, we took the Kirby-Mayview Road down to Lower Granite
Dam, and along the way found a NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD. It perched in some
trees for a bit, allowing us to get a scope on it, then dived into some
bushes not to reappear. In another area we stopped to look at some MOUNTAIN
BLUEBIRDS, and flushed a covey of GRAY PARTRIDGE. One more stop, and we
flushed a sole DUSKY GROUSE. In Pomeroy, a MERLIN flew across the road.
The number of raptors, especially Red-tailed Hawks of every coloration, all
over Garfield County was truly amazing.

I ended my weekend in Hoquiam on Monday, where happily the Oriole, the
Longspur and the Clay-colored Sparrow were still in residence.

A lot of driving over 4 days, but well worth it.

MaryFrances Mathis

Kirkland

mf.mathisatverizon.net