Hi Tweeters -
I spent Saturday & Sunday [Sep 19 & 20] checking the migrant spots in
Eastern WA . For the most part, it was all Yellow-rumped Warblers,
all the time. Throw in piles of Ruby-crowned Kinglets and you'd have
most trees covered.

However -

On Saturday, at about 11:00, a BROAD-WINGED HAWK lifted off from the
island at Lyons Ferry Park [Franklin Co] - I took one look at the
tail with its broad black, white & black bands and knew it was time
to pay attention. Eventually, it gained some altitude and joined a
couple Red-tailed Hawks in a kettle for great size comparisons. State
bird for me, and as a county-lister bonus, it headed off by crossing
the river and kettling up over the Whitman Co cliffs [probably could
have caught it in Columbia Co too if I had hopped in my car....]

Today at Scooteney Reservoir, I came across a gorgeous adult SABINE'S
GULL. It was hanging out towards the north end of the lake,
occasionally coming in and fluttering close in by the campsite boat
launch. Unlike the Broad-winged Hawk, which looked like it was on its
way south, maybe the Sabine's Gull might stick around.

On the way home, I stopped in Vantage and found a FORSTER'S TERN
flying around with some gulls just north of the I-90 bridge.


Other birds for the weekend:
Lyons Ferry also had a TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE & BREWER'S SPARROW [mixed
in w/ the big Chipping Sparrow flock] on Saturday, and VARIED &
HERMIT THRUSH on Sunday.

Scooteney Reservoir had Am.White Pelicans, Sandhill Crane juvies & a
Great Egret.

Lincoln's Sparrows were present most everywhere, mixed in with the
large White-crowned Sparrow flocks. And in amongst the Yellow-rumped
Warbler flocks, I did pull up a handful of Orange-crowned Warblers,
Wilson's Warbler, MacGillivray's Warbler & Warbling Vireos.


Good birding,

Matt Bartels
Seattle, WA