...........After a rainy night, and a cloudy morn, the sun came out and beamed brightly in the afternoon with the temps. in the upper 50's.---close to normal.
...........Many geese have migrated northwards, but a good number still remain. Heard some SANDHILL CRANES, but none seen. Pintails and many winter ducks have gone northwards, but SCAUPS, RINGNECKS,AND SHOVELERS STILL somewhat abundant, along with the usual resident spring breeding ducks. SWANS were gone several weeks ago. Birds of possible, notable interest seen (....though not necessarily observed by me) were: WOOD DUCKS; YELLOWLEGS( smaller size---possibly Lesser); NORTHERN SHRIKE; YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS; COMMON YELLOWTHROAT; NORTHERN FLICKER; one HORNED OWL with one owlet observed in nest; BALD EAGLES; BITTERNS; SORAS (heard but not seen); VIOLET-GREEN AND TREE SWALLOWS and.......4 PAINTED TURTLES in a row sunning themselves on a log. And.........all the rest of the sparrows, wrens and other songbirds we all may have heard in the woods but not seen. Migrating songbirds will start passing through soon, and the Kiwa Trail opens May 1st, is an excellent walk through forest and fields to see many of these songbirds.

.............Cheers......Gerald Hamilton
Brush Prairie, Wash.
geraldham at comcast.net