Tom Mansfield and I birded in southeastern Washington starting on Thursday Dec. 2 in northern Walla Walla County looking for Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches along Ayer Road and then west of Clyde where Lapland Longspurs are usually found. We found neither of these birds, most likely due to not enough snow covering the fields, which would drive these birds to the roads. Horned Lark numbers were way down which would indicate they are out in the fields and not hanging along the roads. Our next stop was brief at Lyons Ferry. We found the pond south of the marina frozen solid. A quick stop on the Franklin County side of Lyons Ferry was pretty quiet. Back in Columbia County we always check the Tucannon River mouth and this time was a super find with 2 Long-tailed Ducks providing a second record for Columbia Co. Heading over the hill on Little Goose Dam Road we had a Prairie Falcon perched on a post on the hillside. At the base of the cliffs we had a male Mountain Bluebird which was very late and a few Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches in their usual spot along the rim of the cliffs. We checked the ducks at the shorebird?s spot east of Starbuck and found over 1,000 Mallards feeding in the cattle field.

On Friday driving through Garfield County we were lucky enough to see a Prairie Falcon. Gray Partridge were in small groups near Hwy 12 and Sweeney Gulch Road. Before we got into Asotin County we stopped to check some half-hidden ponds along Hwy. 12. Even though they looked promising there wasn?t much except Mallards and Green-winged Teals, a Bewick?s Wren, and heard some Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches on the nearby cliffs. Finally in Asotin County we checked the Alpowa Creek mouth and had Ring-necked Ducks and an Eared Grebe. At Chief Timothy Park we walked in and checked for owls in the evergreens. Only owls were 3 Barn Owls. Almost back at the car was a late Marsh Wren and a few Yellow-rumped Warblers. We found the Pacific Loon that had been hanging around about 1 mile north of Asotin diving in the Snake River. First Street in the town of Asotin were 2 Ross?s Geese feeding in an empty field with Canada Geese. This road becomes Snake River Road and follows the river when we spotted a Lesser Black-backed Gull resting on the rocks. Further south near Anatone we birded Montgomery Ridge Road where the fields were completely covered with snow and the Gray Partridge stood out like targets as they were tunneling under the snow with their backs showing above the snow. There must have been over 200 of them.

On Saturday we concentrated on Garfield County, Washington?s toughest county. The waterfowl at Central Ferry was the normal Mallards, Common Goldeneyes, American Coots with the odd Northern Pintail and American Wigeon sprinkled in. Willow Bar produced 4 Cackling Geese and 3 Barn Owls. There were 1,000?s of White-crowned Sparrows same as last year. We couldn?t pull out anything good sparrow wise. The fish ladder at Lower Granite Dam had white wash on the concrete which could have been Dipper droppings. There is only 1 Dipper record in Garfield County and it was from this fish ladder. On our way south of Central Ferry a Peregrine Falcon dive bombed a Harrier and looked like it took prey away from the Harrier and took off with it. The Harrier briefly chased the Peregrine. A quick stop in Dayton we found a flock of Bohemian Waxwings 2 blocks south of Woody?s Restaurant feeding on Mt. Ash berries. There were a few Robins and Cedar Waxwings feeding on the same berries.

On Sunday Laurie and I had a Western Scrub-Jay west of Prosser, but still in Benton County. Then heading south on Hwy 221 at MP 5 were 3-4,000 Snow Geese feeding in a corn field. This is the most I have ever seen in Benton County. At Crow Butte Park it began to snow hard on us so we didn?t walk in to check for the Blue Jay. We did have 1 Great Horned Owl and 2 Tundra Swans. Hwy 14 was snow packed with the worst around John Day Dam, but we made it home, I think.






Ken Knittle
Vancouver WA 98665
mailto:washingtonbirder.com
Washington Birder online
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