A big thank-you to the folks who sent me advice on finding AVOCETS near
the Tri-Cities in mid-May. I just returned to Seattle, having
successfully added this target bird to my life list. I found around a
dozen of them in the Walla Walla Delta across the highway from Madame
Dorian State Park (near Wallula). This was a thrilling way to celebrate
my 2nd anniversary of birding.

I also found three other Life Birds on my trip -- a NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED
SWALLOW near Bateman Island (Tri-Cities), and a LARK SPARROW and a SAY'S
PHOEBE both at Gingko Petrified Forest visitor center (Vantage). There
was a gorgeous VARIED THRUSH foraging in the grass by the Gingko center as
well.

Bateman Island in the Tri-Cities is always a favorite birding spot. The
usual birds were there in good numbers -- BLACK-BILLED MAGPIE, MOURNING
DOVE, BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK, AM.WHITE PELICAN, CALIF.QUAIL, plus at least
one BULLOCK'S ORIOLE and a lovely fly-by of a BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON.

It was a lovely trip but I'm happy to be back on the cooler side of the
state!

Cheers,
Alexandra MacKenzie
Seattle
alexam at uw.edu or mizmak at gmail.com