Yes, I was back at the east end of Riffe Lake again this morning. Some birds are still there, some have left, and more keep a coming. This is definetely a good spot for fall migration. Some good birds seen here today are;

15 GREATER-WHITE FRONTED GEESE were seen along with 15 CACKLER GEESE.
1 AMERICAN WIGEON
2 NORTHERN PINTAIL
70 GREEN-WINGED TEAL
9 HOODED MERGANSERS
32 COMMON MERGANSERS
8 COMMON LOONS
4 HORNED GREBES
2 RED-NECKED GREBES
23 WESTERN GREBES
1 CLARK'S GREBE with a raft of Westerns. Best spot to view is to walk out to the far end to the lake from the wildlife access area. They were out just past the main channel from the Kosmos boat launch.
1 SANDHILL CRANE feeding along the edge of the inside pond. Later walked into the tall grass.
1 GREATER YELLOWLEGS
1 WESTERN SANDPIPER on the inside pond.
1 RING-BILLED GULL
25 CALIFORNIA GULL
1 HORNED LARK seen while walking out to the far end to the lake.
1 AMERICAN DIPPER seen in the creek the empties into the lake
6 AMERICAN PIPITS numbers have decreased.

Later, I drove up to the White Pass ski area and walked straight up the hill to the top. I was hoping to find Cassin's Finches and Clark's Nutcracker's, but found none. What I did get was, one heck of a work out. That is one long steep hill. My consolation prize was a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK.

I uploaded some pictures of Black-backed Woodpeckers from Bethel Ridge, Townsend's Solitaire's from Sand Lake Trail, and some not so great pics from Riffe Lake seen today and the Pectoral S.P from last week. The Clark's Grebe is included.

http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j148/dtvhm


Dave Hayden
dtvhm AT nwrain.com
Centralia,WA