Tom Mansfield and I began before sunrise for owls in Wahkiakum County. North of Skamokawa we had a Northern Saw-whet Owl and Northern Pygmy-Owl. We missed Barred Owl. Up West Valley Road we found 2 Ruffed Grouse and a Red-breasted Sapsucker. A loop through Julia Butler Hansen NWR produced 11 Greater White-fronted Geese, 40+ Long-billed Dowithcers, and 1 Virginia Rail. At the Cathlamet sewer ponds were 2 Bonaparte's Gulls. Puget Island had 1 Trumpeter Swan hanging out with a handful of Canada Geese along North Welcome Slough Road behind the dairy farm. A Merlin and a Peregrine Falcon were seen perched on top of trees.

A quick stop by the Longview sewer ponds produced 1 female Ruddy duck.

Then we headed towards Woodland where at 1321 Dike Road Tom heard it and sure enough the Black Phoebe was right where it was first found hanging around a new metal building. Obviously not the Ridgefield NWR phoebes. Further south on Dike Road we checked the raft of ducks which included 1 Surf Scoter and 1 White-winged Scoter-possibly only Cowlitz County's 2'nd White-winged record. 75+ Snow Geese flew up river passed us heading toward Sauvie Island NWR for the night. 1 Rough-legged Hawk was found on the ground close to where the road turns east and follows the Lewis River. Looking across the Lewis River into Clark County was 1 Bonaparte's Gull. It never would fly into Cowlitz County even with the I-Pod. Sandhill Cranes were in about all fields with the ocassional Great Egret stauking mice.




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