Thanks to Rick and Tina Taylor for reporting their good finds in Lewis County yesterday. Laurie and I first stopped at the Red-throated Loon spot. Ring-necked Ducks, Bufflehead, and Hooded Mergansers, but no Red-throated Loon. Spending some time here hoping the loon would magically appear froom around the bend in the pond/lake I had a Swamp Sparrow to my left when looking at the pond. Russ Koppendrayer pulled up and the Swamp Sparrow gave two more call notes. I also struck out on the White-throated Sparrow and was also hoping for a Glaucous Gull, but no Glaucous. I think it was Michael Hobbs who posted the White-throated Sparrow, since I still need it for my Lewis County list. The yard where the White-throated was was full of chickens, dogs, and a person with his power saw pruning his fruit trees. So no birds at the feeders.

The Red-throated Loon most likely is in the Chehalis River by now.

Not sure how often the east end of Riffe Lake gets checked for loons, grebes, etc., but this is where I found a Yellow-billed Loon (2-15-97), later seen by Patrick Sullivan. Since then Pacific Loons have shown up there and a Red-throated record too--seems like from Patrick.






Ken Knittle
Vancouver WA 98665
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Washington Birder online
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