Hello,

Early this morning, I decided head south today into Whitman, Asotin, and
Garfield. Despite battling heavy winds and rain, it turned out to be a
decent day.

The morning began before sunrise at Steptoe Butte State Park (Whitman Co)
with a cooperative Long-eared Owl and 2 Great Horned Owls.

I met up with Tom Mansfield and Ken Knittle at Swallows Park in Asotin
where we found the hybrid Am/Eur Wigeon, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Brown
Creeper and Cedar Waxwings.

Further along, in the town of Asotin, we were happy to find a Merlin, a
Western Screech Owl and one Lesser Goldfinch feeding with about 50 American
Goldfinches at feeder.

As mentioned, we were hampered birding the higher country around Anatone by
the gusty winds, but we did manage to find three Northern Shrikes, a
Pacific Wren, and a Pileated Woodpecker.

The Asotin County Landfill hosted the common gulls - Ring-billed,
California, and Herring, along with both a juvenile Glaucous and
Glaucous-winged Gull. Below, at Evans Pond, we found a Virginia Rail and a
Marsh Wren.

Crossing westward into Garfield County, it seems that the wind howled even
more, so we did not see a whole lot. However, we did fiind three Barn Owls
at the Pomeroy Cemetery. At the mouth of Deadman Creek at Central Ferry, we
had a calling Western Screech Owl that we could barely hear above a
scolding Bewick's Wren. Near Willow Bar along the Snake River, we located
another Barn Owl and closed out the day with a N Saw Whet Owl "barking" at
us from deep inide an evergreen.

A five owl day is always a good day. Tom and Ken were okay, too.

Blessings,
Terry Little
Mead, Wa