I played hooky yesterday and went East in hopes of
sun, testing my repaired shoulder casting a fly
and of course looking for some birds. Big worry
as I came up to Snoqualmie Pass and the rain got
heavier and heavier. Fortunately it cleared about
8 miles after the crest and it was indeed a very
beautiful sunny day...BUT with extremely heavy
winds that hampered the birding success. I hit
the Yakima R. at the Ringer Road boat launch and
was able to cast enough to give me some optimism
about returning to active fishing after another
month or so of continuing rehab. So I put down
the fly rod and grabbed the binoculars. On the
way in to the launch area just off the I-90 exit I
had good looks at three swooping and soaring
TURKEY VULTURES and then right at the Ringer Road
Loop entrance had a pair of hunting NORTHERN
HARRIERS. Earlier I had a RED TAIL on a lamp
post on I-90 in Bellevue and a PEREGRINE perched a
little further East so it had already been a good
start. About 3 minutes after grabbing the binos
and seeing the first of many BULLOCK'S ORIOLES for
the day, I heard what I thought was a BALD EAGLE
across the river. Sure enough an adult Eagle
zoomed by with its white head gleaming in the
sun. IMMEDIATELY thereafter it was followed by a
RED TAIL and then an OSPREY which was being dive
bombed by an AMERICAN KESTREL. For the briefest
of seconds all four birds were within perhaps 50
yards of each other - hence the RAPTOR PARADE.

Later that day I went over to Vantage and then
along Lower Crab Creek. The wind really was
howling and made birding tough. I did manage at
least 20 Orioles, and an equal number of WESTERN
KINGBIRDS and perhaps half that many EASTERN
KINGBIRDS. On the raptor list I also added two
more RED TAILS, a SWAINSONS HAWK and a single
PRAIRIE FALCON. And if the definition is
broadened, a single COMMON NIGHTHAWK. No owls
which was disappointing, but that sun reall felt good.