Hi everyone,
I headed out to Rimrock Lake this weekend for some camping. On the way there on Saturday evening, I stopped at Vantage and found 2 Black-throated Sparrows just north of the Old Vantage Hwy and Recreation Road intersection. I watched them for a few minutes and heard their beautiful song. A life bird for me!
On Sunday, July 3, I followed some great directions from Jeff Kozma to the woodpecker bonanza up Bethel Ridge Road off of Hwy 12 between Naches and White Pass. In the burned area above Tieton Pond, I found White-head Woodpecker, Black-backed Woodpecker (1 female), and Hairy Woodpecker. Then traveling up towards the top of the ridge, I stopped at one little wet aspen stand and found nesting Red-naped Sapsuckers and in the adjacent tree nesting Williamson's Sapsuckers. Also, here I presume is a nesting pair of Lincoln's Sparrows due to their behavior when I was out of the truck looking around. At other stops, I found Downy Woodpecker and Northern Flicker. Near the top, I put forth a lot of effort in finding Three-toed, but came up empty. Elk were very common and at least one bull was bugling quite a bit. An eerie sound if you don't know what it is!
On the way home yesterday, I made a quick stop at the Hatton Coulee rest area where there are breeding American Avocets and Black-necked Stilts. The Avocet parents do not like you getting too close to the fence by the pond. One was buzzing me while I scoped. Two Western Sandpipers were here along with Killdeer and Spotted Sandpiper also.
It was a good weekend!
Tim O'Brien
Cheney, WA
mailto: kertim7179 at yahoo dot com