Hey Tweets,

Day six of my big trip around the state was a great one. The highlight was meeting up with MerryLynn Denny for a few hours of birding in Walla Walla County. Having instructions to meet at a Least Flycatcher - nice way to start. We made our way from this bird, which was still chebekking away outside of Waitsburg, up Coppei Creek, then up to Biscuit Ridge, and back to Dixie. Green-Tailed Towhees were still singing up there, and I was able to get a nice view of one, a lifer for me. No bluebirds, but all of the other thrushes - robins everywhere, Veery and Swainson's Thrushes at Coppei Creek, and Hermit and Varied at the top of the drive up Biscuit Ridge, along with Townsend's Solitaire.

Heard two birds that won't go on any lists for me - Lesser Goldfinches, whose calls were too hard for me to really separate out from all of the other less familiar bird songs of the day, and Cordilleran Flycatcher. Yep, they sound different down there, but if MerryLynn's calling them Western Flycatchers, I just might too. MerryLynn was very generous with time and information, sending me off into the county midmorning well-armed to find some birds. I had a good start with a Yellow-breasted Chat at Lake Bennington, but missed on Burrowing Owl, Ferruginous Hawk, and Forster's Terns. dip, dip, skip. Another day!

Bateman Island was hot, but birdy. The hightlight for me was a Great Egret at the end of the walk.

Made my way up and over Satus Pass, and set up camp at Brooks Memorial State Park with Klickitat County waiting for me the next day!

Tim Brennan
Renton
www.39counties.blogspot.com