Subject: [Tweeters] Sentinal Bluffs, Potholes, Vantage and Liberty
Date: Jun 12 15:12:37 2011
From: Randy Bjorklund - randimal at comcast.net


Tweeters,
On Saturday, Guy McWethy and I birded the east side with our primary target
being the Brown Thrashers at Sentinal Bluffs and Potholes. We didn't find
either Brown Thrasher, but we got a lot of great birds, three of which were
lifers for me, and we got a consolation prize at Vantage.

On the way to south along the Columbia to Sentinal Bluffs we saw our first
of several FORSTER'S TERNS (my fist lifer of the trip). Also on the way, a
stunning, boldly contasted PEREGINE FALCON flew along side the car for a
short while before roosting in the cliffs. Sentinal Bluffs had no Brown
Thrasher, but we did get several GRAY CATBIRD (lifer), 5 flycatchers
including OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER and both VAUX's SWIFT and WHITE-THROATED
SWIFT.

On the way to Potholes State Park, Guy slammed on the brakes for a bird on
the wire which tuned out to be a LARK SPARROW (lifer). At Potholes State
Park we met many other birders but no Brown Thrasher. On the lake were both
FORSTER'S and CASPIAN TERNS. Other birds in the park were fairly common for
the east side, but beautifully colored such as BULLOCK'S ORIOLE,
BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK and WESTERN KINGBIRD.

At Birders Corner we got a good look at a SORA and also heard VIRGINIA RAIL.
BLUE-WING TEAL, CINNAMON TEAL and BLACK-NECKED STILT were also in the area.

At North Potholes, we ran into many more LARK SPARROWS. The Rookery area
had all the expected large birds, GREAT BLUE HERON, several BLACK-CROWNED
NIGHT HERONS (all fly-bys), DOUBLE CRESTED CORMORANT and many GREAT EGRETS.
Other good birds were EASTERN KINGBIRDS and SPOTTED SANDPIPERS.

At Vantage we managed to get a WILSONS WARBLER which we both needed for the
county. However, the bird of the day was a BLACK-THROATED SPARROW at what
I'm told is its historical location. The bird came in close and allowed for
pictures, one of which is on my site.

After some dinner we headed up to the Liberty area to look for Owls.
Liberty Cafe only had one RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD. Right as it got dark we got
off to a great start calling in a NORTHERN PYMGY-OWL which continued to call
and fly around us for some time. The next couple hours were slow with only a
COMMON NIGHTHAWK calling overhead. However just before leaving we located a
FLAMMULATED OWL that seemed to be calling and then moving a hundred or so
feet away on the logging road. We followed it for some time, but never got
a visual.

Overall, a fantastic day of birding despite the miss on the Brown Thrasher.
It was very tiring, though, as we were awake almost 22 hours, but well worth
it.

I put several of the pictures online:

https://picasaweb.google.com/randybjo/PicturesForSharing

Randy Bjorklund
Federal Way, WA