Tweets - I led a WOS trip to Klickitat County this past weekend. It was a great group of birders, and we lucked out with the weather and the birds.

Friday, March 11, I spent scouting with Brian Bell, Matt Bartels, and Sharon Aagaard.

Saturday, March 12, I led the WOS trip in a clockwise circle of the eastern part of the county, with an itinerary as follows: Brooks Memorial State Park, Goldendale, Bickleton, Sand Ridge Rd., Six Prongs Rd., Roosevelt Grade Rd, and then working along the Columbia river from Roosevelt to Horsethief Lake State Park. We spent the night in Hood River.

Sunday, March 13, we did a counterclockwise loop through the western part of the county, stopping at Bingen, Look Lake, Rowland Lake, Catherine Creek, Balch Lake, Lyle, Dallesport, and then running up Dalles Mountain Rd., continuing via Uecker, Randall, Harms, and Horseshoe Bends Rds. to SR-142, then up to the Glenwood-Goldendale Rd. to take us to Conboy NWR where we finished out the day.

Highlights from the three days:

Cackling Goose Maybe 30 seen with Canada Geese, Dallesport Rd, Dallesport, Sunday

Canvasback Seen at several locations

Eurasian Wigeon One male with a flock of 35 American Wigeon, Tidyman Rd., Dallesport, Sunday

Ruddy Duck 2-3 seen at Horsethief Lake, Saturday

Gray Partridge 2 at the north end of Sand Ridge Rd., Saturday

Ruffed Grouse 1 heard at Trout Lake, Friday

Eared Grebe 1 at Roosevelt Park, Saturday

Ferruginous Hawk One seen soaring over Sand Ridge Rd., Saturday. The bird was never close to us, but it soared slowly north before curving east, and then heading south again, staying within scope distance for the whole time (5+ minutes). It was moving slowly enough that we could take turns at the scopes and everyone could get great looks. Fabulous bird.

Peregrine Falcon 1 at Conboy NWR headquarters, Friday. A pair sitting on fence posts near the summit on Dalles Mountain Rd. on Sunday. The latter were gorgeous fairly pale birds. The male was nearer and considerably smaller than the female, who was also more elegantly marked.

Prairie Falcon 1 long County Line Rd. Saturday. 1 along Dalles Mountain Rd. Sunday.

Sandhill Crane Small numbers at Conboy (just 2 on Sunday, a few more Friday)

Great Horned Owl One on a nest along Dalles Mountain Rd.

Lewis's Woodpecker 2 along Bickleton Highway, Saturday

Acorn Woodpecker 2 at the traditional granary tree near Balch Lake, Sunday.

Say's Phoebe Several, all 3 days

Northern Shrike Several, all 3 days. We tried in vain to find a Loggerhead.

Bushtit A flock at Catherine Creek, with a few more at Balch Cemetery, Sunday

Western Bluebird Literally hundreds, all over

Mountain Bluebird Maybe 40

Townsend?s Solitaire 1 along County Line Rd., Friday, 1 on Sand Ridge Rd. Saturday

American Pipit A flock of 50+ on Dalles Mountain Rd., north of the summit.

Sage Sparrow At least 2 along Sand Ridge Rd., but Friday and Saturday. On Saturday, they gave us stunning looks from just a few feet away!

Lesser Goldfinch 2 on Bickleton Highway, Saturday. Many at Maryhill State Park, Sunday, giving us great looks and comparisons

We had around 80 species a day, each of the 3 days. The official field trip total was 103 (including swan sp. [probably Tundra] at Conboy. The total for the 3 days was 112 (including sapsucker sp. [probably Red-breasted] heard at Trout Lake)

== Michael Hobbs
== Kirkland, WA
== http://www.marymoor.org/birding.htm
== http://www.marymoor.org/BirdBlog.htm
== birdmarymoor at frontier.com