Hi Tweets,
I also decided to head east yesterday for my first non-winter eastside trip
of the year. My planned route was through the Vantage area and then to
double back and head up to Wenas and Yakima County. At Quilomene, in a
snowstorm (so much for "non-winter"), I got my lifter SAGE SPARROW with
about 6 of its friends. Ginko/Vantage had a MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD and SAY'S
PHOEBE. I went down to Wanapum SP where there was a nesting owl which
appeared to be LONG-EARED OWL. I also saw a few TREE SWALLOWS there.

Then I headed back west to get onto Umtanum Road to Wenas. Lower Umtanum
road had both types of bluebirds and I got a good photo of a WESTERN
BLUEBIRD. Lots of deer near Wenas. I didn't make it to the campground
because there was a significant puddle of inderterminate depth on the road.
At least a foot deep so I turned around. Black Canyon Road was also
interesting driving, but I made it to the trailhead where I got a brief
glimpse of a RUFFED GROUSE.

Then I headed down to Oak Creek on Hwy 12. The elk were still present
including several with horns so I took lots of pictures. I wandered the
area looking for Lewis's Woodpeckers, but there were none to be found yet.
The weather was overall pretty drizzly with some snow, but I got a couple
lifers and some good pictures so it was a fun trip. Newest pictures are
here.

http://picasaweb.google.com/randybjo/PicturesForSharing#

Randy Bjorklund
Federal Way, WA