Quite an experience at the south end of Ridgefield NWR this morning from Lower River Road.? Between 10 and 11:30 there was a nearly continuous stream of passerines heading upstream (south) toward Vancouver right along the shoreline of the Columbia River.? Some would make short stops in trees before continuing toward t he cottonwood forest to the south.? My guess was about 2/3 warblers (with a few Warbling Vireos that did pause long enough to identify), and 1/3 Western Tanagers.? In 90 minutes I estimated 2000 bird, and they were still moving through when I left.? Yes, 600-700 Western Tanagers ! in flocks of 2, 5, 8, 10; constant movement that I noted when leaving and tanagers were darting through the cottonwoods a mile south.? Good variety of warblers with Orange-crowned seeming the dominant, a couple of Nashvilles, Yellows, Townsends, Wilsons, ?Yellow-rumped that paused long enough to ID.? While they appeared to be dropping out of the sky, 10 am is a bit late and I believe they had dropped in?at day break ?to the ash forest a bit north which hasn't leafed out yet, and were seek ing better foraging areas.? Almost like a High Island moment but without the ex hausted ?poses.



Yesterday after work I found a Lewis's Woodpecker and 4 Red-necked Phalaropes on the Bachelor Island unit of the Refuge.? There were Solitary Sandpipers at two locations along the River S auto tour route.



Randy Hill

Ridgefield



Randy Hill

Ridgefield