Hi everyone,
I got out early this morning to work on my year list. My first stop was along MacFarlane Road on the West Plains in Spokane County. I scanned the fields hoping for coursing owls as the sun rose, but didn't have any luck. By chance, while I was driving out I passed a SHORT-EARED OWL perched on a fencepost. The owl let me get very close for a couple nice pictures from inside my vehicle.
In Lincoln County, I made a stop at Reardan Lakes hoping to hear a Bittern. I heard just about everything else besides a Bittern so once again perhaps another day. I then moved down into Spring Creek canyon. It was very active and I found my first of the year VEERY and RED-EYED VIREO there. The Veery was not singing, but it was making its "veer" call. I think there were at least two different birds there.
The next productive stop was on north end of Telford Road. I easily found the breeding LEWIS'S WOODPECKERS there just off the highway. A little further north, I found a couple pairs of nesting MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS and heard a couple GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS. The big surprise was a calling while flying over LONG-BILLED CURLEW. Perhaps all the wet spots that are still around are keeping these birds happy.
Lastly, I stopped at Sprague and first visited the flooded fields just west of town. There is still water on the south side of the road and the birds are loving it. A mass of gulls were assembled here and out swimming in the water were two adult breeding plumaged FRANKLIN'S GULLS. Awesome looks at these birds! Also, here were two AMERICAN AVOCETS and a couple WILSON'S PHALAROPES.
At the Sprague STP, the usual suspects were about and I finally found my first of the year BANK SWALLOW at the big pile of dirt. A lone BLACK-NECKED STILT was working the flooded field behind the STP and two more AMERICAN AVOCETS were in the easternmost sewage pond.
Good birding!
Tim O'Brien
Cheney, WA
mailto: kertim7179 at yahoo dot com