A group of 12 from the Eastside Audubon spent 4 days at Malheur NWR last week. For anyone planning on going down there you should be aware of the flooding. Last year was the driest I have ever seen it. No water could be seen in any direction from the Narrows. This year the area was one big lake. I have been there 12 times and this is the first time that three of the most productive areas, Center Patrol Road, Benson's Pond and OO Ranch roads were all closed due to flooding. Despite this we still had better than expected birding. The best bird of the trip was a GREEN-TAILED TOWHEE seen at Page Springs CG that may be nesting there. I can give details of the location on request. We also saw BURROWING OWLS, one on Thursday and two on Friday at the same location, west of hwy 205 at about MP 21.5. We saw more LEWIS'S WOODPECKERS, about 10 on one day, than we have seen in all previous years. Families of GREAT-HORNED OWLS, 4 or 5, were seen at Headquarters, P Ranch and Frenchglen. We averaged from 83-101 for each day there and our total species is probably in the mid-120s. I haven't completed entering all the birds in AviSys as yet. If anyone is interested, I can email a copy of our regular itinerary for the trip and a list of all birds seen over the past 10 years.

Hugh Jennings
Bellevue, WA
h2ouzel AT comcast.net

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