Sunday I made the pilgrimage to twitch RUSTY BLACKBIRD at Woodland and the VERMILION FLYCATCHER at Ridgefield NWR. I enjoyed the company of friends as well as the birds themselves. There was also a RED-SHOULDERED HAWK at stop 11 near the VEFL.

Initially, the search for the RUSTY BLACKBIRD was not productive on Caples Road. Tom Mansfield and I decided to drive down the road a bit and check out other blackbird flocks. No luck. As we prepared to return to the previous spot we heard a loud, distinctive sound at close range. My first thought was golden-plover, which I expressed to Tom. He had his device handy and immediately played a recording of an AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER. It matched what we had heard. The bird was not to be seen or heard again, much to our dismay.

Monday morning I birded the Vancouver Lake area. Here are a few highlights:

Fruit Valley STP
Townsend's Warbler - 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler -1
Redhead -1

Rufner's Pond
Great Egret - 85 on the pond; more nearby
Greater Yellowlegs - 1
Bonaparte's Gull - 1

Vancouver Lake
Red-breasted Merganser -1

Vancouver Lake County Park, north end of parking lot
White-throated Sparrow - 3 - 1 white, 1 tan, 1 imm

Frenchman Bar Riverfront Park
Surf Scoter - 3 - in typical scoter flight


Marv Breece
Seattle, WA
marvbreece at q.com