Tweets.



This past weekend, Phyllis Moss and I led a group from Seattle Audubon on a
two-day field trip to Eastern Washington, with the main attraction being the
Leahy Greater Sage-Grouse lek. The weather started out rainy and windy, but
by Sunday, we actually had some sunshine. The joy of spring in the
Northwest.



Twelve of us left Issaquah early Saturday morning, with our first stops
along Old Vantage Highway, searching for the early-arriving sage species.
>From there we drove to Soap Lake and birded the various lakes along SR-17,
eventually arriving in Pateros for our overnight. Sunday morning we left
before dawn and arrived at the lek about 6:45, to immediately be thrilled at
the sight of 19 displaying male GREATER SAGE-GROUSE. Only two females were
spotted, conspicuously ignoring the strutting males. This was a lifer for 8
of our group, so we had some very happy birders, who did their own "lifer
dance." After feasting on this display for more than an hour, we
reluctantly left, and spent the remainder of the morning and early afternoon
exploring the Waterville Plateau, before returning to Seattle.



Some other highlights of our trip:

. At our first stop on Saturday, we had 4-6 winnowing and displaying
WILSON'S SNIPE, while looking at our first YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS of the
season.

. A GOLDEN EAGLE soared above us on the Old Vantage Highway.

. In Grant County, near Ephrata, a single LONG-BILLED CURLEW.

. On Soap Lake, many EARED GREBES in varying stages of molt to
alternate plumage.

. On Alkali Lake, off SR-17, a pair of RED-NECKED GREBES were engaging
in their mating ritual of mirroring each other's movements, and with the
male presenting nesting material to his mate.

. At Sun Lakes State Park, a CANYON WREN flew to a rock about 10 feet
from us, and for the next 10 minutes serenaded us with his wonderful song.

. Along the road in to Jameson Lake, in Douglas County, a pair of
PEREGRINE FALCONS were setting up housekeeping on the cliff face.

. A visible, amazingly, for the entire group, VIRGINIA RAIL at a pond
near Leahy.

. A lone, bare tree near Leahy hosted a GREAT-HORNED OWL on a nest,
and 6 feet above it, a RED-TAILED HAWK nest. Both were occupied. We were
all amazed that they could/would coexist.



It was a very fun and productive weekend, with a great group of
participants, whose great eyes and ears helped add to our totals. For the
two days, we saw a total of 89 species.



MaryFrances Mathis

Kirkland

mf.mathis at comcast.net