Tweets - I spent yesterday and today making my way from Toppenish NWR past
Yakima, and across US-12 at White Pass and through Lewis county. Spring is
not really here yet, but there were some interesting things about.

On Tule Rd., just south of Toppenish NWR off US-97, there were SAGE and
VESPER SPARROWS, LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE, and two GRAY PARTRIDGE.

Toppenish had many TUNDRA SWANS early yesterday morning. I might also have
heard Sandhill Crane, but could never verify. Near the intersection of
Pumphouse Rd. and Old Goldendale Rd. were at least 3 EURASIAN WIGEON in
separate flocks of American Wigeons. Quite a few CINNAMON TEAL were a
great thing to see. There were also lots of CHUKAR on Pumphouse Rd. Some
other birders reported an AMERICAN AVOCET, but I missed that one.

OSPREY and TURKEY VULTURE were seen at several locations.

LEWIS'S WOODPECKERS have returned en masse - I think I saw about a dozen
between mp 184 and mp 180 along US-12.

Crossing the swinging footbridge at mp 182.5 off US-12, I found several
BUSHTITS. There were also multiple booming SOOTY GROUSE.

There's still lots of snow up Bethel Ridge Rd., but my brand new Suzuki SX4
Crossover did really well on the snow on steep slopes (yay!). Couldn't buy
a woodpecker up there (except Northern Flicker), but there was a pair of
WESTERN BLUEBIRDS, some RED CROSSBILLS, and some PYGMY NUTHATCHES.

Rimrock Lake didn't have much, but Clear Lake (on the little bit of open
water at the west end) had many BARROW'S GOLDENEYE and RING-NECKED DUCKS, as
well as 5 TRUMPETER SWANS.

At the White Pass ski area I found 2 GRAY JAYS.

At the Veneer Ponds just south of Randle was a SAY'S PHOEBE (at the north
end, just as I got to the site). On Peter's Rd., south off US-12 just west
of Randle was another SAYS'S PHOEBE just north of the first mile marker on
the west side of the road. I also had my first NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED
SWALLOW of the year.

Riffe Lake had about 7 COMMON LOON, right around 100 WESTERN GREBE, and a
single CASPIAN TERN.

Then the rain hit in earnest and I drove home.

At Marymoor Park, the OSPREY are back though.

== Michael Hobbs
== Kirkland, WA
== http://www.marymoor.org/birding.htm
== http://www.marymoor.org/BirdBlog.htm
== birdmarymoor at frontier.com