WOS FIELD TRIP REPORT: CLARK COUNTY

APRIL 28, 2012; 7 AM - 6 PM (and extension April 29; 7:30 AM - 10:45 AM)

Eight birders joined me for a 75-mile circuit around Clark County WA. Heavy
overcast suppressed activity during much of the morning as we climbed
Hockinson Heights toward the lower portions of Larch Mountain in search of
forest specialties. Our first stop at the fire station produced a flock of
15+ EVENING GROSBEAKS. Up near the intersection to the Larch Mountain
Correctional Facility, Ken Knittle thought he heard a WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL
which would be a first county record, but it stopped calling and was never
seen. About a mile past the intersection we located a SOOTY GROUSE hooting
where found last year, but despite an intensive search of the few trees that
it called from, we could not spot it through the upper canopy branches. The
drizzly skies turned the trip north to lower elevation past Rock Creek which
did produce an AMERICAN DIPPER, apparently from a nest under the bridge. A
stop before the Lewis River revealed a HERMIT WARBLER song, but the only
candidate to show itself was a BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER. Lunch was a
Daybreak Park where a bright RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD was among several common
local nesters.

>From that point we headed to the River S Unit of Ridgefield NWR, where
PURPLE MARTINS are now occupying several nesting gourds at the entrance
along Lake River. We found REDHEADS at South Quigley Lake where several
YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS are again nesting. SORA and VIRGINIA RAILS were
quite vocal. After a quick look at a BARN OWL and one of the BLACK PHOEBES
that is using last year's nest, we continued around the auto tour route and
found three of the SOLITARY SANDPIPERS that are using Ruddy Lake, and
several CINNAMON TEAL were quite showy as the sun warmed the afternoon. Two
HORNED GREBES were scoped from the observation blind. A fuzzball GREAT
HORNED OWL was perched precariously above the road as we passed by the nest
tree. A final thrill for many was the point blank view of an AMERICAN
BITTERN.

As we approached 5 pm six of us continued to the Carty Unit, but clouds
again dimmed the outcome of our hoped-for feeding flocks of warblers and we
added only a few new birds. We finished the day with 90 species, plus
several heard-only candidates that weren't recorded on the official list.

Four of us went out on a Sunday morning supplement that included a brief
stop north of Salmon Creek and a quick trip to the Vancouver Lake area.
Among the interesting species were good numbers of LESSER GOLDFINCHES at the
park at the LaFramboise Road turnoff toward Vancouver Lake, a WESTERN
KINGBIRD near the parking lot after entering the Shillapoo Wildlife Area and
another at the north end of the Vancouver Lake County Park, a YELLOW-HEADED
BLACKBIRD on the Shillapoo Lake wetlands, and a (FOY) WESTERN TANAGER near
the flushing channel. Among 75 species we added eight birds to Saturday's
list for a total of 98, and got great looks at several that were heard only
or not seen by all participants on Saturday. As a final note I revisited
the Salmon Creek site on the way home to see if a warming morning had
brought out any warblers. No, but I did have a (FOY) singing BLACK-HEADED
GROSBEAK.

Weather or not, it was an enjoyable way to spend time with a great group of
friends, old and new, who just happen to enjoy birding.

Randy Hill

Ridgefield