Hi Tweeters,

This weekend I headed down to Southeast Washington to chase some lifers
(Dusky Grouse, Great Gray Owl, White-faced Ibis) and some WA-fers
(Black-chinned Hummingbird and Green-tailed Towhee). I met up with Guy
McWethy in Richland and we birded together through a few counties Saturday
and Sunday. Then on Sunday afternoon I birded Asotin County on the way to
Othello (yeah, right) to try to photograph some Burrowing Owls.



Interesting birds in the Walla Walla area were several BARN OWLS in the Dodd
Ponds area and an adult FRANKLIN'S GULL down on the lake. We then stopped a
Tom Lamb's place for some amazing hummingbird action. Both male and female
of BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD, CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD and RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD
were seen, with several of each flying around at all times. On Biscuit
Ridge we failed to find a Great Gray, but did locate 4 GREEN-TAILED TOWHEES
which I managed to photograph poorly. RED CROSSBILLS and LAZULI BUNTING
were also entertaining.



Next we birded Columbia County fairly extensively. Best birds were a couple
TOWNSEND SOLITAIRES, WILD TURKEY, some VEERY and a good, but unfortunately
quiet candidate for CORDILLERAN FLYCATCHER. We also had adult and fledgling
WESTERN SCREECH OWLS at Lewis and Clark Trail Campground where we spent the
night.



The next morning we birded Garfield County where (with a little local help)
we finally found a pair GREAT GRAY OWLS with a couple of nestlings. We also
found both MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD and WESTERN BLUEBIRD as well as a
WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH. Guy also had a WILLIAMSON'S SAPSUCKER which I
missed.



I then went on to Asotin County by myself. At Chief Timothy Park I found
LESSER GOLDFINCH, YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT and a very photogenic OSPREY. I
birded through Whitman County on the way to Othello and saw some SWAINSON'S
HAWKS and a TURKEY VULTURE.



Finally, at Othello I found a large family of BURROWING OWLS with EIGHT
fledglings being fed by the poor parents. It was easy to find since there
were already a couple of friendly photographers there who were also using
their car as a blind allowing us all to get good photos.



Overall, everywhere we went, Flycatchers were plentiful as well as Swallows,
and migrants like BULLOCK'S ORIOLES and BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK. There were
millions of YELLOW WARBLERS, but very few other warblers of any kind.
Raptors were plentiful and I ended up seeing 4 different species of baby
owls. We didn't find any White-faced Ibis, but we did find the rest of my
targets.



Good pictures are here:

https://picasaweb.google.com/102009338713990315115/PicturesForSharing



And here for generally poorer pictures of the rare birds:

https://picasaweb.google.com/102009338713990315115/Rarities



Randy Bjorklund

randimal at comcast.net

Federal Way, WA