Subject: [Tweeters] Flammulated Owls and Northern Parulas
Date: Jun 22 00:26:50 2012
From: Gina Sheridan - gsherida8502 at yahoo.com


On the evening of the Summer Solstice (6/20/12), two non-birder friends of mine (Dana Smith & Mariah Merchant) joined me on an owling run to Redwine Canyon in Lincoln County. My primary goal was to relocate the Flammulated Owls that Jon Isacoff had found several weeks ago. I specifically chose a calm, mostly clear evening to enhance our chances.

We began working the canyon around 10:30 PM, and I was surprised to hear a STELLER'S JAY deliver it's raucous call at the upper end of the canyon,
I wasn't expecting to hear a jay calling well after dark.

Clocking the odometer at 1.8 miles down Redwine Canyon from the junction with Debord Road, we futilely attempted to elicit a response from the owls. We did see a couple of bats flying over (one was a rather large species). ?Trying a spot further down the canyon, we were amused to hear a vociferous GRAY CATBIRD. In addition, POORWILLs were calling in through out the canyon.

After 11:00 PM, we slowly worked our way back up the canyon and found a turn out that was near the 1.8 point from the junction with Debord Road.
This time we did hear a Flam hooting. We then could hear Flams on both sides of the road. While I was shining my torch into the trees, one FLAMMULATED OWL flew about a meter over our heads and continued in a straight line into the Doug Firs.

Although I didn't get much sleep last night, I met up with Jon Isacoff and his daughter Madeline this morning (6/21/12). Today, we were determined to twitch the Northern Parula that was reported in the Tri-Cities. It was a warm summer day (with the temperature rising into the upper 80's by mid-afternoon), but with a light breeze out the northeast.

When we were pulling into the Kiwanis Campground?(the eastern open section)?in Columbia Park in Kinniwick, ?we immediately heard a Northern Parula singing. However it quickly fell silent and we couldn't obtain a visual on it. After spending a half hour failing to locate the bird, we decided to try for the second Parula that was in the Kiwanis Campground a little farther west (the closed section). ?

In the western Kiwanis Campground, we ran ?into a couple of good birder friends (Craig & Judy Corder). ?As we fanned out in the park, Craig quickly detected a Parula singing, and I was then able to spot the bird flitting around a tall Sycamore. It wasn't long before all four of us were enjoying crippling views of a very handsome NORTHERN PARULA.

On the return drive, we stopped at Hatton Coulee Rest Area and saw over a dozen adult AMERICAN AVOCETS with a gaggle of young Avocets that were stiffly swimming around in the STP. ?A pair of BLACK-NECKED STILTs were present as well. Apparently, the adult avocets ?were alarmed by our presence. While calling loudly, several of the avocets flew around us in a big circle. We quickly retreated to leave attractive avocet families in peace.

Back on the Adams County on Sprague Lake, we birded around the Gazebo, and noted WILLOW FLYCATCHER, VIRGINIA RAIL, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, and FERRUGINOUS HAWK.

Happy Summer Birding,

Gina Sheridan
Spokane, WA