Subject: [Tweeters] WA State Big Day report, 12 May 2012
Date: May 13 11:40:29 2012
From: Matt Bartels - mattxyz at earthlink.net


Yesterday [May 12, 2012], Michael Hobbs, Sharon Cormier-Aagaard & I made our first attempt at a Washington State Big Day. We'd been scouting & plotting for a long while, the birds mostly cooperated, and the weather conspired to give us a great day. Overall, we had an excellent time, got to buzz through an incredible slice of Washington, and did better than we'd thought realistic.

First things first -- our total for the day: 175 species. Woo-hoo!

Here are a few highlights, followed by a species list with the location of our first sightings:

Started at 12:30am in Yakima and headed up to White Pass for owling. The day began a bit inauspiciously, with lots of nerve-racking deer & elk on the road, and a long stretch before our first birds -- None of us are particularly stellar at owling, so this wasn't completely unexpected?. finally, at 2:00am, we broke the dam at Tieton Marsh at Rimrock Lake, where a Northern Saw-whet Owl & a Great Horned Owl were vocalizing. Moving back down hill, we stopped off Valley Mall Blvd in Yakima where a Barn Owl was hunting in the street lights. Then it was off to SR 97 south of Toppenish, where we heard and saw a Great Horned Owl and had 2 Western Screech-Owls come in at BIA 148. 4 owls to start the day, not bad!

The day really took off with dawn [or a bit before]. At BIA 148, Yellow-breasted Chat & Laz Bunting were both great to find early. Off Tule Rd., we picked up most of the sage species including Sage , Vesper, Grasshopper Sparrow, Loggerhead Shrike, Horned Lark & Chukar. Brewer's Sparrow was an early unexpected miss though.

A couple hours at Toppenish were rewarding, though the water has greatly decreased in the past week -- the fields on SR 97 3/4 mi before Pumphouse Rd. had Black-necked Stilt, Dunlin, Wilson's Phalarope, Wilson's Snipe, and vocalizing Bittern, Sora & Virginia Rail. As we moved around the NWR, we picked up Lewis's Woodpecker, Bullock's Oriole, Western Tanager, and Black-headed Grosbeak at the Headquarters, Cinnamon & Blue-winged Teal, American Avocet, Am.White Pelican, & Prairie Falcon elsewhere.

As we left Toppenish around 8 am, we had tallied 80 species - nice start!

We worked our way west on SR 12, stopping at several canyons along the way to explore. Bear Creek Canyon was fun & birdy with Calliope Hummingbird, Canyon & Rock Wren, Dusky Flycatchers and unid'd empids, and plenty of Nashville Warblers all over the place. We found an American Dipper along the river near Rimrock, but couldn't pull out a Harlequin Duck pair for the day. At Bethel Ridge, Williamson's Sapsucker, Downy, Hairy, & Northern Flicker all showed up, along with Clark's Nutcracker and cooperative Lincoln's Sparrow & Hammond's Flycatcher. At the East Point Campground at Rimrock Lake, we were happy to find a White-headed Woodpecker -- a bird we'd missed on our scouting outings. Finally, up Soup Creek Rd. we missed bluebird but quickly found Black-backed Woodpecker.

By the time we crossed White Pass into Western WA at noon, we had seen 120 species in Yakima Co for the morning.

Moving downhill in Lewis County, we started to find westside birds around Randle, where a stop on FR25 offered up Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Pacific Wren, Varied Thrush & Black-throated Gray Warbler [welcome to the westside!]. On Falls, Rd., a hummingbird feeder had our only Anna's Hummingbird of the day our very first White-crowned Sparrow of the day! [still only heard them until out at the coast]. We stopped at a clearcut near Riffe Lake and a MacGillivray's Warbler popped up for us.

At Rainbow Falls State Park we were thrilled to have Hermit Warblers come right in, followed shortly by Swainson's Thrush, Golden-crowned Kinglets & Brown Creeper.

We finished our day with a run out around the coast, from Willapa Bay to Tokeland & then up to Westport.
Tokeland had Marbled Godwit, Whimbrel, Ruddy Turnstones, Red Knots, & Short-billed Dowitcher (but no Willet). A flock of Cackling Geese were lingering in Willapa Bay, along with our only Green-winged Teal of the day. After picking up Sanderling in a quick stop at Grayland beach, we headed to Westport where we found Brown Pelican, all three cormorant species, Pigeon Guillemot & Rhino Auklets, Wandering Tattler on the jetty and a single Brant floating near the jetty.

A quick tally told us we were at 173 species, so we hit two more stops on the way home as it got dark - Bottle Beach was w/o any birds on the water, but we picked up our first Marsh Wren of the day near the parking lot. Finally, along Newskah Rd., after a few tries we had a Barred Owl float in to give us a nice round 175 species for the day.

A couple hours later and we were back in the Seattle are at midnight to end the day.

Notable misses for the day included: Harlequin Duck, Hooded Merganser, Long-billed Dowitcher, Red-naped Sapsucker, Pileated Woodpecker, Purple Martin, Bushtit, Western Bluebird, Brewer's Sparrow, Red Crossbill.


Here's the full list for the day:

#, Species, Location full, Area

1. Brant, Westport Jetty, Westport
2. Cackling Goose, Willapa Bay, Tokeland
3. Canada Goose, Toppenish 3/4 mi field, Toppenish area
4. Wood Duck, Toppenish Headquarters, Toppenish area
5. Gadwall , Toppenish 3/4 mi field, Toppenish area
6. American Wigeon , Old Goldendale Rd., Toppenish area
7. Mallard , Toppenish 3/4 mi field, Toppenish area
8. Blue-winged Teal, Pumphouse Rd., Toppenish, Toppenish area
9. Cinnamon Teal , Toppenish 3/4 mi field, Toppenish area
10. Northern Shoveler , Toppenish 3/4 mi field, Toppenish area
11. Northern Pintail , Willapa Bay, Tokeland
12. Green-winged Teal, Willapa Bay, Tokeland
13. Redhead , Old Goldendale Rd., Toppenish area
14. Ring-necked Duck , Tieton Airport Marsh, Rimrock, SR 12 Yakima
15. Greater Scaup, Tokeland Marina, Tokeland
16. Surf Scoter, Tokeland Marina, Tokeland
17. White-winged Scoter , Tokeland Marina, Tokeland
18. Barrow's Goldeneye , Tieton Airport Marsh, Rimrock, SR 12 Yakima
19. Bufflehead, Marion Drain Rd., Toppenish, Toppenish area
20. Common Merganser, Clear Lake, SR 12 Yakima
21. Red-breasted Merganser , Willapa Bay, Tokeland
22. California Quail, Toppenish Headquarters, Toppenish area
23. Chukar , Tule Rd. off 97, Toppenish area
24. Ring-necked Pheasant , Toppenish 3/4 mi field, Toppenish area
25. Common Loon , Willapa Bay, Tokeland
26. Pied-billed Grebe , Toppenish Headquarters, Toppenish area
27. Horned Grebe, Willapa Bay, Tokeland
28. Red-necked Grebe, Westport Jetty, Westport
29. Brandt's Cormorant , Westport Marina, Westport
30. Double-crested Cormorant , Lateral C, Toppenish, Toppenish area
31. Pelagic Cormorant , North Cove Tokeland, Tokeland
32. American White Pelican , Lateral C, Toppenish, Toppenish area
33. Brown Pelican , Westport Coast Guard Station, Westport
34. American Bittern, Toppenish 3/4 mi field, Toppenish area
35. Great Blue Heron , Toppenish 3/4 mi field, Toppenish area
36. Turkey Vulture , Tieton Airport Marsh, Rimrock, SR 12 Yakima
37. Osprey , SR 12 Yakima, SR 12 Yakima
38. Bald Eagle , Mossyrock SR 12, SR 12 Lewis
39. Northern Harrier , Pumphouse Rd., Toppenish, Toppenish area
40. Sharp-shinned Hawk, Willapa Bay, Tokeland
41. Red-tailed Hawk , Toppenish Headquarters, Toppenish area
42. Golden Eagle, Bear Creek Canyon, SR 12 Yakima
43. American Kestrel , Toppenish Headquarters, Toppenish area
44. Prairie Falcon, Lateral C, Toppenish, Toppenish area
45. Virginia Rail , Toppenish 3/4 mi field, Toppenish area
46. Sora , Toppenish 3/4 mi field, Toppenish area
47. American Coot , Pumphouse Rd., Toppenish, Toppenish area
48. Black-bellied Plover , Willapa Bay, Tokeland
49. Semipalmated Plover, Willapa Bay, Tokeland
50. Killdeer , Toppenish 3/4 mi field, Toppenish area
51. Black-necked Stilt , Toppenish 3/4 mi field, Toppenish area
52. American Avocet, Pumphouse Rd., Toppenish, Toppenish area
53. Spotted Sandpiper , Marion Drain Rd., Toppenish, Toppenish area
54. Wandering Tattler , Westport Jetty, Westport
55. Greater Yellowlegs, Willapa Bay, Tokeland
56. Whimbrel , Willapa Bay, Tokeland
57. Long-billed Curlew , Toppenish 3/4 mi field, Toppenish area
58. Marbled Godwit, Tokeland Marina, Tokeland
59. Ruddy Turnstone , Tokeland Marina, Tokeland
60. Red Knot, Tokeland Marina, Tokeland
61. Sanderling , Grayland Beach, Tokeland
62. Western Sandpiper, Willapa Bay, Tokeland
63. Least Sandpiper , Tokeland Marina, Tokeland
64. Dunlin , Toppenish 3/4 mi field, Toppenish area
65. Short-billed Dowitcher, Graveyard Spit, Tokeland, Tokeland
66. Wilson's Snipe , Toppenish 3/4 mi field, Toppenish area
67. Wilson's Phalarope , Toppenish 3/4 mi field, Toppenish area
68. Mew Gull , Graveyard Spit, Tokeland, Tokeland
69. Ring-billed Gull , Willapa Bay, Tokeland
70. Western Gull , Willapa Bay, Tokeland
71. Glaucous-winged Gull, Willapa Bay, Tokeland
72. Caspian Tern , Willapa Bay, Tokeland
73. Pigeon Guillemot , Westport Marina, Westpor
74. Rhinoceros Auklet , Westport Marina, Westport
75. Rock Pigeon, Toppenish Headquarters, Toppenish area
76. Band-tailed Pigeon , Rainbow Falls SP, SR 6 Lewis
77. Eurasian Collared-Dove, Toppenish Headquarters, Toppenish area
78. Mourning Dove , BIA 148 off 97, Toppenish area
79. Barn Owl, Valley Mall Blvd., Yakima, SR 12 Yakima
80. Western Screech-Owl, BIA 148 off 97, Toppenish area
81. Great Horned Owl, Tieton Airport Marsh, Rimrock, SR 12 Yakima
82. Barred Owl , Newskah Rd., Westport
83. Northern Saw-whet Owl , Tieton Airport Marsh, Rimrock, SR 12 Yakima
84. Vaux's Swift, Bear Creek Canyon, SR 12 Yakima
85. White-throated Swift, SR 12 Naches, SR 12 Yakima
86. Anna's Hummingbird , Fall Rd., Randle, SR 12 Lewis
87. Rufous Hummingbird, Packwood, SR 12 Lewis
88. Calliope Hummingbird, Bear Creek Canyon, SR 12 Yakima
89. Belted Kingfisher, Pumphouse Rd., Toppenish, Toppenish area
90. Lewis's Woodpecker , Toppenish Headquarters, Toppenish area
91. Williamson's Sapsucker, Bethel Ridge, SR 12 Yakima
92. Red-breasted Sapsucker , Tieton Airport Marsh, Rimrock, SR 12 Yakima
93. Downy Woodpecker , Bethel Ridge, SR 12 Yakima
94. Hairy Woodpecker, Bethel Ridge, SR 12 Yakima
95. White-headed Woodpecker , Tieton Airport Marsh, Rimrock, SR 12 Yakima
96. Black-backed Woodpecker , Soup Creek Rd, SR 12 Yakima
97. Northern Flicker , Bethel Ridge, SR 12 Yakima
98. Hammond's Flycatcher , Bethel Ridge, SR 12 Yakima
99. Dusky Flycatcher, Bear Creek Canyon, SR 12 Yakima
100. Pacific-slope Flycatcher, FR 25, Randle, SR 12 Lewis
101. Say's Phoebe, BIA 148 off 97, Toppenish area
102. Western Kingbird , Toppenish Headquarters, Toppenish area
103. Loggerhead Shrike , Tule Rd. off 97, Toppenish area
104. Cassin's Vireo , Bear Creek Canyon, SR 12 Yakima
105. Warbling Vireo , Riffe Lake, SR 12 Lewis
106. Steller's Jay , SR 12 mp 184, SR 12 Yakima
107. Western Scrub-Jay , SR 6 Adna, SR 6 Lewis
108. Black-billed Magpie , Toppenish 3/4 mi field, Toppenish area
109. Clark's Nutcracker, Bethel Ridge, SR 12 Yakima
110. American Crow , BIA 148 off 97, Toppenish area
111. Common Raven , Tule Rd. off 97, Toppenish area
112. Horned Lark , Tule Rd. off 97, Toppenish area
113. Tree Swallow , Toppenish Headquarters, Toppenish area
114. Violet-green Swallow , SR 12 mp 182.5, SR 12 Yakima
115. N Rough-winged Swallow , Pumphouse Rd., Toppenish, Toppenish area
116. Bank Swallow , Pumphouse Rd., Toppenish, Toppenish area
117. Cliff Swallow , Old Goldendale Rd., Toppenish area
118. Barn Swallow , Toppenish Headquarters, Toppenish area
119. Black-capped Chickadee , BIA 148 off 97, Toppenish area
120. Mountain Chickadee , Bethel Ridge, SR 12 Yakima
121. Chestnut-backed Chickadee, FR 25, Randle, SR 12 Lewis
122. Red-breasted Nuthatch , Bethel Ridge, SR 12 Yakima
123. Brown Creeper , Rainbow Falls SP, SR 6 Lewis
124. Rock Wren, SR 12 mp 184, SR 12 Yakima
125. Canyon Wren, Bear Creek Canyon, SR 12 Yakima
126. Bewick's Wren , BIA 148 off 97, Toppenish area
127. House Wren , BIA 148 off 97, Toppenish area
128. Pacific Wren , FR 25, Randle, SR 12 Lewis
129. Marsh Wren , Bottle Beach, Westport
130. American Dipper, Rimrock Retreat, SR 12 Yakima
131. Golden-crowned Kinglet , Rainbow Falls SP, SR 6 Lewis
132. Ruby-crowned Kinglet , Bear Creek Canyon, SR 12 Yakima
133. Townsend's Solitaire , Bear Creek Canyon, SR 12 Yakima
134. Swainson's Thrush, Rainbow Falls SP, SR 6 Lewis
135. American Robin , Toppenish 3/4 mi field, Toppenish area
136.Varied Thrush , FR 25, Randle, SR 12 Lewis
137. European Starling, Toppenish Headquarters, Toppenish area
138. Orange-crowned Warbler, Toppenish Headquarters, Toppenish area
139. Nashville Warbler , Bear Creek Canyon, SR 12 Yakima
140. MacGillivray's Warbler , Fall Rd., Randle, SR 12 Lewis
141. Common Yellowthroat , Toppenish 3/4 mi field, Toppenish area
142. Yellow Warbler , Bear Creek Canyon, SR 12 Yakima
143. Yellow-rumped Warbler, Marion Drain Rd., Toppenish, Toppenish area
144. Black-throated Gray Warbler, FR 25, Randle, SR 12 Lewis
145. Townsend's Warbler , Bear Creek Canyon, SR 12 Yakima
146. Hermit Warbler , Rainbow Falls SP, SR 6 Lewis
147. Wilson's Warbler, Toppenish Headquarters, Toppenish area
148. Yellow-breasted Chat, BIA 148 off 97, Toppenish area
149. Spotted Towhee , BIA 148 off 97, Toppenish area
150. Chipping Sparrow , Bear Creek Canyon, SR 12 Yakima
151. Vesper Sparrow , Tule Rd. off 97, Toppenish area
152. Sage Sparrow , Tule Rd. off 97, Toppenish area
153. Savannah Sparrow , Lateral C, Toppenish, Toppenish area
154. Grasshopper Sparrow , Tule Rd. off 97, Toppenish area
155. Song Sparrow , Toppenish Headquarters, Toppenish area
156. Lincoln's Sparrow , Bethel Ridge, SR 12 Yakima
157. White-crowned Sparrow, FR 25, Randle, SR 12 Lewis
158. Golden-crowned Sparrow , Toppenish Headquarters, Toppenish area
159. Dark-eyed Junco , Bethel Ridge, SR 12 Yakima
160. Western Tanager , Toppenish Headquarters, Toppenish area
161. Black-headed Grosbeak , Toppenish Headquarters, Toppenish area
162. Lazuli Bunting, BIA 148 off 97, Toppenish area
163. Red-winged Blackbird , Toppenish 3/4 mi field, Toppenish area
164. Western Meadowlark , Tule Rd. off 97, Toppenish area
165. Yellow-headed Blackbird , Toppenish 3/4 mi field, Toppenish area
166. Brewer's Blackbird , Toppenish 3/4 mi field, Toppenish area
167. Brown-headed Cowbird , Toppenish 3/4 mi field, Toppenish area
168. Bullock's Oriole , Toppenish Headquarters, Toppenish area
169. Purple Finch , Temple Rd., Morton, SR 12 Lewis
170. Cassin's Finch , Bethel Ridge, SR 12 Yakima
171. House Finch , Pumphouse Rd., Toppenish, Toppenish area
172. Pine Siskin , Tieton Airport Marsh, Rimrock, SR 12 Yakima
173. American Goldfinch , Marion Drain Rd., Toppenish, Toppenish area
174. Evening Grosbeak , FR 25, Randle, SR 12 Lewis
175. House Sparrow, Toppenish Headquarters, Toppenish area

Matt Bartels
Seattle, WA